How long does it take for unemployment to be approved in Washington?

What kind of issues would cause delays? I answered everything honestly on my application.

Common things are if they can't verify your wages, if your employer contests the claim, or if there's any question about why you left your job. Check your account regularly for any requests for information.

Wait, you have to keep filing weekly claims before it's even approved? I thought you only started that after approval.

Nope! You need to file weekly claims starting the week you apply. If you miss weeks you can't get paid for them later. It's in the handbook they send you.

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach anyone at Washington ESD.

Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Got connected within like 20 minutes instead of calling for days straight.

Might have to try that if I don't hear anything soon. Thanks for the tip!

Adjudication can take 6-8 weeks unfortunately. Did you try calling to see what specific information they need?

I've tried calling probably 200 times. Either busy signal or I get hung up on after waiting on hold forever.

Did you have to do anything special since you worked in multiple states?

Washington ESD handled most of it but I had to send them some pay stubs from my other job to verify wages. Was a pain but worked out eventually.

What counts as a 'clean layoff'? I was let go due to budget cuts but had to sign some paperwork.

Clean layoff means it's clearly not your fault - company downsizing, plant closure, lack of work, etc. The paperwork you signed was probably just standard separation documentation.

That's encouraging! Did you get your first payment right away after approval?

Payment showed up 2 days after approval. They paid for all the weeks I had filed claims for while waiting.

Those posted times are definitely optimistic. I've seen people wait way longer even for simple claims lately.

You're right, they seem to be conservative estimates. Volume has been higher than usual which is causing delays across the board.

How much does it cost though? I'm already broke waiting for unemployment.

It's not free but honestly worth it if you're spending days trying to get through. Check their site for current rates. Way less stress than the alternative.

You might be able to get those weeks back if you can show good cause for not filing. Call Washington ESD as soon as possible to ask about it.

Ugh, of course calling is the solution. Guess I'll be trying that for the next week straight.

This is another situation where Claimyr might help - getting through to explain why you missed filing those weekly claims.

That gives me hope! My situation should be pretty straightforward too.

Good point! I've been applying to jobs but haven't been tracking it formally. Need to start that ASAP.

Yeah, keep detailed records. WorkSourceWA website has tools to help track your job search activities if you need them.

Glad it worked for you! That's exactly the kind of thing that can drag on forever if you can't talk to someone who can actually look at your case.

How long did it take to get connected through Claimyr?

About 25 minutes from when I submitted the request to when I was talking to an actual Washington ESD rep. Night and day difference from regular calling.

What are the main ongoing requirements I should know about?

File weekly claims on time, conduct required job search activities, report any work or income, respond to any requests from Washington ESD promptly. Keep detailed records of everything.

Thanks, I needed to hear that today. This whole process is so nerve-wracking when you're already dealing with job loss.

Good to know! I'm at 10 days now so I'll give it another week before I start panicking.

Exactly. Two weeks is normal, three weeks warrants a phone call to check what's happening.