How long do u have to file Washington ESD unemployment claim after losing job?
Lost my job 2 weeks ago and just heard from a friend that there might be a deadline for filing unemployment. How long do u have to file unemployment with Washington ESD? I've been putting it off because I thought I might find something quickly but no luck so far. Really need to get this started if there's a time limit. Anyone know the rules?
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Ev Luca
You should file as soon as possible! There's no specific deadline but your claim starts from the week you file, not when you lost your job. So every week you wait is money you're losing. Washington ESD recommends filing within the first week after job loss.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Oh no, so I already lost 2 weeks of benefits? That's probably $800+ down the drain...
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Ev Luca
•Unfortunately yes, but don't wait any longer. File today if you can. The sooner the better.
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Avery Davis
i waited like 3 weeks and still got approved, but yeah you lose those weeks. the system is pretty backed up anyway so even if you file now it might take a while to process
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•How long did yours take to get approved? I'm worried about bills piling up while waiting.
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Avery Davis
•took about 2 weeks for mine to go through, but that was last month. might be faster now
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Collins Angel
The technical answer is that Washington ESD doesn't have a filing deadline, but your weekly benefit amount is calculated from when you submit your application. You can file a claim up to a year after becoming unemployed, but you'll only receive benefits from your filing date forward. Each week you delay costs you one week of potential benefits.
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Marcelle Drum
•Wait, so if I file 6 months after losing my job, I could still get benefits for the remaining 6 months of the year?
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Collins Angel
•Yes, but only if you're still eligible. You'd need to meet the job search requirements and other criteria for those remaining weeks.
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Tate Jensen
I struggled with getting through to Washington ESD when I needed to file. Kept getting busy signals and dropped calls. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's even a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of calling.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Is that legit? I've been trying to call for days with no luck.
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Tate Jensen
•Yeah it's real. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Worth it when you can't get through on your own.
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Adaline Wong
•How much does something like that cost though?
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Tate Jensen
•It's worth checking out their site for details, but honestly when you're losing weeks of benefits from delays, any help getting through is valuable.
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Gabriel Ruiz
File ASAP! I made the mistake of waiting 3 weeks thinking I'd find work quickly. Lost out on over $1200 in benefits. The Washington ESD system is slow enough without giving yourself additional delays.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•That's exactly what I'm worried about. Going to file tonight for sure.
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Gabriel Ruiz
•Good call. Also make sure you have all your employment info ready - previous employer details, reason for separation, etc.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
does anyone know if weekends count? like if i file on a friday vs monday, does that make a difference for which week my benefits start?
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Collins Angel
•Washington ESD processes claims based on the week you file, not the specific day. So filing Friday vs Monday of the same week shouldn't matter much.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•ok good to know, was stressing about timing it perfectly
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Peyton Clarke
The whole system is a joke honestly. They make it so hard to even file and then take forever to process. Meanwhile people are struggling to pay rent.
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Vince Eh
•I hear you. Been waiting 3 weeks for my adjudication to finish. Bills don't wait for Washington ESD.
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Sophia Gabriel
•Same here. My claim has been 'under review' for weeks with no explanation.
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Tate Jensen
•That's exactly when Claimyr helped me - when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Finally got to talk to someone who could explain what was happening.
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Tobias Lancaster
Just to add - if you quit your job vs got laid off, there might be different timing considerations. Voluntary quits have additional requirements you need to meet.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•I got laid off due to budget cuts, so should be straightforward hopefully.
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Tobias Lancaster
•That should make the process smoother. Layoffs are usually easier to process than quits or terminations.
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Ezra Beard
My advice is file immediately and then focus on job searching while you wait for approval. Don't let the Washington ESD process delay your other efforts.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Good point. I've been so focused on the unemployment stuff that I haven't been applying as much as I should.
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Ezra Beard
•Exactly. Treat filing as just one part of your overall strategy, not the main focus.
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Statiia Aarssizan
i filed 6 months after losing my job and still got benefits, but only for the remaining time. so there's no hard deadline but definitely costs you money to wait
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Reginald Blackwell
•Why did you wait so long if you don't mind me asking?
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Statiia Aarssizan
•was working odd jobs and thought i could make it work, but eventually needed the stability
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Aria Khan
The Washington ESD website has all this info but it's buried in like 20 different pages. Basically file as soon as you can after job loss. Every week you wait is a week of benefits you lose forever.
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Everett Tutum
•Their website is so confusing. Takes forever to find basic information.
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Aria Khan
•Agreed. They really need to simplify the layout and make key info easier to find.
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Sunny Wang
Another thing to consider - if you have any issues with your claim or need to talk to Washington ESD about timing questions, getting through by phone can be really tough. I've heard good things about services that help with that.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Yeah someone mentioned Claimyr earlier. Might need to look into that if I run into problems.
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Sunny Wang
•That's the one I was thinking of. Seems like a lot of people have had success with it when the regular phone lines don't work.
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Hugh Intensity
Bottom line - file today! Don't overthink it. The longer you wait, the more money you're leaving on the table. Washington ESD isn't going to backdate your benefits to when you lost your job.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•You're right. I'm filing tonight. Thanks everyone for the push I needed.
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Hugh Intensity
•Good luck! Hope your claim processes smoothly.
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Effie Alexander
•Let us know how it goes! Always helpful to hear about other people's experiences.
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