How long does it take for unemployment to kick in after filing with Washington ESD?

There's a one-week waiting period for new claims, so you won't get paid for your first week even if approved. After that, if everything goes smoothly, you should see your first payment about 2-3 weeks after filing. You need to file weekly claims starting the week after you submit your initial application, even if your claim is still pending.

mine took forever because they had to verify my employment history... like 6 weeks total before i saw any money. if they need to do adjudication it can take even longer

I was stuck trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks when my claim got delayed. The phone lines are absolutely brutal - I'd call hundreds of times and either get busy signals or get disconnected after waiting on hold. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE! They make you jump through hoops for money that's supposedly yours. I waited 8 WEEKS for my first payment because some computer glitch flagged my claim. Meanwhile bills are piling up and they act like it's no big deal.

To give you a realistic timeline: Week 1 is your waiting period (no payment). If your claim is approved without issues, you should receive your first payment for week 2 around the end of week 3 or beginning of week 4. Washington ESD processes payments Tuesday nights, so most people see deposits on Wednesday or Thursday. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims every Sunday by midnight.

just went through this myself last month. took exactly 3 weeks and 2 days from filing to getting my first deposit. no issues with my claim though

Make sure you set up direct deposit if you haven't already. The debit card option can have delays and fees. Also keep track of all your job search activities from day one - Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week.

depends on if your employer fights it or not. my old boss contested my claim and it took 2 months to sort out. had to do a phone hearing and everything

Check your account online every day! Sometimes they need additional info and you might not get notified right away. I almost missed a deadline because I wasn't checking regularly enough.

Another thing about getting through to Washington ESD - if you do run into issues and need to talk to someone, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it beat spending entire days redialing their number. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human to get answers.

The key is staying on top of everything. File your weekly claims on time, respond to any requests for information immediately, and keep detailed records. Most delays happen because people miss deadlines or don't provide complete information.

lol good luck getting through if you need help. i called like 500 times last month trying to fix an issue with my claim. the system is overwhelmed

Just be patient and persistent. I know it's stressful when you need the money, but most claims do get processed eventually. The waiting is the hardest part.

One more tip - if you get any correspondence from Washington ESD, respond within 10 days. They're pretty strict about deadlines and missing one can cause major delays or even denial of benefits.

The whole process is designed to discourage people from claiming benefits they're entitled to. Stay strong and don't give up even if it gets frustrating.

Hope everything works out for you! Most people get through the process fine, it's just the ones with problems that you hear about more often.

Update us on how it goes! Always good to hear success stories to give others hope.