Is it too late to file for unemployment - missed deadline concerns Washington ESD
I got laid off from my warehouse job about 8 weeks ago and I've been putting off filing for unemployment because I thought I'd find something quickly. Now I'm starting to panic - is it too late to file with Washington ESD? I keep reading different things online about deadlines and I'm worried I've missed my chance completely. Has anyone filed this late after losing their job? What happens if you wait too long?
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Dominique Adams
You can still file! Washington ESD allows you to file up to one year after becoming unemployed, but you'll only get benefits from the date you actually file - not retroactive to when you lost your job. So you're missing out on those 8 weeks of payments unfortunately.
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Isabel Vega
•Oh no, so I lost 8 weeks worth of money? That's probably like $3,000+ I'll never get back. Why didn't anyone tell me this?
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Marilyn Dixon
•Yeah same thing happened to my brother last year. He waited 6 weeks and lost all that money. File TODAY if you haven't already.
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Louisa Ramirez
The one-year rule is correct, but there's something called 'good cause' that might help in certain situations. If you had a valid reason for the delay (medical emergency, family crisis, etc.), Washington ESD might consider backdating your claim. It's worth mentioning when you file.
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Isabel Vega
•I was just being stubborn and thought I'd find work fast. Don't think that counts as good cause...
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TommyKapitz
•Even if you don't have good cause, filing now is better than waiting longer. Every week you delay is more money lost.
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Angel Campbell
I had such a hard time getting through to Washington ESD when I tried to call about my filing deadline questions. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual agent in like 15 minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
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Payton Black
•Never heard of that but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for 3 hours just to get hung up on
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Isabel Vega
•How much does that cost? I'm already broke from being unemployed for 2 months
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Angel Campbell
•It's way cheaper than losing more weeks of benefits by not being able to get through to file your claim properly
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Harold Oh
EIGHT WEEKS?? Dude you need to file RIGHT NOW. Like stop reading this and go to esd.wa.gov immediately. You're hemorrhaging money every day you wait.
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Isabel Vega
•I know I know, I'm kicking myself. Going to file as soon as I finish reading these responses
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Amun-Ra Azra
•Good because at this point every single day matters for your weekly benefit amount calculations too
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Dominique Adams
Just to clarify the process - when you file, you'll need your last employer info, your Social Security number, and employment history for the past 18 months. The system will calculate your weekly benefit amount based on wages from your base year period, which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 quarters before you filed.
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Isabel Vega
•What if I don't remember exact dates from previous jobs? I've had like 3 different positions in the last year and a half
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Dominique Adams
•Get as close as you can with the dates. Washington ESD will verify with employers anyway. Better to file with approximate info than keep waiting
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TommyKapitz
Also heads up - once you file, you'll need to do weekly claims every week to actually receive payments. Don't make the same mistake twice by filing and then forgetting to do your weekly certifications.
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Isabel Vega
•Weekly claims? What's involved in that?
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TommyKapitz
•You log in every week and answer questions about whether you worked, looked for work, were available for work, etc. Miss a week and you don't get paid for that week.
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Summer Green
•And you have to do job searches too - think it's 3 per week minimum for Washington state
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Gael Robinson
I waited 6 weeks to file mine last year and it was such a stupid mistake. Lost about $2800 in benefits I could never get back. Don't be like me - file TODAY.
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Isabel Vega
•Ugh this is making me feel even worse about waiting. Did you have any trouble with the filing process after waiting that long?
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Gael Robinson
•No trouble filing, just the crushing realization of how much money I threw away by procrastinating
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Louisa Ramirez
One more thing to consider - if your claim gets stuck in adjudication (which happens sometimes), having already lost 8 weeks means the delay will hurt even more. Get the process started ASAP so if there are any issues, you can resolve them sooner rather than later.
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Isabel Vega
•What's adjudication? Another thing I need to worry about?
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Louisa Ramirez
•It's when Washington ESD needs to investigate something about your claim - like if there are questions about why you left your job. Can take weeks to resolve, so earlier filing is always better.
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Edward McBride
wait can you really file up to a whole year later?? I thought it was like 30 days or something
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Dominique Adams
•Yep, one full year from when you became unemployed. But benefits only start from when you file, not when you became unemployed.
