How to apply for unemployment benefits in Washington - complete step by step process?

Thanks! Do I need pay stubs or anything like that? I have my last few but not sure if I need older ones.

You don't need to upload pay stubs during the initial application, but having them handy helps verify the employment dates and wages if Washington ESD needs to contact you for clarification later.

What's the waiting week? Does that mean I won't get paid for the first week even if I'm approved?

Washington actually eliminated the waiting week a few years ago, so you should get paid for your first eligible week as long as your claim is approved. I was thinking of the old rules!

Yeah the waiting week is gone now. But you still need to file your weekly claims every Sunday to get paid for each week.

That's interesting, I didn't know services like that existed. Is it legit?

Yeah it's legitimate - they just help you navigate the phone system to reach an actual Washington ESD agent. Way better than spending hours hitting redial.

I've heard of Claimyr too, might be worth it if you need to talk to someone urgently about your claim.

Wait, there's a difference? I thought those were the same thing.

Right?? It's confusing. Like if you got laid off on Friday but your last actual work day was Wednesday, you put Wednesday as your last day worked.

That's correct - Washington ESD wants to know when you last performed work duties, not when your employment officially ended.

How long do the weekly claims take? Is it as long as the initial application?

No way, weekly claims are super quick - maybe 5 minutes once you get used to it. Just answer the questions honestly about any work or income.

And make sure you do it EVERY week even if you're not sure you qualify that week. Better to file and get denied than miss filing and lose eligibility.

What counts as job search activities? Just applying for jobs or other stuff too?

Applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, interviewing, even some training activities. There's a list on the Washington ESD website of what qualifies.

You need to do at least 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records. I use a simple spreadsheet with dates, company names, and what I did.

What's adjudication? That sounds scary.

It just means Washington ESD needs to review something about your claim before approving it. Could be verifying your employment history or reason for separation. Usually takes a few weeks.

I had my claim go into adjudication and it was nerve-wracking but ended up being approved. They just needed to verify some employment dates with my former employer.

I've been working for about 2 years so I think I should be okay on that front.

Yeah you should be fine then. The wage requirements aren't super high if you've been working steadily.

Good to know! I was planning to do it tonight so that works out.

I always file mine on Tuesday mornings and never have issues with the website being slow.

I did get a small severance. Will that completely disqualify me or just delay things?

It won't disqualify you but it might delay your benefits until the severance period ends. Washington ESD calculates it based on how much you got and your weekly benefit amount.

Exactly - be upfront about any severance or vacation pay. Trying to hide it will cause bigger problems later if they find out.

Yeah I'm wondering the same thing. Really hoping it doesn't take forever.

Mine took about 10 days from filing to getting my first payment, but that was with no complications. If you have to go through adjudication it can take 4-6 weeks.

I got my first payment in 8 days but I had all my paperwork perfect and no issues with my claim.

Yes, Washington allows partial unemployment benefits if your hours or wages were reduced through no fault of your own. You still need to meet the other eligibility requirements though.

That's good to know for the future. Right now I'm completely laid off so I think I need regular unemployment.

I'll check that out before I start the application. Thanks for the tip!

No problem! It's under the "Am I Eligible" section on their homepage.

My employer said it was a layoff due to reduced business, so I think that's pretty straightforward.

Yeah that should be fine. Just make sure you select "layoff" or "lack of work" when they ask about separation reason.

I mentioned this earlier but Claimyr really helped me get through when I needed to talk to someone. The phone lines are impossible otherwise.

I might have to try that. This is so frustrating when you just need a simple answer.

The best time I've found is right at 8am when they open, but even then it's hit or miss.

Good advice! I always forget to take screenshots but I'll make sure to do that.

I keep a folder on my desktop for all my unemployment stuff - screenshots, documents, emails from Washington ESD. Super helpful to have it all organized.

Thanks, that's reassuring! I've been putting it off because it seemed overwhelming but sounds like it's not as bad as I thought.

Yeah once you start it's not bad at all. Just take your time and read the questions carefully.

Good point, I wasn't planning to move but that's important to remember.

Same with phone numbers and email addresses - keep everything current so they can reach you if needed.

Thanks everyone! This was super helpful. I feel much more confident about applying now. Going to gather my employment info and file tonight.

You got this! Feel free to come back here if you run into any issues during the process.

Definitely - this community is pretty good about helping with Washington ESD questions.