How soon does unemployment kick in after filing with Washington ESD?

2-3 weeks?? I can't wait that long for money. Is there anything I can do to speed it up?

Not really, it's just how the system works. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims on time though or you'll delay things even more.

How do I know if mine will go to adjudication? I was laid off due to budget cuts, nothing complicated.

Layoffs are usually pretty straightforward. You should be okay unless there's some issue with your work history or something.

Wait, there's a service that can actually get you through to ESD? I've been trying to call for days with no luck.

Yeah, it's legit. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. Way better than trying to call yourself and getting hung up on.

How much does something like that cost though? I'm already broke waiting for unemployment.

It's worth it if you need to actually talk to someone urgently. Much cheaper than missing rent payments while waiting weeks to get through.

5 weeks?! That's insane. How did you survive that long without income?

Credit cards and borrowing from family. It was horrible. The system is broken.

Oh wait, I have to do something weekly? I thought I just filed once and waited.

No no, you have to file a weekly claim every week to certify that you're still unemployed and looking for work. Check your ESD account online.

This is crucial - if you miss weekly claims you can lose benefits for those weeks permanently.

17 days isn't terrible I guess. Did you have any complications or was it smooth?

pretty smooth, just had to wait for them to verify my employer info

I think I got everything right but now I'm paranoid. Is there a way to check if I made any errors?

You can log into your ESD account and review your claim information. If there are errors you might be able to correct them before processing.

Yeah I might have to do that. This is all so stressful.

It really is. The whole unemployment system puts people in impossible situations.

Oh that's actually really good to know. I was worried I'd lose those weeks.

Nope, as long as you file your weekly claims you'll get paid for all of them once approved.

Yeah I'm definitely feeling that stress right now. Trying to stay positive.

I might actually try that. I've been calling for three days straight with no luck getting through.

Is it safe to use though? I'm always nervous about giving my info to third parties.

They don't need your personal info, they just help you get connected to ESD. Check out their demo video to see how it works.

Right? At least we're not alone in this. Keep me posted on how yours goes.

Will do! Fingers crossed for both of us.

That's a bit cynical don't you think? They're just processing a lot of claims.

Maybe, but when you're facing eviction while they take their time, it sure feels intentional.

Thanks, that's the most straightforward answer I've gotten. I guess I just have to wait it out.

I know it's tough but you'll get through it. The system works, it's just slow.

Job search requirements? What do I need to do exactly?

u have to apply for jobs and keep a log. check the esd website for details

Two months would literally kill me financially. I really hope mine doesn't take that long.

Most people don't wait that long. That was an extreme case with multiple complications.

YES! I'm definitely doing that. It's driving me crazy.

Try to distract yourself with job searching. At least then you're being productive while you wait.

Why would they contest it if they laid me off? That doesn't make sense.

Some employers contest every claim to try to keep their unemployment tax rates low. It's rare but it happens.

Thanks for the encouragement. I really needed to hear that today.

I definitely will update. And yeah, I'm probably going to try that service if I don't hear anything by Friday.

Good plan. Sometimes just talking to a real person can give you peace of mind about where things stand.