How soon after getting fired can you apply for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Thank you! I'll file today then. Do I need any specific documents from my employer or can I just use my last paystub?

Your last paystub should be fine to start. Washington ESD will contact your employer directly to verify employment details and the reason for separation.

Wait, so if I got fired on a Wednesday but don't file until the following Tuesday, I lose those days?

Not exactly. Your benefit week runs Sunday to Saturday. If you file on Tuesday, your first payable week started the previous Sunday. But you still want to file as soon as possible.

How long does adjudication usually take? I really need these benefits to start soon.

It varies, but typically 2-6 weeks. Sometimes longer if there are complications or if Washington ESD can't reach your employer for their side of the story.

My adjudication took 8 weeks last year. Couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD to check status. Super frustrating!

Never heard of Claimyr before. Is it legit? How much does it cost?

Yeah it's legitimate. They don't ask for personal info, just help you get connected to an actual person at Washington ESD. I found it worth it when I was stressed about my claim being stuck.

That sounds really helpful. I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues reaching them.

What kind of issues are you having with your weekly claims? Are you getting error messages or is it just not processing?

keeps saying i need to call them but i can never get through. so frustrating

That's really helpful to know from someone who worked there. Are there any common mistakes people make when filing that I should avoid?

Main mistakes: not reporting all employers from the last 18 months, putting wrong wage info, and not being completely honest about the reason for separation. Washington ESD will find out the truth anyway, so honesty upfront saves time.

What about if you had multiple part-time jobs? Do you report all of them or just the main one?

Report ALL employers from the last 18 months, even part-time or temporary jobs. Washington ESD uses all this info to calculate your benefit amount.

Good point. I should write down what was said while it's still fresh in my memory.

How long did your appeal take? Thinking I might need to do the same thing.

About 3 months total from filing the appeal to getting the hearing decision. But I got back pay for all the weeks I was denied, so it was worth fighting.

How many jobs do I need to apply to each week?

Minimum 3 work search activities per week. Can be job applications, networking, attending job fairs, etc. Keep detailed records of what you did, when, and where.

Same here. The uncertainty is killer when you're trying to budget for rent and bills.

That's when services like Claimyr really come in handy. Being able to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD instead of wondering what's happening with your claim makes such a difference for peace of mind.

Doesn't matter. You can file any day of the week and your benefit week will still start on the Sunday of that week. But earlier is always better to get the process started.

I filed on a Saturday and it went through fine. The online system is available 24/7.

Thanks! I'll gather all that info before I start the application.

Also have your bank account info ready if you want direct deposit. Much faster than waiting for a debit card to arrive in the mail.

What kind of documentation helped you the most?

Email chains showing my work performance, any written warnings I received (or lack thereof), and notes from my termination meeting. Basically anything that shows the real reason vs what they claim.

Exactly! There's no shame in filing for unemployment - you paid into the system through your paychecks, so you've earned these benefits.

Thanks for the encouragement. You're right, I did pay into this system.

I don't think I'm getting any severance, but I did have some unused vacation time. Will that delay my benefits?

It might delay when you can start collecting, but still file your claim now. Washington ESD will sort out the timing based on when your vacation pay period ends.

How quickly were you able to get through to someone using that service?

Usually within a few minutes of them calling back. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.

This is good advice. I almost didn't file when I got fired because I thought being terminated automatically disqualified me. Turns out that's not true.

That makes me feel better. I was worried the 'performance issues' thing would automatically disqualify me.

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I'm going to file my claim this afternoon.

Good luck! Hope your claim goes smoothly and you don't have to deal with a long adjudication process.

Fingers crossed! I'll update this thread if anything interesting happens with my claim.