How long does it take to get paid after filing for unemployment with Washington ESD?
I just filed my initial unemployment claim with Washington ESD last Tuesday and I'm wondering how long it typically takes to see the first payment. My previous job ended two weeks ago and I'm starting to stress about bills. I know I have to file weekly claims but I'm not sure when the money actually shows up. Has anyone recently gone through this process? What should I expect for timing?
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JaylinCharles
Usually takes about 2-3 weeks from when you file your initial claim to get your first payment, assuming there's no issues with your claim. You'll need to file your weekly claims every week though - that's super important. The first payment might be delayed if they need to verify your employment history or if there's any adjudication needed.
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Brianna Muhammad
•Thanks! So I should keep filing weekly claims even if I haven't gotten paid yet?
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JaylinCharles
•Yes absolutely! You have to file every week or you could lose benefits for those weeks. The system won't backpay weeks you didn't claim.
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Eloise Kendrick
Mine took forever because my claim went into adjudication. Filed in early January and still waiting on first payment. Washington ESD is so backed up right now it's ridiculous. I've been trying to call them for weeks but can never get through.
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Brianna Muhammad
•Oh no, that's exactly what I'm worried about. How do you know if your claim is in adjudication?
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Eloise Kendrick
•You can see it in your account on the Washington ESD website. Mine just says 'adjudication in progress' and has been stuck there for 3 weeks now.
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Lucas Schmidt
•Have you tried using Claimyr? I found out about it last month when I was having the same problem getting through to Washington ESD. It's at claimyr.com and they actually help you get connected to an agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time and frustration.
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Freya Collins
The standard timeline is 14-21 days for your first payment if everything goes smoothly. However, Washington ESD has been experiencing delays lately. Here's what affects the timing: 1) Whether your employer responds to the separation notice quickly, 2) If you need identity verification, 3) Any issues with your work history or reason for separation. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims religiously - that's the biggest mistake people make.
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Brianna Muhammad
•This is really helpful, thank you! I haven't heard anything from my employer yet. Should I be worried about that?
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Freya Collins
•Not necessarily. Employers have 10 days to respond to the separation notice. If they don't respond or don't contest your claim, it usually processes automatically. Just keep an eye on your account for any requests for additional information.
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LongPeri
OMG I'm in the same boat! Filed 10 days ago and nothing yet. This is so stressful, I have rent due next week and I'm freaking out. Why does this process take so long?? Other states seem to be faster.
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Oscar O'Neil
•I totally get the stress. Been there myself. The wait is awful but try to stay patient. It will come through eventually.
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LongPeri
•I just wish there was some way to talk to someone at Washington ESD to get an update on my claim status. The website doesn't tell you much.
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Sara Hellquiem
It's been taking longer than usual lately. I filed in December and got my first payment after 3 weeks. My friend filed in January and she's still waiting after a month because of some verification issue. The system is definitely slower than it used to be.
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Brianna Muhammad
•A whole month?! That's terrifying. What kind of verification issue?
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Sara Hellquiem
•Something about verifying her identity. She had to send in documents and then wait for them to review everything. She finally got through to someone using some service called Claimyr that helps you reach Washington ESD agents. They were able to check on her claim status and it got processed within a few days after that.
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Charlee Coleman
The waiting is the worst part. I remember when I filed last year it felt like forever. Just keep filing those weekly claims and try not to stress too much about the timing. It will come.
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Brianna Muhammad
•Easier said than done when you've got bills to pay, but I appreciate the encouragement!
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JaylinCharles
One thing I always tell people - make sure you're doing your job search activities and logging them. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and if you don't do them, it can delay your payments even if your claim is approved.
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Brianna Muhammad
•Wait, I have to do job searches already? I thought I had more time before that requirement kicked in.
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JaylinCharles
•The job search requirement starts immediately unless you're on standby with your employer. You need to log 3 activities per week in WorkSourceWA.
