How long for Washington ESD unemployment decision after filing claim?

I logged in and don't see any issues listed. Just says pending review. Should I be worried that it's taking this long?

Two weeks isn't unusual, especially if they're busy. Keep filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - that's important.

Did you get any notification when it was approved or did you just have to keep checking?

got an email and letter in the mail the same day, so you'll know when it happens

Never heard of that before. Did they charge you a lot for it?

It was worth every penny to actually talk to someone and get answers about my claim status. Way better than the endless busy signals.

I might have to look into that if this drags on much longer. The not knowing is killing me.

Five weeks?! That's crazy. I really hope mine doesn't take that long.

The system is broken. They need more staff but refuse to hire people. Meanwhile we're all struggling to pay rent.

I'm pretty sure I got everything but I'll double check. Is there a specific section where missing documents would show up?

Look under 'Required Actions' or 'To Do Items' in your account. If there's nothing there, you should be good.

I feel your pain. The stress of waiting is almost worse than being unemployed.

Four weeks is getting into the range where you might want to contact them directly. Have you tried calling?

TRIED CALLING?? I've called probably 200 times. Either busy or they hang up on me after 2 hours on hold.

Is there any way to contact my old employer to make sure they respond quickly?

You can try, but honestly most employers just respond when they respond. Washington ESD will eventually make a decision even without employer input if they take too long.

Yeah I've been doing that. It feels weird filing when I don't even know if I'm approved yet.

That's the right thing to do. If you miss weekly filings you can lose benefits even if your claim gets approved later.

That's reassuring to hear. I just wish they gave better updates on timing.

The lack of communication is definitely frustrating. You basically just have to wait and check your account regularly.

How does that service work exactly? Do they just help you get through the phone system?

Yeah they basically handle all the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Way less stressful than doing it yourself.

What kind of red flags would cause delays? I was laid off due to budget cuts, nothing on my end.

Layoffs are usually straightforward. Red flags would be more like getting fired for misconduct or quitting without good cause.

Yeah it helps to know others are going through the same thing. Hopefully we both hear something soon.

The waiting game is the worst part of unemployment. Hang in there everyone.

Good to know there's a timeline to watch for. I'll give it another week or two before I start panicking.

If you do need to call them at that point, definitely consider using something like Claimyr. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through their phone system.

That makes sense. I didn't think about how COVID might have permanently changed their workload.

They need to hire more people then! We shouldn't have to suffer because they won't invest in proper staffing.

That gives me hope! Did you get backpay for all the weeks you were waiting?

yes, got paid for all the weekly claims I filed while waiting. make sure you keep filing those!

Thanks for the insider perspective! Is there anything I can do to speed up the process or do I just have to wait?

Just make sure all your information is accurate and keep filing weekly claims. There's not much else you can do from your end to speed it up.

Good to hear from someone who actually worked there. The lack of communication from Washington ESD makes everyone anxious.

Definitely helps to know I'm not the only one. Let's both keep checking and hopefully we'll get good news soon.

I'll update this thread if I hear anything. Would be good to track how long it's actually taking people these days.

Thanks for the encouragement. I've been doing all the required stuff so hopefully that pays off.

Sounds like you're doing everything right. The system works, it's just slow. You'll get through this.

I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully it doesn't come to that but good to have a backup plan.

Yeah I used them when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Found out there was a simple issue that got resolved once I talked to an actual person.

Alright, I'll try to be patient for a bit longer. Thanks everyone for the reality check on timing.

You're handling this well. Keep filing those weekly claims and check your account regularly. You should hear something soon.