How soon do you have to apply for Washington ESD unemployment after losing job?
I just got laid off yesterday from my warehouse job and I'm wondering how quickly I need to file for unemployment benefits with Washington ESD. Is there a deadline or can I wait a few weeks while I look for another job? I've never filed for UI before and don't want to mess this up if there's some time limit I need to know about.
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Grace Durand
You should file as soon as possible! Washington ESD won't pay benefits for any week before you actually file your claim, even if you were eligible. So if you wait 2 weeks to file, you lose those 2 weeks of potential benefits forever.
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Connor Richards
•Oh wow, I didn't know that! So I should file today then?
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Grace Durand
•Yes, definitely file today. The sooner the better. You can always cancel your claim later if you find work quickly.
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Steven Adams
there's no actual deadline but like the other person said you lose money every week you don't file. i made that mistake and lost out on like $800 because i waited too long thinking i'd find something quick
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Connor Richards
•Ugh that sucks! I definitely don't want to lose any money I'm entitled to.
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Alice Fleming
•Same thing happened to me. Lesson learned the hard way.
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Hassan Khoury
The key thing to understand is that Washington ESD benefits are paid weekly, and your claim is effective the Sunday of the week you file. You can't backdate claims except in very specific circumstances. Even if you think you might find work soon, it's better to file and then stop claiming if you get hired than to miss out on benefits you've earned through your work history.
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Connor Richards
•Thanks for explaining that! So if I file today (Wednesday), my claim would be effective this past Sunday?
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Hassan Khoury
•Exactly right. Your claim would be effective for the benefit week that started this past Sunday.
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Victoria Stark
•Wait, I'm confused about this too. Does that mean I can get paid for days before I even filed?
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Hassan Khoury
•Yes, as long as you were unemployed and eligible for those days within the same benefit week. Washington ESD benefit weeks run Sunday through Saturday.
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Benjamin Kim
I tried calling Washington ESD when I got laid off but could never get through to ask about timing. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Super frustrating when you're already stressed about losing your job. Finally just filed online without talking to anyone.
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Samantha Howard
•I had the same problem! The phone system is terrible. I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent in like 20 minutes. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's even a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ
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Benjamin Kim
•Really? That sounds too good to be true. How does it work?
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Samantha Howard
•They basically call Washington ESD for you and wait on hold, then connect you when they get an agent. Super simple and way better than sitting on hold for hours yourself.
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Megan D'Acosta
File immediately! I waited 3 weeks thinking I'd find something and ended up losing almost $1,200 in benefits. There's literally no downside to filing right away.
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Connor Richards
•Ouch, that's a lot of money! I'm convinced - filing today for sure.
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Sarah Ali
•Yep same mistake here. Lost about $900 by waiting. Don't be like us!
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Ryan Vasquez
The Washington ESD website makes it seem like you have to wait until you've been unemployed for a week, but that's not true. You can file the day after you lose your job. Just go to secure.esd.wa.gov and start your claim.
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Avery Saint
•I think that's outdated information from years ago. Now you definitely file right away.
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Connor Richards
•Good to know! I was worried there might be some waiting period.
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Taylor Chen
•Yeah that old 'waiting week' thing doesn't exist anymore in Washington.
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Keith Davidson
Also remember that even after you file, there's usually a processing time before you get your first payment. So the sooner you file, the sooner that clock starts ticking. Don't add unnecessary delays on top of the normal processing time.
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Connor Richards
•How long does processing usually take?
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Keith Davidson
•Depends on if there are any issues with your claim. Simple claims can be processed in a week or two, but if they need to verify anything or if you need adjudication it can take much longer.
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Ezra Bates
•Mine took 3 weeks because they had to verify my last employer info. Pretty standard from what I heard.
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Ana Erdoğan
Don't forget you also have to do job search activities once you start claiming. Better to know that upfront than be surprised later. Washington ESD requires you to make 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log.
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Connor Richards
•Oh I didn't know about the job search requirement! Thanks for mentioning that.
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Sophia Carson
•Yeah it's important. You have to register with WorkSourceWA too and keep detailed records of your job search activities.
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Elijah Knight
•The job search log is super important. I got audited and had to provide all my documentation.
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Brooklyn Foley
Just want to second everyone saying file immediately. I've been through this twice and both times I filed the day after losing my job. There's no reason to wait and every reason to file ASAP.
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Connor Richards
•Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. Filing my claim right now.
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Jay Lincoln
•Good luck! The process is actually pretty straightforward once you get started.
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Jessica Suarez
One more thing - make sure you have your employment history ready when you file. You'll need dates, wages, and employer information for the last 18 months. Having that organized will make the application go much smoother.
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Connor Richards
•Good tip! I still have all my pay stubs so I should be good there.
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Marcus Williams
•Pay stubs are perfect. That's exactly what you need for the wage information.
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Lily Young
•I had to contact old employers for some info I didn't have. Better to file and update later than wait to gather everything perfectly.
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Kennedy Morrison
If you run into any issues during the application process and need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, I highly recommend trying Claimyr. I was stuck on a verification issue and couldn't get through on the phone for days. Claimyr got me connected to an agent who resolved everything in one call.
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Wesley Hallow
•How much does something like that cost?
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Kennedy Morrison
•It's worth it when you consider how much time and frustration it saves. Plus they have a demo video that shows exactly how it works.
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Justin Chang
•I was skeptical at first but honestly it worked great for me too. Beat spending hours on hold.
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Grace Thomas
The bottom line is file today. File right now. Don't wait. There's no benefit to waiting and you could lose money every day you delay. Washington ESD makes it pretty easy to file online.
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Connor Richards
•Message received loud and clear! Thanks everyone for all the advice.
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Hunter Brighton
•You got this! The hardest part is just getting started.
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Dylan Baskin
•Definitely agree with filing immediately. I see too many people make the mistake of waiting.
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Lauren Wood
Also worth mentioning that if you have any questions after you file, Washington ESD customer service can be really hard to reach by phone. If you need help and can't get through, definitely consider using a service like Claimyr to get connected faster. They made the process so much easier for me.
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Ellie Lopez
•I keep seeing Claimyr mentioned. Is it legit?
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Lauren Wood
•Yeah it's totally legitimate. They just help you get through to Washington ESD agents faster. Check out their website and demo video if you want to see how it works.
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Chad Winthrope
•Wish I had known about this when I was trying to reach them last month!
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