How long until you get unemployment benefits approved in Washington ESD?

How do I know if my claim needs adjudication? My employer laid me off due to lack of work, so it should be straightforward.

That sounds like it should process normally. Check your eServices account regularly - if they need more info they'll send you a fact-finding questionnaire.

Oh I didn't know I was supposed to file weekly claims already! I thought I had to wait for approval first.

Nope, start filing them right away. You won't get paid until approved but you need to establish those weeks to get backpay.

Did you have to call them or did they contact you about the ID verification?

They sent me a message in my eServices account and also mailed a letter. But honestly getting through on the phone was impossible until I found Claimyr - they got me connected to an actual agent in minutes instead of hours of busy signals.

What's Claimyr? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days with no luck.

That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?

I'd rather pay something than waste entire days trying to get through myself. The peace of mind is worth it when you're dealing with unemployment stress.

7 weeks is definitely too long. Have you tried requesting a call back through eServices? Sometimes that works better than calling directly.

tried everything. might have to try that claimyr thing someone mentioned

I did work in Oregon for a few months last year. Could that slow things down?

Possibly. Washington ESD has to request wage records from other states which can add 1-2 weeks to processing time.

Do I need to start logging job searches now or only after I'm approved?

Technically after approval, but I'd start keeping records now. Better to be prepared and it shows good faith if they ever audit your claim.

Good point, I should double check that. How do I know when it's actually approved?

Your claim status will change from 'pending' to 'monetarily eligible' and you'll see benefit amounts listed in your account.

exactly! at least tell us what stage of review we're in or something

I agree the communication could be better. The system shows limited info to prevent people from gaming it, but it leaves legitimate claimants in the dark.

I haven't heard about that requirement. Is that new?

I think it depends on your situation. They told me I needed to register for work search purposes.

That's really helpful. I might need to try that if I don't hear something soon.

Yeah, sometimes you just need to talk to a human to get real answers instead of generic status messages.

Wait, so even when approved I have to wait another week for payment?

The waiting week is usually your first week of unemployment, so it shouldn't add extra time if you've been filing weekly claims.

Hang in there. I know it's scary but most claims do get approved eventually.

Thanks, just wish there was more I could do to speed it up besides wait.

Good reminder. I've been checking online but not really watching for mail.

That makes sense. I wondered why it seemed like everything was taking longer than the official timelines suggest.

How will I know if they send me one of those?

You'll get a message in eServices and usually a text or email notification if you have those set up.

That's encouraging to hear. Did you end up having to provide extra documentation?

Yeah, they wanted verification of my wages from my last employer. Took a while to get the right paperwork.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Feeling a bit more prepared for what to expect now.

You're welcome. We've all been through the uncertainty - it's tough but most people do get through the process successfully.

That's really good to know. I'll look into that as backup support.