How often do you get paid unemployment benefits from Washington ESD?

Thanks! So I need to file every single Sunday? What happens if I miss a week?

Yes every Sunday. If you miss filing your weekly claim you won't get paid for that week. You can sometimes file late but it's better to be consistent.

It's because they need to verify you're still unemployed and available for work each week. The weekly claim asks about any work you did and if you're still able to work.

oh ok that makes sense i guess. still annoying but whatever

What kind of issues can delay payment? I want to make sure I don't mess anything up.

Mostly reporting work income incorrectly, not completing job search activities, or if they need to verify something about your eligibility. Just be accurate with everything you report.

How does that work exactly? Do they call for you or something?

Yeah they handle the calling and waiting on hold, then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Check out claimyr.com - way better than spending all day hitting redial.

Wait, I have to do job searches every week? No one told me that during my initial claim.

Yes, 3 activities per week unless you're on standby or have a waiver. Things like applying for jobs, networking, going to job fairs, etc. It's required to keep getting benefits.

This is exactly why the system is broken. They don't explain the requirements clearly and then people get penalized.

Good point about direct deposit. How long did it take to set up initially?

Direct deposit was immediate for me once I entered my bank info. Some people get debit cards instead but direct deposit is faster.

Did you have to call them about the delay or did it just show up eventually?

I called after a week of no payment and they said it was normal processing time for first payment setup. Showed up the next Wednesday.

That's confusing. So I'm not getting paid for this current week?

Right, there's always a one week waiting period built in. You file for the week that just ended, not the current week.

You can file late? I thought it had to be exactly on Sunday.

yeah you have until saturday night to file for that week but sunday is best to avoid any problems

How does part-time work affect the payment amount?

They reduce your weekly benefit by a portion of what you earned. There's a formula but basically you can earn some money and still get partial unemployment.

What caused the adjudication issues in your case?

First time was a question about why I left my previous job. Second time they needed to verify some employment dates. Both got resolved once I talked to an agent.

What reason did they give for holding up your payment?

SOMETHING ABOUT NEEDING TO VERIFY MY JOB SEARCH LOG. I did everything right but they still held it up. Finally got it resolved but what a nightmare.

This is why I started using Claimyr when I need to talk to someone at Washington ESD. Life's too short to spend all day on hold just to ask a simple question.

Do they take taxes out automatically or do I need to request that?

You can choose to have taxes withheld when you file your initial claim. I recommend it so you don't owe a bunch at tax time.

Thanks for the reassurance! I was worried it would be more complicated than that.

It's really not that complicated once you get into the routine. Just stay on top of the weekly filing and you should be fine.

Good question! I've noticed payments sometimes come Thursday instead of Wednesday during holiday weeks. Not a big delay but worth knowing.

That's helpful to know for planning. I'll keep an eye on that.