How long does it take to start getting unemployment benefits in Washington state?

It usually takes 2-3 weeks for your first payment if everything goes smoothly. You won't get paid for your first week (that's called the waiting week), so your first payment covers week 2. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims every week even while it's processing.

depends on if your claim gets flagged for adjudication or not... mine took almost 6 weeks because they had to verify my previous employment

I've been calling Washington ESD for 3 days straight trying to get an update on my claim status and can't get through to anyone! The phone system just hangs up on me after being on hold. This is so frustrating when you need answers.

Mine took exactly 14 days from filing to first payment. No issues, straightforward layoff, filed all my weeklies on time. The key is making sure all your info is accurate when you first file.

ugh the whole system is so slow... I filed 3 weeks ago and still waiting. Called last week and they said my employer hasn't responded to their request for info yet. How long do employers have to respond???

Just to clarify the timeline: Week 1 is your waiting week (no payment), Week 2 you can get your first payment if approved. But the approval process itself takes 1-3 weeks depending on complexity. So realistically you're looking at 2-4 weeks total before seeing money.

pro tip: set up direct deposit when you file your claim. paper checks take even longer to arrive in the mail

I'm on week 4 and still nothing... claim shows 'adjudication in progress' and I can't get any info about what's happening. Starting to panic about rent

Update: I tried that Claimyr thing and actually got through to Washington ESD today! Turns out there was a simple issue with my SSN verification that was holding everything up. Agent fixed it in 5 minutes.

For anyone still waiting: Washington ESD has been processing claims faster lately compared to 2020-2022. Most straightforward claims are getting approved within 2-3 weeks now. The key factors that can delay things are: employment verification issues, separation reason questions, or technical problems with your application.

also remember you have to do the job search requirements once you start receiving benefits. 3 job contacts per week minimum

been there! the waiting is the worst part especially when you're used to a regular paycheck. hang in there, it does come through eventually

Update on my situation: Finally got approved after 4 weeks! Employer never responded so it went through automatically. Got back pay for all the weeks I filed including the waiting week waiver they're doing now.

One more thing to watch for: make sure your mailing address is current in your account. If Washington ESD needs to send you any forms or notices and they get returned, it can delay your claim significantly.

The mobile app is pretty good for checking claim status and filing weekly claims if you haven't downloaded it yet. Easier than logging into the website every time.

Just wanted to say this thread was super helpful! I'm in the same boat and was getting really anxious about the timeline. Feel much better knowing 2-3 weeks is normal.

Final update: Got my first payment deposited today, exactly 16 days after filing! For anyone still waiting, hang in there. The system works, it just takes time.

Summary for future readers: Typical timeline is 2-3 weeks for first payment if no complications. File weekly claims even while pending. Contact Washington ESD if it's been over 4 weeks with no update. Most delays are due to employment verification or adjudication issues that can be resolved with the right information.

thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. this stuff is confusing when you've never done it before but hearing real timelines from real people helps a lot

One last tip: if you're really struggling financially while waiting, look into local food banks and utility assistance programs. Many have emergency help available for people between jobs.

I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim 10 days ago after getting laid off from my warehouse job. Still showing 'processing' status but reading through all these responses is really reassuring! Sounds like I'm right on track for the typical 2-3 week timeline. Going to make sure I keep filing my weekly claims like everyone mentioned. Thanks for asking this question, saved me from panicking!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who went through this process about 6 months ago - the waiting is definitely the hardest part, especially when you're used to regular paychecks! One thing that really helped me was setting up email notifications in my ESD account so I'd get alerts for any status changes instead of obsessively checking the website. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you register with WorkSource Washington since you'll need to do that anyway for the job search requirements once benefits start. Having everything set up in advance made the transition smoother when my payments finally came through. Hang in there - the 2-3 week timeline everyone mentioned is pretty accurate for most people!

I'm in week 2 of waiting after filing my unemployment claim and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was getting really worried seeing "processing" status for so long, but it sounds like that's completely normal. I made sure to set up direct deposit and have been filing my weekly claims religiously even though nothing is approved yet. One thing I'm curious about - for those who had straightforward layoffs with no complications, did you get any kind of notification when your claim moved from "processing" to "approved" or did the money just show up? Trying to manage my expectations for what to watch for!

I'm also new to this process and filed my claim about 5 days ago after being let go from my customer service job. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring! It sounds like the 2-3 week timeline is pretty consistent for most people. I've been religiously filing my weekly claims even though my status still says "processing" - glad to see that's the right approach based on what Oscar and others have shared. One question I have is about the direct deposit setup - I set it up when I filed, but is there a way to verify it's configured correctly in my account? Don't want any delays once approval comes through! Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences, it's so much more helpful than the vague info on the official website.

