How many hours to get unemployment benefits approved in Washington ESD?

Processing times vary a lot depending on your situation. If it's a straightforward claim with no issues, usually 2-3 weeks. But if they need to verify anything or if there's an adjudication issue, it can take 4-6 weeks or longer. Did you get any confirmation emails or letters from Washington ESD after filing?

If you worked 8 months you should definitely qualify. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while waiting for approval - that's super important. I forgot to do that my first week and lost those benefits permanently.

Two weeks isn't that long honestly. Mine took almost a month and that was considered normal. The problem is when you can't get through to anyone to check what's happening. I spent hours calling the Washington ESD phone line with no luck.

Restaurant work can sometimes cause delays if there are questions about tips or your exact hours. They might need to verify your wages with your employer. Did you report tips accurately on your application?

ugh the waiting is the worst part!! I'm in week 3 of waiting and getting so anxious about bills. Why does everything take so long with Washington ESD??

For a standard claim like yours, 2-4 weeks is typical. Since you're at 2 weeks, I'd give it another week or two before getting concerned. The system has actually improved a lot since the pandemic days when people waited months. Keep filing your weekly claims and make sure you're doing job searches as required.

Just went through this myself. Filed in early January and got approved after 18 days. No issues with my claim though - had been at the same job for 2 years before layoffs. The key is making sure all your info matches what your employer reports.

The restaurant industry thing is real - they often have to verify wages more carefully because of cash tips and sometimes irregular scheduling. But 8 months of steady work should make you eligible for sure.

Pro tip: set up your eServices account if you haven't already. You can check your claim status and payment history there. Sometimes you'll see updates there before getting emails.

If you get to 4 weeks with no word, that's when I'd try calling. But honestly the phone system is so backed up that using something like Claimyr might be your best bet for actually reaching someone.

Two weeks is nothing lol. I waited 7 weeks for mine to get approved and that was just last year. The system is slow but it works eventually.

Keep track of your job search activities too. Even while waiting for approval, you need to be able to show you're actively looking for work. Some people get caught off guard by this requirement.

The waiting game is awful but try to stay positive. Most claims do get approved eventually if you're eligible. Just make sure you don't miss any deadlines or requests for info.

I work in HR and deal with unemployment claims regularly. Restaurant workers often have slightly longer processing times due to wage verification, but 8 months of steady employment should make you eligible. Be patient but persistent.

If you're really worried, you could try that Claimyr service I keep hearing about. My coworker used it and got through to Washington ESD right away when her claim was taking forever.