How long does it take for unemployment claim to process through Washington ESD?

Processing times vary a lot depending on your situation. Simple claims with no issues usually take 2-3 weeks from submission to first payment. Since you mentioned retail management, they'll likely need to verify your wages with your former employer which can add some time.

Mine took forever - almost 5 weeks before I got my first payment. The Washington ESD phone lines are impossible to get through to check on status too.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone to check your claim status, I discovered this service called Claimyr that helps people get through to unemployment agents. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your processing delays.

The 'under review' status usually means they're doing the standard wage and work history verification. This is normal for all new claims. If there were red flags they would have contacted you by now for additional information.

ARE YOU FILING YOUR WEEKLY CLAIMS?? This is super important - you need to file every week even while your initial claim is processing or you'll lose those weeks of benefits!!!

Store closures are actually pretty straightforward for Washington ESD to process since the reason for separation is clear-cut. No misconduct or voluntary quit issues to investigate. Your timeline sounds normal for that type of claim.

i filed mine 3 weeks ago still nothing... getting desperate here can barely afford groceries

The system is backed up right now. I work at a temp agency and we've had tons of people laid off recently, everyone's filing claims at the same time. Just creates processing delays across the board.

Mine processed in exactly 2 weeks and 3 days. Filed on a Tuesday, got approved on the following Thursday. No issues though - straightforward layoff situation.

Check your mail and email regularly. Sometimes Washington ESD sends requests for additional info that you might miss. If you don't respond quickly it can delay your claim even more.

My friend used that Claimyr thing someone mentioned and said it was a lifesaver. Got connected to an actual person at Washington ESD within like 20 minutes instead of calling for days.

The fact that you can still file weekly claims is a good sign. If there were major problems with your application they would have blocked you from filing those.

Just want to add - make sure you're doing your job search activities and logging them. Even while your claim is processing you need to be meeting the work search requirements.

Don't panic yet. 10 days is still pretty normal processing time, especially with store closure layoffs since they verify everything with the employer. Give it another week before worrying.

I work in HR and deal with unemployment claims regularly. Washington ESD typically processes straightforward layoff claims within 14-21 business days. Store closures are considered low-risk claims so yours should be on the faster end.

Keep filing those weekly claims and hang in there. The waiting is the worst part but once it processes you'll get all your back pay at once.

Just to follow up on the Claimyr service I mentioned earlier - I used it when I was stuck waiting for adjudication and it really helped me get through to speak with someone who could explain what was causing my delay. Sometimes just getting that direct contact makes all the difference in understanding your claim status.

Just remember that even after your claim gets approved, there's usually a one-week waiting period before your first payment. So factor that into your timeline expectations.

Based on everything I've read here, it sounds like your timeline is totally normal. Retail layoffs are pretty common and Washington ESD knows how to process them efficiently. You should hear something soon.

Good luck with your claim! The uncertainty is stressful but it sounds like you're doing everything right with filing weekly and staying on top of it.