How soon can you claim unemployment after losing your job in Washington?

Thank you! I'll get started on that right now. Do you know roughly how long it takes to get approved?

If everything goes smoothly and there are no issues with your claim, you could see your first payment in 2-3 weeks. But if they need to verify anything, it could take longer.

Wow, good to know! I definitely don't want to lose any potential benefits.

Wait, you can't backdate at all? That seems harsh if someone doesn't know the rules.

Nope, Washington ESD is pretty strict about this. Your benefit year starts the Sunday of the week you file your initial claim.

Thanks for the heads up! I'll gather everything together first.

Is that waiting week just completely unpaid then?

Yes, the first week is unpaid. It's called the 'waiting week' and everyone has to serve it unless you qualify for certain exceptions.

That's frustrating but I guess I understand why they do it.

How do the weekly claims work exactly?

Every week you have to log into your account and answer questions about whether you looked for work, if you worked any hours, if you turned down any job offers, stuff like that.

Oh no, that sounds really stressful. Have you tried calling early in the morning?

I've tried everything - calling right when they open, during lunch, different days of the week. Either busy signal or I get disconnected after waiting on hold for hours.

Have you heard of Claimyr? I used them when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD and they actually got me connected to an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Never heard of that but I'm willing to try anything at this point. The stress of not knowing what's happening with my claim is killing me.

Good job getting it filed quickly! Remember to file your first weekly claim this Sunday.

Way to go! You did the right thing filing immediately.

Oh I didn't know about that requirement. Is that separate from the unemployment claim?

Yes, it's a separate registration but it's required. You need to do 3 job search activities per week and keep a log of them.

The job search requirements are no joke. Make sure you're documenting everything properly because they do audit claims.

Yeah, there's definitely a learning curve. At least now I know to file weekly claims religiously.

File the same day if possible. Your benefit week runs Sunday to Saturday, so filing on Friday means you're already partway through your first week.

Exactly, and remember that first week is the unpaid waiting week anyway, so you want to get it started as soon as possible.

If you were fired for cause, your claim will likely go into adjudication while they determine if you're eligible. That can add several weeks to the process.

That's what I was afraid of. Should I still file right away even if I think it might get denied?

Absolutely file right away. Even if they initially deny you, you can appeal, and the sooner you start the process the better.

How long did it take them to get you connected?

They called me back within a few hours and had me talking to an actual Washington ESD agent the same day. Finally got my adjudication issue resolved.

I'm definitely going to try Claimyr tomorrow. This is ridiculous that we need a third party service just to talk to our own state agency.

Good point! I just moved last month so I need to double-check that.

Patient is easy to say when you're not worried about making rent lol

Fair point, I've been there too. The financial stress while waiting for approval is the worst part.

That gives me hope! Hopefully mine goes that smoothly.

Three weeks is pretty typical if there are no complications. The key is filing immediately after job loss.

Oh wow, I didn't even think about taxes. Thanks for mentioning that.

Yeah, you can choose to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you set up your claim. Saves you from a big tax bill later.

I'm really glad I asked here first. Seems like filing immediately is the unanimous advice.

Yep, the emotional processing can happen while you're getting your benefits sorted out. Money first, feelings second when you're unemployed.

Great tip! I'll make sure to do that.

Also keep copies of all your employment documents, pay stubs, etc. Washington ESD might ask for verification later.

When do you typically file your weekly claims? Is there a best day/time?

I do mine every Sunday morning. The system is usually less busy then and it's a good way to start the week with that task done.

I set a recurring alarm for Sunday at 9am. After a few weeks it becomes routine.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more prepared now.