How long does it take to get paid for unemployment benefits in Washington?

Thanks, that's helpful! What exactly triggers the longer adjudication process? I'm worried mine might get delayed.

Common triggers include: separation issues with your employer, questions about your work availability, or discrepancies in your work history. If you were laid off clearly and have straightforward work history, you'll likely get the standard timeline.

Same boat here! Filed in November and payment is still pending. The phone system is impossible - I've been trying to call every morning at 8am when they open but just get busy signals or disconnected after an hour on hold.

Have you guys tried using Claimyr? I was stuck in the same situation for weeks, couldn't get through to Washington ESD no matter what I tried. Found claimyr.com and they actually got me connected to an agent who explained what was holding up my claim. Worth checking out their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ to see how it works.

never heard of that service before, does it actually work? seems too good to be true if you can't even get through normally

I was skeptical too but it worked for me. They handle the calling and waiting, then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration trying to call myself.

Good to know about the Tuesday/Wednesday processing! Do they send any notification when payment is approved or do you just have to keep checking your account?

You'll get a notification in your SecureAccess Washington account and usually an email. The payment will also show up in your payment history before it hits your bank account.

Oh no, 8 weeks?! What kind of additional documentation did they keep requesting?

First they wanted my separation notice, then they wanted pay stubs, then they wanted me to verify my identity AGAIN even though I already did that when I first applied. Each request added another 1-2 weeks to the process.

The identity verification delays have been a huge issue lately. If you get an ID verification request, respond immediately with all requested documents in one submission to avoid back-and-forth delays.

I feel you on the anxiety! Been there myself. The waiting is the worst part because you have no idea what's going on.

You might want to try that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. They specialize in getting through to Washington ESD when you can't reach them yourself. Really helped me get answers about why my claim was delayed.

I'll look into that, thanks. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get some answers about what's happening with my claim.

That's great news! How long did it take with Claimyr to actually get connected?

took about 2 hours total but they handled all the waiting and calling. way better than me sitting on hold for hours getting nowhere

Definitely going to try this service. The not knowing what's wrong is driving me crazy.

This breakdown is really helpful! I think mine falls into the regular category so hopefully I'll see payment soon.

Good summary. Also worth noting that if you're eligible for back pay, you'll get all the weeks you've certified for once approved, not just going forward.

That's encouraging! Did you get any advance notice that it was approved or did the payment just show up?

got an email notification and could see it in my account portal about a day before the money hit my bank

Exactly! Even if they said 'expect 6 weeks' I could plan around that. It's the not knowing that's killing me.

That's why getting through to speak with an agent can be so valuable - they can tell you exactly what stage your claim is in and what's needed to move it forward.

Good point! I did set up direct deposit when I applied. How do I verify that it's set up correctly?

Check your payment preferences in your SecureAccess Washington account. Should show your bank routing and account number if it's set up.

I haven't been doing job searches yet since I'm still in my first week. When do those requirements kick in?

Usually after your first week or two of benefits, but check your specific requirements in your account. Requirements can vary based on your situation and the current job market in your area.

That's awesome! I'm definitely going to try that service if I don't hear something soon.

yeah that service really works. saved me weeks of wondering what was going on

Good to know about the back pay! I've been worried about filing weekly claims while waiting for approval.

definitely keep filing weekly even while waiting. you won't get paid for weeks you don't certify for, even if approved later

Thanks for the encouragement. It's good to hear that most people do get approved eventually.

Yeah the waiting sucks but at least when it comes through you get everything you were owed.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! I'm on day 10 of waiting and was starting to panic, but knowing that yours stayed "under review" the whole time until suddenly switching to "paid" gives me hope. I've been obsessively checking my account every day expecting some kind of status update. Did you get any email notifications before it switched to paid status, or did it just change overnight?

No email notification beforehand - I just happened to check Tuesday evening and saw it had switched from "under review" to "paid" sometime that day. Then got the email confirmation about an hour later. The waiting and checking constantly definitely makes it feel longer! Since you're being proactive about checking and it's only been 10 days, you're probably right on track for the normal timeline. Keep filing those weekly claims even while waiting - that's what saved me from losing any weeks of benefits.

Thank you so much for sharing your timeline and experience! This is really reassuring. I'm the original poster and I'm on day 12 now since filing. My status still shows "under review" just like yours did, so it sounds like I'm hopefully on the normal track. I've been doing everything you mentioned - responding quickly to any requests (though I haven't gotten any yet), filing my weekly claims on time, and double-checked that all my employer info was correct. The obsessive checking is real though! I probably look at my account 5 times a day hoping something changed. Really appreciate you taking the time to give hope to those of us still waiting.

@Mia Roberts Hang in there! I was in your exact shoes just a few weeks ago - the daily checking becomes almost compulsive when you re'worried about bills. Since you re'at day 12 and everything sounds like it s'been handled correctly on your end, you re'right in that sweet spot where it could flip to paid "any" day now. One thing that helped my anxiety was setting specific times to check like (morning and evening instead) of constantly refreshing. The tech industry layoffs have been brutal lately but at least Washington s'system seems to be processing most straightforward claims within that 2-3 week window. You ve'got this!