How long can you wait to file unemployment in Washington - missed my deadline?

You can backdate your Washington ESD claim up to one year from when you became unemployed, but you'll only get benefits for the weeks you actually file for. The sooner you file, the better. You won't get paid for those 6 weeks you waited unless you can prove there was good cause for the delay.

File immediately! I made the same mistake and waited 3 weeks. Washington ESD made me jump through hoops to prove why I delayed filing. Even then, I only got benefits from the week I actually applied, not the weeks I waited.

The one-year rule is correct, but here's what most people don't know - Washington ESD will scrutinize any claim filed more than 2-3 weeks after unemployment starts. You'll need to document your job search efforts for those 6 weeks and explain the delay. If you can't reach them by phone to discuss this (and good luck with that), try using Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help people get through to Washington ESD agents when the phone lines are impossible. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

just file online right now dont wait another day the system is already slow enough without making it worse for yourself

This is exactly why the unemployment system is broken. Six weeks shouldn't matter when you're genuinely looking for work. Washington ESD acts like we're trying to cheat the system when most of us are just trying to survive between jobs.

For future reference, you should file for unemployment the same week you lose your job. There's a one-week waiting period anyway, so filing immediately doesn't mean you get paid immediately. But it protects your claim date.

I work in HR and always tell employees to file immediately when they're laid off, even if they think they'll find work quickly. You can always cancel the claim if you find a job, but you can't go back and claim those lost weeks easily.

Pro tip: when you do file, make sure you have all your employment history for the last 18 months ready. Washington ESD needs employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. Having this ready speeds up the process.

been there done that waited almost 2 months because i was stubborn about needing help. washington esd made me prove i was looking for work the whole time which was annoying but they did approve my claim eventually. just took forever

The key thing everyone's missing is that Washington ESD will want to know why you waited 6 weeks. 'I thought I'd find work' isn't going to cut it. You need to show you were actively searching and maybe explain that you didn't understand the filing deadlines. Be prepared for extra scrutiny during adjudication.

Same situation happened to my brother last year. He waited about a month before filing and Washington ESD approved his claim but only paid from the date he filed forward. Lost about $1,200 in benefits he could have gotten if he'd filed immediately.

I used to think you had to be completely desperate before filing for unemployment. Now I know it's insurance you've been paying into through your paychecks. There's no shame in using a benefit you've earned.

Quick question - if he files now, when would his first payment come? I'm in a similar situation and need to know how long the process takes.

Actually had success with that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Used it last month when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my claim status. Connected me to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour hold times.

File today, seriously. The longer you wait, the more complicated it gets. Washington ESD doesn't make exceptions for 'I thought I'd find work quickly' - we all think that when we first get laid off.

This whole thread just proves how confusing Washington ESD makes everything. They should have clearer information about filing deadlines on their website instead of making people guess.

For what it's worth, I filed 4 weeks after my layoff and still got approved. Had to provide extra documentation about my job search, but Washington ESD did approve the claim. Don't give up hope.

honestly the worst part about waiting is you miss out on those weekly benefit payments you could have been getting this whole time even if everything else works out you still lost 6 weeks of income

Final advice: file your claim tonight if possible, be completely honest about why you waited, and document everything going forward. You might not get those 6 weeks back, but you can still get benefits from here on out if you qualify. And if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, that Claimyr service really does help cut through the phone maze.