How to get back pay from Washington ESD unemployment - missed weeks?

You can usually request backdate for missed weeks but you need to contact Washington ESD directly. They'll want to know why you didn't file weekly claims during those weeks. Valid reasons include not knowing the requirement, illness, or technical issues preventing you from filing.

same exact thing happened to me last year!! I missed like 3 weeks because nobody told me about the weekly filing requirement. Washington ESD made me fill out some form explaining why I didn't file and they eventually paid me for those weeks.

Getting through to Washington ESD by phone is going to be your biggest challenge here. I've been trying to reach them about my own claim issues for weeks. The phone lines are constantly busy and when you do get through, you often get disconnected. Have you tried the claimyr.com service? I just discovered it and they help you get connected to actual ESD agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works.

MAKE SURE YOU START FILING YOUR WEEKLY CLAIMS NOW! Even while you're waiting for the backdate decision, you need to keep filing for current weeks or you'll fall behind again. This is crucial - don't miss any more weeks while dealing with the past ones.

The Washington ESD website is so confusing about this stuff. They really need to make it clearer that you have to file weekly claims immediately after your initial claim. I almost made the same mistake but luckily my friend warned me.

For your backdate request, you'll need to provide a detailed explanation of why you didn't file weekly claims. 'I didn't know' is actually a valid reason if you can show you made a good faith effort to understand the requirements. Keep records of any attempts you made to get information about the process.

This whole system is ridiculous. They make it so complicated and then penalize people for not understanding their confusing process. I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months and it's been nothing but headaches.

oh and make sure you have all your job search activities documented for those missed weeks too! they might ask about that when they review your backdate request

I had a similar situation and what worked for me was sending a detailed message through the secure messaging system on the Washington ESD website explaining the situation. It took about 3 weeks but they processed my backdate request without requiring a phone call.

If the secure messaging doesn't work or takes too long, definitely try that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. They specialize in helping people get through to Washington ESD for exactly these kinds of issues. Worth the investment when you're talking about weeks of back pay.

Make sure you keep filing your current weekly claims while waiting for the backdate decision! I can't stress this enough. Don't let this mistake compound by missing current weeks too.

honestly the whole weekly filing thing caught me off guard too when I first started. it's not intuitive that you have to keep doing something every week after you already filed your claim

Document everything - when you filed your initial claim, when you discovered you needed to file weekly, when you started filing weekly claims, etc. Having a clear timeline will help your backdate request.

What's your claim status showing right now? If it says 'Active' that's usually a good sign that they can process backdate requests. If there are any other issues with your claim, those might need to be resolved first.

Be patient with the process. I know you need the money now but rushing or getting frustrated with Washington ESD staff won't help your case. Be polite and persistent.

Quick update for anyone following this thread - I used Claimyr again yesterday for a different issue and got through to Washington ESD in under 30 minutes. For anyone dealing with backdate requests or other urgent issues, it's definitely worth checking out claimyr.com instead of spending hours trying to get through on your own.

Hope everything works out for you! Keep us posted on how the backdate request goes. This kind of information helps other people who might make the same mistake.

One more thing - make sure you're not working or earning any income during those weeks you're requesting backdate for. If you were working, that could complicate your request since you might not have been eligible for benefits anyway.

The fact that you're asking about this now instead of just giving up shows you're taking responsibility for the mistake. That attitude will help when you're explaining the situation to Washington ESD.

Good luck! From what I've seen, Washington ESD is usually reasonable about backdate requests when there's a legitimate reason like not understanding the weekly filing requirement. Just be honest and thorough in your explanation.

I went through this exact same situation last year and can offer some hope! I missed 4 weeks because the website made it seem like weekly filing was optional after approval. Here's what worked for me: I submitted a backdate request through the secure messaging system explaining that the instructions weren't clear to me as a first-time claimant. I included a timeline of when I filed my initial claim, when I realized my mistake, and when I started filing weekly. They approved it in about 3 weeks and I got all my back pay. The key is being honest about the confusion and showing you're now complying with weekly filing. Don't give up - they deal with this situation more often than you'd think!