Is Washington ESD unemployment retroactive - can I get backpay for missed weeks?

Yes, Washington ESD unemployment can be retroactive but only for a limited time. You can claim benefits from the Sunday of the week you became unemployed, but you have to file your initial claim within a certain timeframe. The key is that you need to file weekly claims for each week you want benefits, even if they're late.

i waited like 3-4 weeks too and got all my back pay. just make sure you file claims for every week since you lost your job, even the ones where you had severance. severance doesnt always disqualify you depending on how it was paid out

The retroactive period in Washington is typically up to one year, but there are important deadlines. You need to file your initial claim within one year of becoming unemployed, and you should file weekly claims as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more complicated it can get with documentation requirements.

I had the same issue last year and couldn't get through to Washington ESD on the phone for weeks to get clarification. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent who walked me through the retroactive filing process. Got all 8 weeks of back benefits I was owed. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

MAKE SURE you have all your documentation ready before you file. Washington ESD will want proof of your employment, termination date, and sometimes proof that you were available for work during those weeks you're claiming retroactively. Don't just assume they'll approve everything automatically.

wait so if i got laid off 2 months ago but just applied last week, i can get benefits for those 2 months?? nobody told me this when i called the workforce center

The retroactive thing is tricky though. I tried to get back pay for 4 weeks and Washington ESD denied 2 of them because I couldn't prove I was actively job searching during those specific weeks. Make sure you have documentation for EVERY week you're trying to claim.

This whole system is so confusing. Why don't they make it clear that you can file retroactively? I almost lost out on thousands of dollars because nobody explained this properly.

Just be aware that retroactive claims can trigger additional review by Washington ESD. My friend's claim went into adjudication for 3 weeks because she filed for 8 weeks of back benefits. Eventually got approved but there was extra scrutiny.

For anyone trying to reach Washington ESD about retroactive claims, I had success using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Got connected to an agent who helped me understand exactly which weeks I could claim and what documentation I needed. Worth checking out if you're stuck.

The severance issue is important to understand. In Washington, if you received severance as a lump sum upon termination, it usually doesn't affect your weekly benefit eligibility. But if it's paid out over time, it might reduce your benefits for those specific weeks.

make sure to file your weekly claims in the right order too. start with the oldest week first and work your way forward. the washington esd system can get confused if you file them out of order

I successfully got 5 weeks of retroactive benefits last year. The key things that helped me: 1) Filed my initial claim ASAP once I learned about the retroactive option 2) Had detailed job search records for each week 3) Called Washington ESD to confirm my understanding before filing the weekly claims. Don't give up - you're entitled to those benefits if you were eligible during those weeks.

Don't beat yourself up about waiting 6 weeks - lots of people don't realize they can file retroactively! The good news is Washington ESD does allow retroactive claims. You'll want to file your initial application first, then submit weekly claims for each week going back to when you became unemployed. Since you mentioned having severance as a lump sum, that shouldn't disqualify you from those weeks. Just make sure you can show you were available and actively looking for work during each week you're claiming. Start gathering any job search documentation you have from those 6 weeks - application confirmations, networking contacts, anything that shows you were making an effort to find work. The sooner you file, the better!

I'm in a similar situation - laid off 8 weeks ago but just learned about Washington ESD's retroactive benefits yesterday! Reading through everyone's experiences here is really encouraging. It sounds like the consensus is that I should file my initial claim immediately and then submit weekly claims for all 8 weeks, making sure I have documentation of job search activities for each week. I've been keeping a spreadsheet of applications I submitted and networking calls I made, so hopefully that will be sufficient proof. One question though - if I had a brief consulting gig for 3 days during week 4, does that disqualify me from benefits for that entire week or just affect the amount? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else in this situation - I was in almost the exact same boat as you, Riya! I waited 5 weeks before filing because I thought my severance package meant I couldn't get unemployment. Turns out Washington ESD approved all 5 weeks of retroactive benefits. The key things that helped me: I kept a simple notebook with dates of every job application I submitted (even the ones I applied to online and never heard back from), I saved email confirmations from job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn, and I wrote down any phone calls I made to contacts about potential opportunities. When I finally got through to a Washington ESD representative, they walked me through filing weekly claims for each of those missed weeks. It took about 3 weeks to process everything, but I received the full back pay. Don't stress too much about having "perfect" documentation - they understand that people don't always know to keep detailed records from day one. The important thing is showing you made genuine efforts to find work during those weeks you're claiming.