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Liv Park
•This is news to me too. I've been filing for 2 weeks and haven't done any job searches yet. Am I in trouble?
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Freya Collins
To clarify the job search requirement - you need to complete 3 job search activities per week starting with your first weekly claim. This includes things like applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking activities, etc. You log these in WorkSourceWA and Washington ESD can audit them at any time. Missing job searches can result in benefit denial.
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Liv Park
•Crap, I need to catch up on this. Can I add job searches retroactively?
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Freya Collins
•You can add them to WorkSourceWA but you should have been doing them in real time. I'd recommend doing extra job searches this week to show good faith effort and maybe try to reach Washington ESD to explain the situation.
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Eloise Kendrick
Update on my situation - I finally got through to Washington ESD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Turns out my claim was held up because of a simple paperwork issue that took them literally 5 minutes to fix once I talked to an agent. Wish I had known about this weeks ago instead of trying to call on my own.
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Brianna Muhammad
•That's amazing! How much did the service cost?
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Eloise Kendrick
•It was worth it to finally get answers. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was wrong and fixed it right away. My payment should be processed within the next few days.
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Lucas Schmidt
•Glad it worked out! I had a similar experience with them. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get things moving.
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Leeann Blackstein
been waiting 6 weeks now this is ridiculous. washington esd is a joke
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Oscar O'Neil
•Have you tried contacting them? That seems like way too long.
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Leeann Blackstein
•tried calling hundreds of times, never get through. their phone system hangs up on you after being on hold forever
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Ryder Greene
For what it's worth, I filed 3 weeks ago and got my first payment last Wednesday. No issues with my claim. The key is making sure you file every single weekly claim and do your job searches. If there's no problems with your claim, it should come through in that 2-3 week timeframe they advertise.
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Brianna Muhammad
•That's reassuring to hear someone got paid in the normal timeframe. Gives me hope mine will come through soon.
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Ryder Greene
•Just stay on top of everything and hopefully yours will be smooth too. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking though.
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Carmella Fromis
I work at a nonprofit that helps people with unemployment issues and I can tell you that Washington ESD processing times have definitely increased since the beginning of the year. We're seeing more claims take 3-4 weeks instead of the usual 2-3. The job search requirement is also being enforced more strictly than before.
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Brianna Muhammad
•That's really helpful insider information. Do you have any tips for speeding up the process?
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Carmella Fromis
•Make sure all your information is accurate when you file, respond quickly to any requests for additional information, and definitely keep up with your weekly claims and job searches. If you get stuck, sometimes the only way to get answers is to speak with an agent directly.
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Theodore Nelson
The worst part is not knowing what's happening with your claim. The online system doesn't give you much information and you can't get through on the phone. At least with other government agencies you can usually talk to someone.
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AaliyahAli
•This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. I was tired of not knowing what was going on with my claim and the phone system was useless. Being able to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD made all the difference.
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Theodore Nelson
•I keep hearing about this service. Maybe I should look into it too if my claim doesn't move soon.
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Ellie Simpson
Just wanted to add that the waiting period can vary a lot depending on your specific situation. If you were laid off vs fired vs quit, if your employer contests the claim, if you need identity verification, etc. All of these factors can add time to the process.
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Brianna Muhammad
•I was laid off so hopefully that makes things simpler. My employer said they wouldn't contest it.
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Ellie Simpson
•That should help speed things up. Layoffs are usually pretty straightforward as long as your employer doesn't contest.
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Arjun Kurti
My advice is to be patient but proactive. File your weekly claims religiously, do your job searches, and keep an eye on your account for any updates or requests for information. If you don't see movement after 3 weeks, that's probably when you want to try to contact them directly.
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Brianna Muhammad
•That seems like a reasonable timeline. I'm at about 10 days now so I'll give it another week or so before I start worrying.
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Arjun Kurti
•Exactly. Most claims do process within that normal timeframe, but it's good to know your options if you end up being one of the unlucky ones that gets delayed.
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