How long to get unemployment benefits approved by Washington ESD?

It usually takes about 2-3 weeks for Washington ESD to process a new unemployment claim if there are no issues. Since you filed 10 days ago, you're probably getting close. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - that's important for when they do approve you.

Mine took almost 4 weeks because they had to verify my work history with my previous employer. If your case goes into adjudication it can take longer. Check if there are any outstanding issues in your account that need attention.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get connected to an actual agent. They have a system that calls for you and gets you through the phone queue. Check out claimyr.com - there's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. It was a lifesaver when I needed to talk to someone about my adjudication delay.

The whole system is ridiculous. They make you jump through hoops and then take forever to process claims. Meanwhile people are struggling to pay rent and buy groceries. Washington ESD needs to hire more staff or fix their broken system.

just be patient, mine took 3 weeks but then I got all the back pay at once which was nice

Make sure you're doing your job search activities too. Washington ESD requires you to search for work and keep a log of your job search efforts. If you're not doing that it could delay your benefits or cause issues later.

I'm in the same boat - filed 2 weeks ago and still pending. This waiting is torture when you have bills to pay. At least we're not alone in this situation.

When I was laid off last year, my Washington ESD claim took exactly 3 weeks and 2 days to get approved. No issues, just their normal processing time. I remember being super anxious too but then one day I just got the approval notice and the first payment hit my account the next day.

Pro tip: if your claim goes past 3 weeks without any communication, that's when you should definitely try to call Washington ESD to see what's up. Sometimes there are issues they don't tell you about until you ask.

Don't panic yet - 10 days is still pretty normal. I work in HR and have helped several employees through this process. Washington ESD has been pretty consistent with 2-3 week processing times for straightforward layoff cases like yours.

I used Claimyr twice when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my claim status. First time was to check on processing, second time was about a payment issue. Both times they got me connected within a reasonable time instead of me spending hours trying to call. Really took the stress out of it.

The key thing is not to stress too much about it. I know easier said than done when you need the money, but Washington ESD does process claims pretty reliably. Just keep filing your weekly claims and be patient for a few more days.

One thing that helped me was setting up direct deposit if you haven't already. Once your claim is approved, you'll get paid faster than waiting for a check in the mail.

I'm sure this has been asked before but does anyone know if the timing is different if you were fired vs laid off? I was let go for performance reasons and wondering if that makes my claim take longer to process.

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know my claim finally got approved today! It took exactly 15 days from when I filed. Got the approval email this morning and already filed my weekly claim. Thanks for all the advice and encouragement!

For anyone still waiting, I found that calling Washington ESD right at 8am when they open gives you the best chance of getting through. I called at 8:02am yesterday and was connected after about 20 minutes on hold.

The whole unemployment system is designed to discourage people from applying. They make it as difficult and time-consuming as possible hoping people will just give up and find work instead of claiming benefits they're entitled to.

Just to close the loop on this thread - I see a lot of people worrying about timing. In my experience helping family and friends with Washington ESD claims, normal processing time is 2-3 weeks for layoffs, 3-5 weeks if there are any complications. The system isn't perfect but it does work eventually.

If your claim is still pending after 4 weeks, definitely use that Claimyr thing someone mentioned to call Washington ESD. At that point there's probably an issue that needs to be resolved and you won't know what it is unless you talk to someone.

Hope this helps future people searching for this info. The main takeaways seem to be: 2-3 weeks is normal for straightforward layoffs, keep filing weekly claims while pending, and don't be afraid to call if it goes past 3-4 weeks.