How long does it take for unemployment to get approved Washington ESD?

That's what I was afraid of. I left my last job on good terms so hopefully there won't be any disputes. Did you have to do anything while waiting or just sit tight?

Just keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for approval. That's super important - you need to maintain your claim status by continuing to certify weekly.

Oh no, what kind of documentation did they keep asking for? I want to make sure I have everything ready.

proof of identity, wage records, separation notice from employer... seemed like they wanted everything twice

How do you know if your claim is in adjudication? Does Washington ESD notify you or do you have to check somewhere?

You should see it on your claim status page when you log into your account. It will show 'adjudication in progress' or something similar. They may also send you letters asking for additional information.

How does that work exactly? Do they just call for you or what?

They basically handle the calling process and get you connected to a Washington ESD representative. Way better than sitting on hold for hours and getting nowhere.

Interesting, I've never heard of that before. Might be worth looking into if I can't get through the normal way.

Nine weeks?! That's insane. Did you eventually get all your back pay though?

Yeah eventually got the back pay but it was a nightmare. Had to fight for every penny and prove I was still looking for work the whole time.

That's exactly why it's so important to keep filing those weekly claims and documenting your job search activities even while waiting for approval.

Right?! The waiting is the worst part. I keep checking my account multiple times a day hoping something will change.

same here... checking constantly doesn't make it go faster but i can't help myself lol

That's somewhat reassuring. I guess 3-4 weeks isn't too bad if that's really the average now.

3-4 weeks is still way too long when people need money for rent and groceries. Other states do it faster.

I tried to be really careful about that but now I'm second-guessing myself. Is there a way to check what information they have on file?

You can see some of it in your online account under the claim details section. If you notice any errors, you should contact Washington ESD right away to correct them.

Wait, what's a waiting week? I thought once it's approved you start getting paid right away.

Washington has a one-week waiting period for new claims. So your first week of benefits is unpaid, then you start receiving payments for subsequent weeks.

That's correct. The waiting week is served during your first week of unemployment, and you won't receive payment for that week unless you have a qualifying separation like a layoff.

Did they ask you for those documents or did you have to figure out that's what they needed?

they sent me a letter asking for identity verification documents but it took like 2 weeks to get the letter

Yeah I'm definitely considering that. Better than wondering what's going on.

I might try that too. Been trying to call Washington ESD for days with no luck.

That gives me hope! Mine was also a layoff so maybe it'll be similar timing.

I agree the communication could be better. A simple status update system would help reduce anxiety for claimants.

Some states have better tracking systems. Washington ESD could definitely improve their online portal.

Interesting, I didn't know that. I filed on a Wednesday so hopefully that's not too bad.

makes sense... government offices probably clear their workload early in the week

What kind of information are they asking for? I'm worried I might get the same request.

They want details about my last day of work and whether I was offered any other positions before being laid off. Pretty standard stuff but still adds time to the process.

I've been checking daily but it just says 'under review' with no other details. Wish it was more specific.

same here... very vague status updates

Good advice. I'll try to be patient for now but will definitely follow up if it goes much longer.

And if you can't get through to them by phone, definitely consider using Claimyr to help with that. Much less stressful than trying to call repeatedly.

Looking forward to getting to that point! Thanks everyone for all the helpful information.

yeah this thread has been really helpful for managing expectations

Good reminder. I've been applying to jobs but haven't been keeping detailed records. Should probably start doing that.

Yes, keep a log of where you applied, when you applied, and what type of positions. Makes it much easier when you need to report your job search activities.

That seems like a reasonable expectation. Thanks for the reality check.