How long does unemployment take to get approved - Washington ESD timeline?

That's longer than I expected. Do they notify you if there are issues or do you just have to wait?

They'll send you a determination letter either way. If there are issues, you'll get a notice explaining what additional information they need.

What's adjudication? I keep seeing that term but don't understand what it means.

Adjudication is when Washington ESD needs to investigate something about your claim - like verifying your work history or reason for separation. During this process, your claim is on hold until they make a decision.

How do you know if your claim is in adjudication? My status just says pending.

Never heard of Claimyr before. Is it legit? I'm desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD.

Yeah it's real, just helps you get through the phone system. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected.

How much does it cost? I'm already broke waiting for my unemployment.

It's worth it if you need to actually reach someone. Much cheaper than missing rent while waiting weeks for a callback that never comes.

I was laid off so hopefully that helps my case. Did you have to do anything special to speed up the process?

nah just made sure I had all my employer info correct when filing. layoffs are usually pretty straightforward

What counts as 'clear documentation' for a layoff? I have my termination letter but it's pretty brief.

A termination letter stating you were laid off due to lack of work is usually sufficient. The key is that it clearly shows the separation wasn't due to misconduct or voluntary quit.

My company did mass layoffs so I hope that makes it obvious. They laid off like 30% of the workforce.

That's awful. Have you tried calling? Even if you can't get through, at least you'll know if there's something specific holding it up.

Tried calling probably 200 times. Always busy signal or get disconnected after being on hold for hours.

If you've been waiting 5 weeks for a straightforward layoff, something is definitely wrong. You might want to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier to actually reach an agent.

Did they contact your employers directly? I'm worried about my previous boss getting calls about my claim.

Yes, they verify wages and employment dates. It's standard procedure, nothing to worry about. Employers are required to respond to these requests.

Yes, you must continue filing weekly claims even while your initial claim is pending. If you're approved, you'll get retroactive payment for those weeks. If you don't file weekly, you'll lose those benefit weeks forever.

Wait, I didn't know this! I stopped filing weekly claims because I thought I had to wait for approval first. Did I mess up my claim?

You need to file for those missed weeks immediately. Log into your account and file for any weeks you missed. Washington ESD may allow you to file late claims for recent weeks.

Congratulations! That gives me hope. Did you have to submit any additional documents during the process?

Nope, everything went through with just the initial application. I think being laid off with a clear termination letter helped.

Lucky you! I'm still waiting after 3 weeks and getting really stressed about bills.

How many job search activities do you need to do per week? I haven't started yet because I'm waiting for approval.

You need 3 work search activities per week once you start receiving benefits. Better to start now so you're prepared and have a log ready.

That's exactly what I'm afraid of - that there's some issue they haven't told me about. How does Claimyr work exactly?

It basically calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual person. Way better than the regular phone system that just hangs up on you.

Thanks, trying to stay positive. Just nerve-wracking when you don't know if income is coming.

I totally get it. The uncertainty is almost worse than the waiting itself.

Easier said than done. Their phone system is impossible to get through.

True, but worth trying that Claimyr service if regular calling isn't working. Sometimes you just need to know what's going on.

That's encouraging! Did you get any communications from them during those 11 days or just the final approval?

Just the approval letter. No contact during the processing period.

Good advice. I've been checking daily but haven't seen any requests yet.

Same here. Account just shows pending with no other information.

Hopefully I'll hear something soon then. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - makes me feel less alone in this process.