How soon can I file for unemployment benefits with Washington ESD?
My last day at work is coming up this Friday and I'm wondering when I can actually file my unemployment claim with Washington ESD. Do I need to wait until after my final paycheck or can I file right away? I've heard different things from coworkers and want to make sure I don't mess up the timing. Also not sure if there's a waiting period before benefits start. Anyone know the exact rules?
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QuantumQuasar
You can file your initial claim the Sunday after your last day of work. So if Friday is your last day, you'd file that Sunday. Don't wait longer than that because there's no retroactive benefits - your claim starts from when you file it.
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Mei Wong
•Perfect, thanks! So I file Sunday and then start doing weekly claims right away?
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QuantumQuasar
•Exactly. Your first weekly claim will be for that first week you're unemployed. The system walks you through it pretty clearly.
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Liam McGuire
Just make sure you have all your info ready - social security number, employer details from your last 18 months of work, and your bank account info if you want direct deposit. The application takes about 30-45 minutes.
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Mei Wong
•Good point about the employer info. Do I need pay stubs or just the basic company information?
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Liam McGuire
•Just company names, addresses, dates you worked there, and approximate wages. Washington ESD gets the actual wage info directly from employers.
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Amara Eze
There's a one-week waiting period in Washington before you get your first payment, but you still need to file that first week. A lot of people get confused about this and think they shouldn't file right away.
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Giovanni Greco
•Wait, so I file weekly claims but don't get paid for the first week? That seems weird.
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Amara Eze
•Right, it's like a waiting week. You file for it but don't get paid for it unless you have a qualifying separation like a layoff. If you quit or get fired for misconduct, you serve the waiting week.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
I tried calling Washington ESD to ask about this same thing last month and could never get through. Spent literally hours on hold. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual person at the unemployment office. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier.
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Dylan Wright
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already going to be unemployed...
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•It's worth checking out their site for the details. For me it was way better than wasting entire days trying to get through on my own.
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Sofia Torres
File as soon as you can but be prepared for potential delays. My claim got stuck in adjudication for weeks because they had to verify my separation reason. Don't panic if it takes longer than expected.
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Mei Wong
•What's adjudication? That sounds scary.
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Sofia Torres
•It's when they need to investigate something about your claim - like if you quit vs got laid off, or if there were any issues with your employment. Most claims go through without problems.
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QuantumQuasar
•Yeah adjudication is pretty common. They're just making sure everything checks out before approving benefits.
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GalacticGuardian
don't forget you have to do job searches too once you start getting benefits. think its 3 per week now but check the requirements
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Mei Wong
•Job searches start right away or is there a grace period?
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Amara Eze
•You need to be actively seeking work from the first week you claim benefits. Keep a log of your job search activities because they can audit you.
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Dmitry Smirnov
I filed mine on a Tuesday thinking it didn't matter what day. BIG MISTAKE. Apparently you're supposed to file on Sunday and it messed up my whole claim timeline. Had to call and get it sorted out.
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Ava Rodriguez
•How did you finally get through to fix it? I can never reach anyone at Washington ESD.
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Dmitry Smirnov
•Honestly I used one of those callback services. Someone mentioned Claimyr earlier in this thread and that's what I ended up trying. Got through to Washington ESD the same day.
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Miguel Diaz
The timing is super important. File the Sunday after your last day of work, then file weekly claims every Sunday after that. Miss a week and you lose that week's benefits permanently.
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Zainab Ahmed
•What if Sunday falls on a holiday?
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Miguel Diaz
•The system is usually still available on holidays. I've filed on Labor Day, Memorial Day, etc. without issues.
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Connor Gallagher
Make sure your employer isn't going to contest your claim. If they do, it'll delay everything while Washington ESD investigates. Happened to me and took 6 weeks to resolve.
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Mei Wong
•How would I know if they're going to contest it?
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Connor Gallagher
•You usually don't until it happens. But if you were fired for cause or quit without good cause, they might fight it.
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AstroAlpha
Pro tip: take screenshots of everything when you file. The system can be glitchy and having proof of what you submitted can save you headaches later.
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Yara Khoury
•This is great advice. I lost a whole week's claim because the system crashed while I was filing and I had no proof I'd tried to submit it.
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Keisha Taylor
Also remember you need to report any income you earn while collecting benefits. Even small amounts like a few hours of consulting work. They're pretty strict about that.
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Mei Wong
•What happens if you forget to report something small?
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Keisha Taylor
•They can create an overpayment and you'd have to pay it back. Better to report everything even if you're not sure.
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Paolo Longo
The whole process is actually pretty straightforward once you get started. The Washington ESD website walks you through everything step by step. Just don't overthink it.
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Amina Bah
•I wish I'd known that before I stressed out about it for weeks. Filed last Sunday and it was way easier than expected.
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Oliver Becker
One thing nobody mentioned - if you're getting severance pay, that might affect when your benefits start. Check with Washington ESD about how that works with your specific situation.
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Mei Wong
•I am getting severance actually. Does that mean I can't file right away?
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Oliver Becker
•You can still file, but the severance might delay when your benefits actually start. The rules are complicated so you'd want to ask Washington ESD directly.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•This is exactly the kind of question where calling makes sense. If you can't get through the normal way, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier would be perfect for getting a quick answer about severance timing.
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