How long does fact finding take for Washington ESD unemployment claim?

fact finding can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on how complex your case is and how backed up they are

The fact finding process is when Washington ESD investigates the circumstances of your job separation to determine if you're eligible for benefits. They have to contact your former employer too, which can add time if the employer doesn't respond quickly. The good news is that if you're approved, you'll get backpay from when you first filed.

I was stuck in fact finding hell for 5 weeks earlier this year. Couldn't get through on the phone no matter when I called. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual Washington ESD agent within minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. The agent was able to tell me exactly where my case stood and what was holding it up.

Washington ESD is SO SLOW with everything. I've been waiting 3 weeks for my fact finding to finish and I'm about to lose my apartment. This system is completely broken!!!

What was the reason for your separation? If it was a layoff or reduction in force, fact finding usually goes faster. If there was any misconduct involved or if you quit, it can take longer.

just went through this myself last month took exactly 3 weeks and 2 days from when I submitted my questionnaire

Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while fact finding is pending. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking they don't need to file, but you do need to maintain your claim.

Update: I used Claimyr again this week to check on a different issue and the agent told me they're currently running about 3-4 weeks for fact finding cases. So you're probably looking at another week or two max.

I'm skeptical of any service that charges to help with unemployment claims. Isn't this stuff supposed to be free?

been there done that. fact finding is just another way for them to delay paying benefits. they're hoping you'll give up and find a job before they have to pay you

The waiting is definitely the hardest part. Try to stay positive and remember that if you get approved, you'll get all the backpay from when you first filed.

my cousin had the same thing happen and it took exactly 21 days from start to finish

I work in HR and deal with Washington ESD fact finding requests regularly. From the employer side, we usually respond within a week, but sometimes it takes longer if the separation was complicated or if we need to gather documentation. The process really does take as long as it takes.

Just remember that no news is usually good news during fact finding. If there were major red flags, you'd probably hear about it sooner.

I tried calling Washington ESD every day for 2 weeks during my fact finding period and never got through once. Finally gave up and just waited it out. Took 4 weeks total but I did get approved.

hang in there! I know the waiting sucks but most people do get approved eventually

One more tip: make sure your contact information is up to date in your Washington ESD account. Sometimes they try to reach claimants during fact finding and if they can't reach you, it can delay the process even more.

Fact finding took 25 days for me but I think that's because my former employer disputed my claim initially. Once Washington ESD reviewed everything, I was approved and got 6 weeks of backpay.

The fact finding process is actually pretty thorough. They review your work history, the circumstances of separation, and any documentation from both sides. It's annoying to wait but at least they're being careful.

Final update: I checked Claimyr's website again and they have some good info about Washington ESD timelines on their blog. Might be worth checking out while you wait.