How long does it take to start collecting unemployment benefits through Washington ESD?

It depends on whether your claim needs adjudication or not. If Washington ESD doesn't need to investigate anything about your separation from work, you could see payment within 1-2 weeks after filing. But if there are any issues - like if your employer contests the claim or there are questions about why you left - it goes into adjudication and that can take 4-6 weeks or even longer.

mine took about 10 days total when i filed in november, no issues with my claim though since it was a clear layoff

The waiting week is gone now so you should get paid for your first week of eligibility. But Washington ESD has been really backed up lately. I've been seeing people wait 3-4 weeks even for straightforward claims. If you need to talk to someone about your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an agent when I couldn't get through on my own. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

You need to make sure you're doing your weekly claims every week even while waiting for the initial processing. A lot of people miss this and then have to go back and claim those weeks later. Also make sure you're logging your job search activities if you're required to do work search.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN! I waited 8 weeks for my first payment and when I finally got through to someone they said there was a 'computer glitch' that held up my claim. 8 WEEKS! Meanwhile bills are piling up and they act like it's no big deal.

For what it's worth, most people do get their first payment within 2-3 weeks if there are no complications. The horror stories get more attention but they're not the typical experience. Make sure you have direct deposit set up because paper checks take longer to arrive.

depends what industry you worked in too. some employers always contest claims which automatically triggers adjudication

If you do run into delays and need to speak with Washington ESD, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier has been really helpful for people. They basically handle the calling hassle for you so you don't have to sit on hold for hours or keep getting disconnected. Worth looking into if you start having issues.

Also make sure your bank account info is correct in the system. I know someone who waited an extra 2 weeks because they had an old account number on file and the payments kept bouncing back to Washington ESD.

When I filed in December it took exactly 12 days from filing to getting my first payment deposited. No issues with my claim though - straightforward layoff, employer didn't contest, did all my weekly claims on time.

The key thing is just to be patient but also stay on top of it. Check your account regularly and make sure you're meeting all the requirements. If something seems wrong don't wait - try to get in touch with them right away.

Just remember that even if there are delays with your first payment, Washington ESD will backdate everything to when you first became eligible. So you won't lose money, it's just a timing issue.

Anyone else notice the Washington ESD phone system is completely useless? I've never gotten through using their main number. Always get the 'high call volume' message and then it hangs up on you.

Make sure you're not missing any documents they might have requested. Sometimes they send requests for additional info and if you don't respond quickly it delays everything.

took me 3 weeks when i filed last year but that included a holiday week so might have been longer because of that

The most important thing is that you filed right away after becoming unemployed. Some people wait weeks to file and then wonder why their first payment is delayed. You did the right thing filing immediately.

One last tip - if you do end up needing to contact Washington ESD and can't get through on your own, that Claimyr service (claimyr.com) has been a lifesaver for a lot of people. They basically do the calling for you and get you connected to an actual agent. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

Don't stress too much about it. Most claims go through without major issues. Just keep doing your weekly claims and checking your account. You should see movement within the next week or two.

Keep us posted on how it goes! It's always helpful to hear real timelines from people going through the process.