Is there a waiting period for unemployment benefits in Washington?

Thanks for clarifying! So I still need to file my weekly claim this first week even though I won't get paid for it?

Exactly! You still need to file that first weekly claim to establish your benefit year. Don't skip it or it could delay everything.

That's such a relief! I was panicking thinking I'd have to wait weeks. So I can file my initial claim today and then start doing weekly claims right away?

Exactly! File your initial claim ASAP, then file your first weekly claim for the week you became unemployed. Don't wait or you could lose benefits for that week.

The waiting period was temporarily waived during the pandemic, but it was reinstated. It's back to the normal one-week waiting period for regular unemployment benefits in Washington.

ugh that sucks, i was hoping it would stay waived permanently

Oh no, what causes adjudication? I'm worried my claim might get delayed too.

Lots of things can trigger adjudication - if you quit vs got fired, if there are questions about your work history, sometimes just random verification. Just be completely honest on your application.

Mine went to adjudication just because my last employer was slow to respond to Washington ESD. Took forever to get resolved.

I had the same problem! Kept getting busy signals and automated hangups. Then someone told me about this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Interesting, I've never heard of that. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

I was skeptical too but it actually worked for me. Got connected to an agent within like 20 minutes instead of calling for hours.

Interesting, I've never heard of that. Does it actually work? I'm always skeptical of services that claim to help with government stuff.

I was skeptical too, but after spending hours trying to call myself with no luck, I figured it was worth trying. Actually got through to someone the same day and got my issue resolved.

Seriously! The system is so outdated. I swear they're still using computers from the 90s.

Tell me about it. Half the time their website doesn't even work properly. But at least we don't have to wait that extra week anymore.

What's standby status? My employer didn't mention anything like that when they laid me off.

Standby is when your employer expects to call you back within a certain timeframe. If you're on standby, you might not have to do job searches but the benefit timing could be different.

You might be thinking of other states that still have waiting periods. Washington definitely eliminated theirs. File immediately if you haven't already!

Oh man, I think I've been waiting for nothing then. Going to file my claim right now. Thanks for clearing that up!

Some states do still have waiting periods, but Washington isn't one of them. Don't feel bad - the rules are confusing and change over time.

The waiting period is about getting paid, not filing. But if you filed two weeks ago and haven't received anything, there might be an issue with your claim. Check your account for any pending issues or adjudication status.

It just says 'claim under review' but doesn't give any details. This is so frustrating!

That usually means they're verifying your employment history or eligibility. The adjudication process can take several weeks unfortunately.

Good point. When exactly do I file my first weekly claim? Is it the same day I file my initial claim?

You can file your first weekly claim for the week you became unemployed. So if you lost your job on a Wednesday, you'd claim that full week when you file your weekly claim.

10 days isn't too bad I guess. I was worried it would be weeks before I saw anything.

Yeah, 10 days is actually pretty good. I've heard of people waiting much longer, especially if there are any issues with their claim.

Thanks for the historical context. I filed back in 2018 and had to deal with that waiting week. So glad they got rid of it.

It was one of several improvements they made to the system. The waiting period was really hard on people who were already struggling financially.

I feel you. The system definitely needs modernizing. But at least we can get benefits faster now than before.

True, I shouldn't complain too much. Just frustrating when you're already stressed about money and the system makes everything harder than it needs to be.

Good reminder. How many job searches do I need to do per week? I want to make sure I'm following all the rules.

It's usually 3 job search activities per week, but check your specific requirements in your account. They can vary based on your situation.

And keep good records of your job search! They can audit you and ask for proof of your activities.

I hear you but it's been this way for decades. At least Washington's benefit amounts are higher than a lot of other states.

I guess that's something. Still sucks when you're broke though.

That's good to know. Hopefully I won't need it, but I'll keep it in mind if I run into issues.

Yeah, hopefully your claim goes through smoothly. But it's nice to know there are options if you get stuck trying to reach someone.

What counts as job search activities? Just applying to jobs?

Job applications, networking contacts, career fairs, skills training - there's a list on the Washington ESD website. Make sure you keep detailed records of everything.

This is good advice. I got dinged for not having proper documentation of my job searches and had to appeal it.

Yeah, I should be eligible. I was laid off due to company downsizing and I've been working full time for over a year.

Sounds like you should be fine then. Just make sure to answer all the questions on your application honestly and completely.

If you're starting a new benefit year, yes you'll have the waiting period again. It applies to each new claim period.

Ugh, I was hoping since I was already in the system it would be faster this time.

That's exactly why services like Claimyr exist. They make the phone system actually usable. I tried it when I couldn't reach anyone at Washington ESD for three weeks straight.

Did it cost a lot? I'm already tight on money.

It was worth it to finally talk to someone. Way less expensive than missing out on benefits because of unresolved issues.

No, the waiting period is the same regardless. But make sure you report all earnings on your weekly claims or you could face overpayment issues later.

Thanks! I've been super careful about reporting everything. Don't want any problems down the road.

Wow three times? That's rough. At least you know the system by now.

yeah unfortunately i'm an expert at this point lol

Right? Everything is so confusing. I wish they had like a simple timeline or flowchart.

Exactly! A visual guide would help so much instead of having to dig through paragraphs of text to find basic info.

That's reassuring to hear! I was worried it would be weeks between filing and getting paid.

Once everything is set up, you usually get paid within 2-3 business days of filing your weekly claim.

Same here, my payments have been very consistent once I got past the initial approval process.

Thanks for the reminder! So even during that first week when I won't get paid, I still need to file the weekly claim?

Yes! Never skip filing a weekly claim even if you know you won't get paid for it. It keeps your claim active and prevents gaps in your benefit year.

What kind of issues trigger adjudication? I tried to be as accurate as possible but now I'm worried I messed something up.

Common things are discrepancies in employment dates, questions about why you left your job, or issues with wage verification. If everything was straightforward with your layoff, you should be fine.

I went through adjudication and it took 6 weeks. If you need to reach someone at Washington ESD about it, definitely try that Claimyr service - saved me from calling hundreds of times.

Oh wow, I'm glad I asked then. I was thinking about waiting until next week to file. Going to do it today instead.

Smart move. Every day you wait is potentially money you're leaving on the table.

I filed in 2020 during COVID and it was chaos. But yeah, seems like they've worked out most of the kinks since then.

COVID was a special kind of nightmare for unemployment systems everywhere. Things have definitely stabilized since then.

I don't have any severance, but I do have some unused vacation time they're paying out. Will that delay my benefits?

It might affect the timing of when you can collect, depending on how much it is and when you receive it. Be sure to report it when you file your claim.

Vacation pay is considered wages for the period it covers, so it could delay your benefits for those weeks. But after that period, you should be able to collect normally.

That doesn't apply to me since I was laid off, but good to know for others reading this.

Exactly. The no waiting period thing is for people who are eligible. If you're disqualified for some reason, that's a different story.

That's really good to know. I'll definitely keep that option in mind if I run into any issues with my claim.

Yeah, it's nice to have a backup plan. Hopefully you won't need it, but it's there if you do.

Perfect summary. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. I'm going to file my claim right now!

Good luck! Hope everything goes smoothly for you.

You've got this! Don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions as you go through the process.