As someone who just went through this process last month, I can confirm the 2-3 week timeline is pretty accurate for most cases. My claim was approved in exactly 18 days with no complications - straightforward layoff, all info correct, employer didn't contest. The key things that helped me: filed weekly claims religiously even while pending, set up direct deposit from day one, and kept my phone number and address updated in my account. One tip that saved me stress - I stopped checking the website obsessively after week 1 and just focused on filing my weekly claims on time. The money showed up in my account on a Wednesday morning with an email notification that my claim had been approved. Hang in there, the waiting is tough but it does work out!

I just wanted to add my perspective as someone who filed about 8 days ago - this entire thread has been a lifesaver! I was getting really anxious seeing my claim stuck on "processing" but now I understand that's totally normal for the first 2-3 weeks. What really stands out to me from reading everyone's experiences is how important it is to keep filing those weekly claims even while waiting for approval. I almost made the mistake of thinking I should wait until I got approved first. Also super helpful to know about the waiting week and that direct deposit is definitely the way to go. For anyone else reading this who's new to the process like me, it seems like the key is just being patient and consistent with the weekly filings while everything processes. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and tips - it's made this whole confusing process so much less stressful!

I filed my claim about a week ago after being laid off and this discussion has been incredibly helpful! I was starting to worry when my status stayed on "processing" but seeing everyone's experiences makes me feel much better about the timeline. One thing I'm wondering about - I see people mentioning WorkSource registration for job search requirements. Should I go ahead and get registered with WorkSource now while waiting for approval, or is it better to wait until benefits actually start? Also, for those who had their claims approved, did you get any kind of heads up notification before the first payment hit your account? Thanks for all the valuable insights everyone has shared!

I'm about 6 days into waiting after filing my claim following a layoff from my manufacturing job. This whole thread has been such a relief to read! I was getting really stressed seeing "processing" status every day, but now I understand that's completely normal for the 2-3 week timeframe everyone's mentioned. I've been diligently filing my weekly claims even though nothing is approved yet, and I made sure to set up direct deposit from the start. One thing that's really helped my anxiety is following Anastasia's advice about setting up email notifications instead of constantly checking the website. It's also smart that people are recommending getting WorkSource registration done early - I'll tackle that this week while I'm waiting. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences and timelines. It's so much more helpful than the vague official information, and knowing that 14-18 days seems to be pretty typical for straightforward cases gives me realistic expectations to work with!

I'm in my second week of waiting after filing my claim following a restaurant closure. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I was starting to panic seeing "processing" status every day, but everyone's experiences show that's totally normal! I've been keeping up with my weekly claims even though nothing's approved yet, which seems to be the most important thing based on what Oscar and others emphasized. Already got my WorkSource registration done too after seeing Anastasia's advice about handling that early. The 14-18 day timeline from people like Aisha who recently went through this gives me realistic expectations instead of just worrying endlessly. It's amazing how much more helpful real experiences are compared to the vague official timelines. Thanks to everyone for sharing - this community support makes such a stressful process so much more manageable!

I'm about 12 days into waiting after filing my claim when my construction job ended due to project completion. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief! I was definitely one of those people checking the website multiple times a day and getting more anxious seeing "processing" status, but now I understand that's completely normal for the timeline everyone's described. I've been staying consistent with my weekly claims filings even though nothing's approved yet - seems like that's the golden rule based on what everyone emphasizes. Already got my WorkSource registration completed after seeing the advice about doing that early, and I have direct deposit set up from day one. The realistic 14-18 day timelines from people like Aisha who recently went through this whole process really help set proper expectations instead of just wondering endlessly. It's incredible how much more valuable these real experiences are compared to the generic info on the official site. Thanks to this whole community for sharing your stories - makes this stressful waiting period so much more bearable knowing others have been in the exact same boat and made it through successfully!

I'm about 9 days into waiting after being laid off from my office job, and this entire discussion has been such a lifesaver! I was getting really worried seeing my claim stuck on "processing" status, but reading everyone's real experiences shows that's totally normal for the 2-3 week timeline. I've been keeping up with my weekly claims even though nothing's approved yet - seems like that's the most critical thing based on what everyone keeps emphasizing. Also got my direct deposit set up from day one and just completed my WorkSource registration after seeing all the advice about doing that early. The specific timelines people like Aisha shared (18 days for approval) are so much more helpful than the vague official information. It's really reassuring to see so many people in similar situations who made it through successfully. Thanks to everyone for sharing your actual experiences - makes this whole stressful process feel much more manageable!

I applied about 10 days ago, now my status just says active. Above that is a weekly benefit amount. Can anyone tell me what this means? I filed last week, my dead week. This is my first time, so I have no idea what this means.