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Edward McBride
•wow good to know for future reference I guess
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Darcy Moore
The Washington ESD website has all this info but it's buried in like 47 different pages and written in government speak that nobody understands. Would be nice if they just had a simple 'FILE IMMEDIATELY AFTER LOSING YOUR JOB' banner at the top.
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Harold Oh
•RIGHT?? Why is it so hard to find basic info like this? Makes you think they don't want people to actually file
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Dana Doyle
•The whole system seems designed to confuse people and make them miss deadlines or mess up requirements
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Marilyn Dixon
My advice: file today, then worry about gathering all the perfect documentation later. You can always provide additional info if needed, but you can't get back those lost weeks.
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Isabel Vega
•That's what I'm going to do. Thanks everyone for the reality check - clearly I needed it
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Liam Duke
Been there with the phone system nightmare. Took me 5 days of calling to get through about a filing question. Finally someone told me about Claimyr and it's been a lifesaver for actually reaching Washington ESD agents when I need answers.
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Isabel Vega
•Might need to look into that if I run into issues with my filing. The horror stories about their phone system are scary
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Manny Lark
•The phone system is definitely broken. I've been hung up on mid-conversation multiple times
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Rita Jacobs
Just want to echo everyone else - FILE NOW. I'm a former Washington ESD employee and I saw people lose thousands of dollars because they waited weeks or months to file. There's no magic button to recover those lost weeks.
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Isabel Vega
•Wow, an actual former employee! Any other insider tips for someone about to file for the first time?
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Rita Jacobs
•Keep detailed records of everything - every job application, every phone call, every document you submit. The system can be glitchy and having your own records saves time later.
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Khalid Howes
this thread is giving me anxiety about my own situation... I got laid off 3 weeks ago and still haven't filed because I'm scared I'll mess something up
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Dominique Adams
•File NOW. Seriously. You can fix mistakes later but you can't get back lost time. The system will walk you through it step by step.
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Harold Oh
•STOP BEING SCARED AND GO FILE. You're literally losing money every day you wait!
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Ben Cooper
For what it's worth, the online filing system at esd.wa.gov is actually pretty user-friendly. Took me about 20 minutes to complete and most of that was finding my old pay stubs.
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Isabel Vega
•That's reassuring. I was imagining some horrible complicated form that would take hours
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Ben Cooper
•Nope, it's mostly just basic info about you and your job. The hardest part is waiting for them to process it afterward
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Naila Gordon
I work in HR and I always tell people we lay off to file for unemployment THE SAME DAY. Every single day you wait is money lost forever. Wish more people understood this.
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Isabel Vega
•My employer didn't mention anything about filing quickly when they let me go. Just handed me a packet with COBRA info
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Naila Gordon
•Unfortunately not all employers are good about giving that guidance. Some even discourage it which is terrible.
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Cynthia Love
Update us after you file! Would be good to know how the process goes for someone who waited 8 weeks, in case others are in the same boat.
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Isabel Vega
•Will do! Planning to file tonight after work (yes I found a temporary gig but it's only part-time). Hopefully it goes smoothly
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Darren Brooks
•Good luck! And remember you might still be eligible for partial benefits even with part-time work
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Rosie Harper
The fact that Washington ESD doesn't make this deadline super clear is criminal. How many people lose benefits just because they don't know the rules?
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Harold Oh
•Probably thousands. The whole system seems designed to save them money by confusing people
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Louisa Ramirez
•To be fair, the info is available, but it's not prominently displayed. More people need to know to file immediately after job loss.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
I used Claimyr when I had questions about my claim status and it was worth every penny. Got connected to an agent in under 20 minutes vs the 4+ hours I'd been trying to call directly.
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Isabel Vega
•Starting to think that service might be necessary just to navigate this system. The fact that a paid service exists to help people reach their own state agency is pretty sad
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Demi Hall
•It is sad but it works. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get answers
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Mateusius Townsend
Bottom line: Washington state law allows filing up to one year after unemployment begins, but benefits only start from your filing date. Don't wait another day - file immediately and start your weekly claims process.
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Isabel Vega
•Perfect summary. I'm convinced - filing tonight. Thanks everyone for the wake-up call!
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