How long do you have to file for unemployment after being fired in Washington state?

You generally want to file as soon as possible after losing your job. There's no hard deadline like 'you must file within 7 days' but the sooner you file, the sooner your benefits can start. Washington ESD won't backdate your claim to before the week you actually filed, so every week you wait is potentially a week of benefits you're losing.

The actual rule is that you can file a claim up to one year after your separation date, but like the previous poster said, you won't get benefits for weeks before you file. So if you were fired last Thursday, you should file this week to make sure you don't miss any potential benefit weeks.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I needed to file my claim. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Someone on here recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me get through to an actual agent to sort out my claim issues. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

WAIT A WEEK?? I thought you had to file within 3 days or something! I've been putting it off because I thought I might find another job quickly but now I'm panicking that I've missed some deadline.

Just to add some context - even if you file late, you might still be eligible for benefits going forward. I know someone who didn't file for 3 weeks after being laid off and they still got approved, they just lost those 3 weeks of potential benefits.

The Washington ESD website actually has all this information clearly laid out, but I know it can be overwhelming when you're dealing with job loss. The key thing is that your benefit year starts the week you file, not the week you lost your job.

One thing to keep in mind is that even after you file, there's usually a waiting week where you won't get paid. So if you were fired last Thursday, and you file this week, your first payable week would probably be next week assuming your claim gets approved without issues.

I waited 2 weeks to file because I was embarrassed about being fired and hoped I'd find something else quick. Biggest mistake - lost 2 weeks of benefits that I really needed. Don't make the same mistake!

Also worth mentioning that if you were fired 'for cause' you might face additional scrutiny during the adjudication process. But that doesn't change the filing timeline - you should still file as soon as possible and let Washington ESD determine your eligibility.

The one year thing is technically true but practically useless. I've never heard of anyone waiting months to file unless they had some really unusual circumstances. File within the first week or two max.

Quick tip - when you do file, make sure you have all your employment information handy including your employer's address and your dates of employment. It'll make the process go faster.

I used Claimyr when I couldn't get through to ESD about my claim status. Really helped when I was stuck in adjudication for weeks and couldn't get anyone on the phone to explain what was happening.

Bottom line OP - stop worrying about deadlines and just file today. The system is designed to help people who lost their jobs, not to trip them up with impossible deadlines.

washington esd is so slow anyway that filing a few days late probably won't make much difference in when you actually start receiving benefits lol

Make sure when you file that you're honest about the reason for separation. If your employer contests it, Washington ESD will investigate and they'll contact both of you for your sides of the story.

OP any update? Did you get your claim filed? I'm rooting for you!

For anyone else reading this thread - the key takeaway is file ASAP after job loss. Don't wait, don't overthink it, just get that claim submitted.

Glad this worked out for OP. I've seen too many people wait weeks thinking they'll find another job quickly and then regret it when they don't.

One more thing - after you file, don't forget you have to file weekly claims to actually receive benefits. The initial filing is just the first step.

Had to use Claimyr myself last month when I couldn't reach anyone at ESD about an issue with my job search requirements. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person and the regular phone system doesn't cut it.