How long do you have to claim unemployment benefits in Washington?

You should file as soon as possible after losing your job. While there isn't a hard deadline like 30 days, unemployment benefits are only paid from the date you file your claim forward - not retroactively to when you lost your job. So every week you wait is a week of benefits you're potentially losing.

I made the mistake of waiting almost a month thinking I'd find a new job quickly. Lost out on about $1,200 in benefits that I could never get back. File immediately!

The official rule is that you can file a claim up to one year after your separation date, but like others said, you only get benefits from the filing date forward. There's also the issue of the job search requirement - you need to be actively looking for work, so waiting months to file could raise questions about your availability.

Just went through this myself last month. I tried calling Washington ESD to ask about backdating my claim but spent literally hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual person in like 20 minutes. They confirmed what everyone's saying - no backdating, file ASAP. There's even a video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

WAIT A MINUTE - I thought you had to wait like 2 weeks or something before you could even apply?? I've been unemployed for 10 days and haven't filed yet because I thought there was a waiting period!

Another thing to consider - even if you think you might find a job soon, file anyway. You can always stop claiming if you get hired, but you can't get those lost weeks back if it takes longer than expected to find work.

The Washington ESD website says you should file during your first week of unemployment for maximum benefits. I think the exact wording is something like 'file immediately' but I can't remember exactly.

Is there any situation where you CAN get backdated benefits? Like if you were in the hospital or something?

Filed my claim 6 months after I lost my job (long story involving a move and family issues). Still got approved but only from the date I filed. Missed out on probably $3,000+ in benefits. Don't be like me - file right away!

Question about the online filing - do you need all your employment history ready when you file, or can you submit basic info first and add details later?

My cousin waited 2 months to file because she thought her severance pay would disqualify her. Turns out it didn't affect her claim at all, just delayed it. Now she tells everyone - file immediately and let Washington ESD sort out the details.

I work in HR and we always tell employees to file for unemployment immediately when they're laid off. Even if there's a question about eligibility, it's better to have the claim in the system than to wait and lose benefits.

Just to add to what others said - I tried calling Washington ESD to ask about this exact question and could never get through. Kept getting busy signals or hung up on after waiting forever. Ended up using Claimyr to actually talk to someone, and they confirmed everything people are saying here about filing immediately.

One more thing - make sure you're ready to start filing weekly claims right away too. You have to certify for benefits every week, and missing weeks can cause problems.

Bottom line from everything I've read and experienced: File within your first week of unemployment. Period. Don't wait, don't overthink it, just file. You can always figure out complications later, but you can't get back those lost weeks of benefits.

Update for anyone else reading this - I filed my claim yesterday and it was way easier than I expected. Took about 30 minutes online and got confirmation immediately. Wish I had done it sooner!

For anyone still unsure - Washington ESD's own website says 'Apply for benefits immediately after becoming unemployed.' Can't get clearer than that!

Last thought - if you're reading this and you've already waited a few weeks, don't let that stop you from filing now. Better to get some benefits than none at all.

This whole thread is gold. Should be required reading for anyone who loses their job in Washington state.

One final note - I had to use Claimyr again last week for a different question about my weekly claim, and it's still working great for actually reaching Washington ESD staff. Way better than the regular phone nightmare.