How long to get unemployment benefits approved in Washington ESD?

Did you have to do anything extra or did it just automatically process after those 2-3 weeks?

Mine went through automatically but I know some people get stuck in adjudication if there are any questions about their separation from work.

What kind of things would they need to verify? I was laid off due to store closure, seems pretty straightforward to me.

Store closure should be fine, but they might still contact your employer to confirm the details. Sometimes employers dispute claims or provide conflicting information.

I have been doing the weekly claims religiously. Just worried something is wrong since it's been over a week with no updates.

10 days is still within normal processing time. If it hits 3 weeks with no movement, then I'd start making calls to Washington ESD.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I found it through a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and it actually got me connected to a Washington ESD agent when I couldn't get through on my own. Check out claimyr.com - it helps you get through the phone lines.

Never heard of that, is it legit? I'm desperate at this point.

Yeah it's real, just helps automate the calling process so you don't have to sit there redialing. Saved me hours of frustration.

That gives me hope! Did you have to do anything special or just wait?

Just filed my weekly claims on time and waited. Make sure you're doing those every week even while waiting for approval.

6 weeks?! That's terrifying. What's your claim stuck on?

They're investigating my separation from my last job. My boss is claiming I quit but I was actually fired for 'performance issues' which should still qualify me.

Is this legit? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

Yeah it's real. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent is available. Way better than sitting on hold for hours yourself.

Thanks for sharing this! If my claim gets complicated I might need something like this.

18 days isn't too bad I guess. Did you have any complications or was it pretty straightforward?

Pretty straightforward layoff, no issues with my work history or anything. Just the normal processing time.

How would I know if my claim is in adjudication? The status just says pending.

Usually it will specifically say 'adjudication in progress' if that's the case. Pending typically means initial processing. You can also check if there are any outstanding issues listed in your account.

Mine said pending for 2 weeks then switched to adjudication and I waited another month after that. So frustrating.

What counts as 'eligibility issues'? I'm worried I might have something I don't know about.

Common ones include insufficient work history, issues with your reason for leaving, or if you had multiple jobs recently. Since you mentioned store closure, you should be fine on separation reasons.

6 weeks?? That's terrifying. What ended up being the holdup?

they said there was some issue with my previous employer not responding to their requests for info. total bs if you ask me

Wait, so even after approval there's another week delay? This keeps getting worse...

The waiting week is built into Washington's unemployment system. It's not an additional delay after approval, it's part of the initial claim processing. You file weekly claims but the first week is unpaid.

Yeah that's right, I forgot about the waiting week when I calculated my timeline earlier.

How did you finally get it resolved?

had to send in pay stubs and tax forms. they couldnt find my wages from one of my employers in their system

I've been checking every day and haven't seen any requests for additional info. Should I be looking somewhere specific?

Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and look under Messages or Correspondence. Also check the Issues section to see if anything is flagged.

This is exactly why I ended up trying Claimyr. The normal phone system is completely overwhelmed. It's worth checking out if you're stuck - at least you won't waste hours on hold just to get disconnected.

I might have to try that. This is becoming a full time job just trying to reach them.

Good idea, I'll try calling first thing Monday morning.

I've tried that and still couldn't get through. Their phone system is just overwhelmed.

Yeah it's hit or miss even in the morning. Depends on the day I guess.

While there are definitely delays, most legitimate claims do get processed eventually. The fraud prevention measures have slowed things down but they're necessary.

Easy to say when you're not the one behind on rent and utilities. The system should work for people who actually need it.

Pending is normal - it means they're processing your claim. If there were serious issues it would show 'adjudication' or have specific action items for you to complete.

Yeah, mine showed pending for about a week before it got approved. You're moving in the right direction.

That's good to know! I was worried I'd lose those payments if there were delays.

Nope, as long as you keep filing your weekly claims, you'll get everything you're entitled to once approved.

Oh crap, I didn't know about the job search requirement during the waiting period. Do I need to report those somewhere?

You don't report them with your weekly claim but you need to keep a log in case they ask for it. The requirement starts the week you file your claim.

How many jobs do I need to apply to each week? I've seen different numbers.

It's 3 job search activities per week in Washington. Can be applications, networking events, job fairs, etc. Keep detailed records.

Thanks, that gives me hope that maybe next week I'll see some movement.

Exactly! Even just knowing 'your claim is being processed and should be completed by X date' would help so much.

They probably don't give specific dates because they can't meet them half the time. Better to under-promise I guess.

That's great news! How long did it take to get connected through Claimyr?

About 20 minutes total. Way better than the dozens of hours I wasted trying to call directly.

Glad it worked out for you! It's amazing how many issues can be resolved quickly once you actually talk to someone.

You got lucky. Plenty of people are still waiting months for basic approvals.

True, but I think the horror stories get more attention than the routine approvals. Most people don't post when things go smoothly.

How long does adjudication typically take?

Usually 4-8 weeks, but it can vary a lot depending on how quickly your employer responds to their requests.

Good point. I've been checking my account daily and haven't seen any requests yet.

Keep checking and also watch for emails. Sometimes they send notifications there first.

Oh no, I should double-check that. Where do I verify my banking information?

in your eServices account under payment options. you can change it there if needed

What was the wage issue about? Want to make sure I don't have something similar.

Had a job that reported my wages under a different Social Security number by mistake. Took forever to sort out but Washington ESD eventually fixed it.

Thanks, I hadn't thought of that. Hopefully won't need it but good to know it's there.

Better to know about them and not need them than the other way around. Most are very understanding about unemployment situations.

Perfect, I'll keep monitoring that. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information!

Hope your claim gets approved quickly! Keep us posted on how it goes.

Good to know it's consistently helpful. I'll definitely keep that option in mind if my claim hits any snags.

Same here, planning to use them again if I need to contact Washington ESD in the future. Beats the frustration of their regular phone system.

Oh good! I was wondering about that since I've heard conflicting information.

Yeah, Washington eliminated the waiting week in 2021. As long as your claim gets approved, you'll get paid for week one.

How did you find out it was contested? Did it show up in your account or did you only find out by calling?

Only found out by calling. The online account didn't show any indication there was a dispute.

That's concerning that it wouldn't show in the online account. Usually contested claims should generate some kind of notice or status update.

That's reassuring to hear. I just need to get past this initial hurdle.

You're right, I'm probably just panicking because this is my first time dealing with unemployment. Thanks for the perspective.

Definitely will keep filing. That would be a nightmare to mess it up after all this waiting.

Yes, this is critical. Missing weekly claims can disqualify you for those weeks even if your initial claim is approved.

Will do! Hopefully I'll have good news to share soon.