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

The initial processing time varies quite a bit depending on your situation. Standard claims usually take 2-3 weeks for the first determination, but if there are any issues that require adjudication (like questions about why you left your job), it can take 4-6 weeks or even longer. Since your employer closed permanently, that should be pretty clear-cut, but Washington ESD still has to verify everything.

I've been waiting for over a month now and my claim is still stuck in adjudication. Washington ESD is incredibly slow right now. The problem is you can't even get through to talk to anyone - I've been trying to call for weeks and either get disconnected or put on hold for hours.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I found something that actually worked for me. There's a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to ESD agents. They handle the waiting and calling for you, then patch you through when they reach someone. I was skeptical at first but watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ) and decided to try it. Got connected to an ESD agent within a few hours instead of spending days trying myself.

From my experience with Washington ESD, regular claims usually take 2-3 weeks for initial processing if there are no complications. Since you filed 10 days ago, you should hear something within the next week or so. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the initial decision - that's really important.

OMG YES the phone situation is horrible!!! I've been trying for 3 WEEKS to talk to someone about my claim and keep getting hung up on. What if there's something wrong with my application and I don't even know it?? This is my first time filing for unemployment and I'm so confused about everything.

The approval timeline really depends on your specific circumstances. If you quit your job, got fired for cause, or have any gaps in your work history, expect longer processing times. Store closures are usually processed faster since there's no dispute about the reason for separation.

I applied 3 weeks ago and just got approved yesterday! My first payment should hit my account in 2-3 business days. The waiting is awful but hang in there. I was laid off from a manufacturing job due to downsizing.

It really depends on your situation. Mine took 6 weeks because they had to verify my employment history with multiple employers. If your case is straightforward with just one employer, it should be faster.

Washington ESD is a JOKE. They're sitting on thousands of claims while people can't pay rent. I've been waiting 6 weeks for adjudication on a simple layoff case. Meanwhile they're probably all working from home taking their sweet time.

I was getting frustrated waiting for my claim too. What really helped was using Claimyr to actually get through to a Washington ESD agent on the phone. They have this system at claimyr.com that calls for you and gets you connected to a real person. I was able to check on my claim status and they told me exactly what was holding it up.

Washington ESD has been pretty backed up lately. My friend just went through this last month and it took about 3 weeks for her regular unemployment claim. The key is making sure all your information was accurate when you filed - any discrepancies will trigger additional review time.

omg this is so stressful!! ive been waiting 2 weeks and nothing yet. how are we supposed to pay bills while waiting???

The Washington ESD website says 2-3 weeks for most claims, but that's assuming no issues come up. If they need to verify anything with your employer or if there are questions about why you became unemployed, it can take longer.

I just got approved after 4 weeks of waiting. Turned out they were waiting for wage information from one of my previous employers from 2 years ago. Never got any notification that they needed it - only found out when I finally got through to someone on the phone.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr thing mentioned earlier - I tried it last week when I was getting desperate about reaching ESD. It actually worked! I was able to talk to someone about my pending adjudication issue and get it resolved. Worth considering if you're stuck.

The unemployment system in this state is a joke. I waited 5 weeks just to be told I needed to provide more documentation. Then another 3 weeks after that. Meanwhile bills are piling up and they act like it's no big deal.

For what it's worth, I've seen approval times vary widely. My neighbor got approved in 10 days, I took 4 weeks, and my coworker is still waiting after 7 weeks. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to it.

Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while waiting for approval! A lot of people miss this step and then have to go back and file for all the weeks they missed. You can file weekly claims as soon as you submit your initial application.

Just want to add - make sure you're checking your SecureAccess Washington account regularly and your email. Sometimes Washington ESD sends requests for additional information that you might miss.

The whole system needs an overhaul. I remember when you could actually call and talk to someone within a reasonable time. Now it's like winning the lottery just to get through to a human being.

I work in HR and deal with unemployment claims regularly. Washington ESD has improved their processing times compared to 2020-2021, but they're still dealing with staffing shortages. Simple layoff cases like yours should process faster than complicated separation issues.

Mine took exactly 3 weeks and 2 days from filing to approval. Restaurant worker too, laid off in December. The key thing was that I kept filing my weekly claims the whole time even though I wasn't approved yet.

If you're really worried, try calling Washington ESD early in the morning right when they open. That's when I had the best luck getting through, though it still took forever.

Quick update for anyone still reading - just got my approval notification today! Took exactly 16 days from when I first filed. Now I need to figure out how the weekly claim process works going forward.

For what it's worth, I've helped several friends navigate this process. The average seems to be 2-4 weeks for straightforward cases. Restaurant layoffs are usually pretty clear-cut, so you should be on the shorter end of that range.

Don't forget that once you're approved, you'll get backpay for all the weeks you were waiting as long as you filed your weekly claims. So even though the waiting sucks, you won't lose out on the money.

Just remember to keep documenting your job search activities during this waiting period too. When you do get approved, you'll need to show you've been actively looking for work the whole time.