How long does it take to get approved for unemployment in Washington - still waiting after 2 weeks

No letters or emails yet. Should I be worried if I don't hear anything? My last employer was a big company so I figured verification would be straightforward.

If it's a large employer, verification usually goes smoothly. Keep checking your SecureAccess Washington account for any alerts or required actions.

The phone lines are absolutely impossible. I spent 6 hours calling yesterday and kept getting hung up on or told to call back later.

Actually, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Interesting, how does that work exactly? Is it legit?

How do I check that? I only see 'pending' when I log into my account.

Look under your claim details section. If it says 'adjudication in progress' that means they're investigating something about your claim - could be separation reason, wages, or eligibility.

6 weeks?? That's terrifying. How did you survive financially during that time?

It was rough, had to borrow money from family. But when it finally got approved I got all the back pay at once, so that helped.

I feel this so hard. Lost my job right before Christmas and still waiting for first payment. It's like they don't understand people need money to live.

I understand the frustration, but Washington ESD has to verify eligibility and prevent fraud. The process exists for good reasons, even if it's slow.

I've been applying to jobs but haven't been logging them anywhere specific. Where am I supposed to do that?

You need to register with WorkSourceWA.com and log your job search activities there. Washington ESD requires 3 job contacts per week minimum.

Oh no, I had no idea about that requirement! Could that be why my claim is delayed?

How exactly does Claimyr work? Do they actually get you through to real Washington ESD people?

Yes, they connect you with actual Washington ESD representatives. Much better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.

That gives me hope! Was your claim straightforward or did you have any complications?

Pretty straightforward, regular layoff from a restaurant job. No adjudication needed.

I've been filing them every week since I applied. Good to know that's the right thing to do.

Yes, always keep filing even if you're not getting paid yet. Those weeks are what you'll get back pay for once approved.

That's exactly what I'm doing - checking multiple times a day hoping something changed. Thanks for the reminder to focus on job hunting.

Same here, became obsessed with refreshing the page. Nothing you can do but wait unfortunately.

That's a good idea, I hadn't thought about other assistance programs. Do you know of any specific ones in Washington?

211 is a good resource - dial 2-1-1 and they can connect you with local assistance programs for food, utilities, rent help, etc.

That's reassuring to know. I was worried I'd lose those weeks if the approval took too long.

Exactly, as long as you keep filing weekly you'll get everything you're owed when it processes.

Will do! Thanks everyone for the advice and support. Makes me feel less alone in this process.

We've all been there. Hang in there, it will work out!

Several people have mentioned Claimyr now. I might give it a try if I don't hear anything by next week.

Same, the calling situation is just impossible otherwise. At least there's an option now.