How long does unemployment approval take in Washington - still waiting after 2 weeks

took me about 3 weeks to get my first payment when i filed last year, yours sounds normal so far

Washington ESD typically processes initial claims within 21 business days, but it can vary depending on your situation. If your employer contests the claim or if there are any discrepancies in your work history, it could take longer. The 'pending' status usually means they're still reviewing your eligibility. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - you won't get paid for weeks you don't file.

I had similar concerns when I was waiting for my approval. The waiting period can be really stressful, especially when bills are piling up. One thing that helped me was using Claimyr to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD about my claim status. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I was able to get through to an agent who confirmed my claim was processing normally and gave me a better timeline.

The approval timeline really depends on a few factors. If Washington ESD needs to verify your employment history or contact your previous employer, that can add time. Also, if you worked in multiple states or had complex employment situations, expect delays. Two weeks is still within the normal range, but I'd start getting concerned if it goes beyond a month without any communication.

ugh the waiting is the WORST part!! I remember checking my account like 10 times a day when I was waiting for approval. The uncertainty is terrible when you're already stressed about money.

Just to clarify some terminology - there isn't really an 'approval' step per se. Washington ESD processes your claim to determine eligibility, then if you're eligible, you start receiving payments for the weeks you've filed. The status might change from 'pending' to showing payment amounts, or you might get a determination letter in your SecureAccess Washington account explaining any issues.

Been there! Filed in December and it took almost 4 weeks before I saw any money. Turns out Washington ESD was just backed up from holiday volume. Keep filing those weekly claims though - that's super important even while you're waiting.

Check if Washington ESD sent you any correspondence that you might have missed. Sometimes they need additional information and the claim sits pending until you respond. Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and look for any messages or action items.

I tried calling Washington ESD about my pending claim and spent literally 3 hours on hold before getting disconnected. So frustrating. Ended up trying that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and actually got through to talk to someone within like 20 minutes. They explained that my claim was in normal processing and should be resolved within the week.

Just be patient, these things take time. The government moves slowly but they'll get to your claim eventually. In the meantime make sure you're documenting your job search activities since you'll need that for your weekly claims.

Mine took 2.5 weeks and then boom - suddenly had payments for all the weeks I'd filed. It's nerve-wracking while you wait but once it processes you usually get everything at once.

washington esd is so slow with everything, took them forever to process mine too but i did eventually get approved

The timeline can also depend on what day of the week you filed. I've heard that claims filed early in the week sometimes get processed faster than weekend filings, but that might just be coincidence. Either way, 2 weeks isn't unusual - I'd give it another week before getting too worried.

Whatever you do, don't stop filing your weekly claims! I know someone who stopped filing while waiting for approval and then had to appeal to get those weeks paid later. Such a hassle that could have been avoided.

Has anyone tried that Claimyr thing? Seems too good to be true but these wait times are killing me. I need to know what's going on with my claim and can't get through to Washington ESD no matter when I call.

The waiting period is designed to give employers time to respond if they want to contest your claim. Even if your employer doesn't contest it, Washington ESD still has to complete their review process. Two weeks is pretty normal, especially if you filed recently when they might have higher volume.

Update us when you hear something! I'm in a similar situation and curious how long it ends up taking for you.

I'm in almost the exact same situation - filed about 2.5 weeks ago after being laid off from my retail job and still showing pending status. Reading through all these responses is actually really reassuring that this timeline seems pretty normal. I've been doing my weekly claims religiously and checking my account obsessively like some of you mentioned. The stress about bills is real though! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know we're not alone in this waiting game.