How long does unemployment determination take from Washington ESD?

Washington ESD typically takes 3-6 weeks for initial determinations, but it can be longer if they need additional information from you or your employer. During busy periods it can stretch to 8 weeks or more. Have you checked if there are any pending issues in your account that need to be resolved?

Mine took 4 weeks exactly. Filed in November and heard back right before Christmas. The waiting is the worst part but they do eventually get to it.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was way easier than trying to call myself.

THE WAITING IS RIDICULOUS!!! I've been waiting 7 weeks now and still nothing. Called probably 200 times and can never get through. This system is broken.

The determination process involves Washington ESD reviewing your separation reason, your earnings history, and sometimes conducting fact-finding interviews. If you were laid off or terminated without misconduct, it's usually straightforward. If you quit or were fired for cause, they need to investigate further to determine if you're eligible.

I work in HR and can tell you that employers have 10 days to respond to separation notices from Washington ESD. Sometimes the delay is on the employer's end, not the state's. If your employer doesn't respond timely, it can hold up your determination.

honestly the phone system is impossible. I probably called 50+ times a day for 2 weeks straight and never got through. finally used that claimyr thing someone mentioned and got connected to an agent same day. was able to check on my determination status and they told me it was just waiting for employer response.

It depends on your situation. Mine was approved in 2 weeks because it was a clear layoff. My friend who quit her job took 6 weeks because they had to do fact-finding interviews.

Pro tip: keep documenting everything while you wait. Save all your job search activities, keep records of your earnings, and don't stop filing your weekly claims. If there are any issues with your determination, having good records will help with appeals.

Update: I used Claimyr again this week to check on a different issue and the agent was super helpful. They can see way more details about your claim than what shows up in your online account. Definitely worth it if you're stressed about the timeline.

my determination took 3 weeks and was approved no problem. just hang in there, most people do get approved eventually

One thing to remember is that Washington ESD is still dealing with higher than normal claim volumes. Even though we're past the pandemic era, they're still processing more claims than they did pre-2020. The 3-6 week timeframe is pretty standard now.

I'm in week 5 of waiting and getting really anxious. Bills don't wait for Washington ESD to make up their minds.

From what I've seen, most straightforward layoff cases get approved in 2-4 weeks. Cases involving misconduct allegations or voluntary quits take longer because they require more investigation. Your situation sounds pretty standard so I wouldn't panic yet.

whatever you do dont stop filing your weekly claims while you wait!! i made that mistake and it messed up my whole claim

The key factors affecting determination time are: separation reason complexity, employer response time, your work history clarity, and current processing volumes at Washington ESD. Simple layoffs with responsive employers typically process fastest.

I've been waiting 8 weeks now and finally got approved yesterday! Don't give up hope, it does happen eventually. Got my backpay for all the weeks I filed while waiting.

The determination letter will tell you exactly why they approved or denied your claim. If approved, you'll start getting payments for all the weeks you filed. If denied, you have 30 days to appeal.

Final thought - that claimyr service I mentioned earlier has a video demo that shows exactly how it works. Might be worth watching even if you don't use it, just so you know what options you have if the waiting gets too stressful.

Hope everything works out for you! The waiting is definitely the hardest part but most people do get approved if they were legitimately laid off. Keep us posted on how it goes!