How long does it take unemployment to kick in after filing Washington ESD claim?

Yeah I filed my first weekly claim right after my initial application. What exactly is the waiting week?

The waiting week is the first week you claim - you don't get paid for that week but it's required to establish your claim. So if you filed 2 weeks ago, you should see payment soon.

That's reassuring, thanks! Did you have to do anything special or did it just show up automatically?

just kept filing my weekly claims on time, payment showed up on tuesday

Interesting, I've been trying to call for days but can never get through. How does Claimyr work exactly?

You go to claimyr.com and they basically handle the calling process for you. When they get an agent on the line, they connect you. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

Sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point

It shows 'Processed' but I don't see any payment dates or amounts. Should I be worried?

Processed usually means they're still reviewing something. Could be employer response, work search verification, or eligibility confirmation. You should definitely try to speak with someone.

This is exactly what happened to me! Turned out my former employer disputed my claim and I had to go through adjudication. Took 6 weeks total.

i feel you man, the waiting is brutal when you got bills to pay

Have you tried calling? Sometimes there are simple holds that can be resolved quickly with an agent.

Called 47 times yesterday and got hung up on every single time. The phone system is designed to keep you out!

At least I'm not alone! Are you going to try calling or just wait it out?

probably gonna try that claimyr thing someone mentioned, sounds easier than calling myself

This is super helpful! So I should expect payment sometime this week if everything is normal?

Exactly, assuming your claim doesn't have any holds or issues. Keep filing your weekly claims on time though.

What if you miss filing a weekly claim? Does that mess everything up?

You can file late claims but it can cause delays. Better to file on time every week to avoid complications.

I've been checking both accounts obsessively so that's not it, but good point!

lol this is exactly what my sister did, she was freaking out for nothing

They're probably still dealing with system updates and staff changes. The whole unemployment system got overhauled recently.

Yeah my friend filed in November and it took 4 weeks to get his first payment

That gives me hope! Were you able to track the payment before it showed up in your account?

Yeah, it showed 'Paid' status online about 2 days before I actually got the deposit

Don't stress too much, 2-3 weeks is pretty standard. Just keep filing your weekly claims and be patient.

yeah dont overthink it, most people get their payments without any issues

20 minutes? That's amazing! I've been trying to call for hours with no luck.

How much does Claimyr cost? I'm already strapped for cash waiting for unemployment.

I'd rather pay a small fee to actually talk to someone than waste days trying to get through for free. But check their website claimyr.com for current info.

Congrats! That gives me hope since I'm right around that timeline too.

awesome news! was it the full amount you were expecting?

Yeah, got the full weekly benefit amount minus the waiting week. Pretty relieved!

So true, I waited 2 weeks thinking I'd get hired somewhere and just made everything worse

Yeah I probably should have filed sooner but I was optimistic about job hunting

Good reminder! I've been applying to jobs but haven't been tracking them properly.

Yeah you need to log 3 job search activities per week on WorkSourceWA or they can cut you off

wait really? i thought that was just for people on certain programs

I think I'll give it a few more days and then try Claimyr if nothing shows up. Thanks everyone for the help!

good luck! hope you get your payment soon