How long do you have to wait to collect unemployment benefits from Washington ESD?

Oh good, I was worried I had to wait a week before I could even apply. So I can file online today?

Yes, go to esd.wa.gov and file your initial claim. You'll need your Social Security number, employment history for the past 18 months, and your employer's information.

Got it, so I need to keep filing weekly even before my claim is approved?

Exactly. If you don't file weekly claims, you won't get paid for those weeks even after your claim is approved.

What would cause them to need to do adjudication? I was laid off due to lack of work, nothing complicated.

Adjudication can happen for various reasons - if there are questions about why you left your job, if wages don't match what's reported, or if there are multiple claims on your record. Even simple layoffs sometimes get flagged for verification.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Never heard of that but I'm desperate at this point. Does it actually work?

Yeah, I was skeptical too but got through to an agent the same day I used it. Much better than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

Have you checked your SecureAccess Washington account to see if there are any issues flagged? Sometimes there are things you need to complete that aren't obvious.

yeah checked everything. no alerts or issues showing. just says pending adjudication whatever that means

You need to be actively looking for work and able to work to qualify for benefits. The job search requirement is 3 job contacts per week, and you need to keep a log of your search activities.

3 contacts per week? That seems like a lot when I just got laid off Friday.

It's actually pretty reasonable. Job contacts can include applying online, contacting employers directly, attending job fairs, or networking. Just keep track of what you do in your WorkSourceWA account.

That's encouraging! Was there anything specific you did to make sure your claim went smoothly?

I made sure to have all my employment information ready before I started the application, and I was very detailed about the reason for separation. Also filed my weekly claims religiously every week.

The waiting week was suspended in March 2020 due to COVID and never reinstated. You might be thinking of other states that still have waiting periods.

Oh wow, I had no idea. Thanks for the correction! I've been giving people wrong information.

Good point. I was thinking about waiting to see if my employer calls me back, but I should probably file now just in case.

Exactly. You can always stop claiming if you get called back to work. But if you don't file, you lose those potential benefit weeks forever.

Is there anything I can do to speed that up? My employer was pretty good about paperwork usually.

Not really, it's between ESD and your employer. But if your layoff was clearly due to lack of work with no performance issues, it usually goes through without problems.

Really? You actually got through with Claimyr? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

yeah it worked for me. saved so much time and frustration. agent was able to see exactly what was wrong with my claim and fix it on the spot

That's confusing. I got a raise 3 months ago but you're saying that won't count?

It depends on when you file and when the raise happened. ESD looks at completed quarters, so very recent wages might not be included in the calculation.

Thanks for the encouragement. I was feeling guilty about filing but you're right - I paid into the system.

Exactly! You earned those benefits through your work. Don't let guilt or pride keep you from getting help when you need it.

5 weeks! That's scary. What was the holdup?

they said it was adjudication but never explained what that really meant. just had to wait it out. the back pay was nice though

Is there a cost for that service? Seems too good to be true.

There is a fee but honestly it was worth it to avoid sitting on hold for hours every day. Much cheaper than missing work to call ESD repeatedly.

Where do I find that number? On my pay stub?

Should be on your W-2 or pay stub. You can also ask your HR department or payroll. It's a 9-digit number that starts with two digits, then a dash, then 7 more digits.

Thanks everyone. I'm convinced - filing my claim today. Really appreciate all the advice and sharing your experiences.

Good luck! Remember to file your weekly claims every week and keep looking for work. You've got this.