WA ESD payment timeline - normal to wait 6+ weeks for first UI payment?

In my experience (laid off in January 2025), I got my first payment exactly 3 weeks after filing my initial claim. BUT that was because everything was perfect - I had all documentation ready, my employer responded quickly to ESD, and there were no issues that required adjudication. A lot of people end up waiting longer because something in their claim triggers a review process or their employer disputes something. Have you checked if you're in adjudication? Also make sure you've completed your job search activities (3 per week) and are reporting them correctly.

6+ WEEKS IS DEFINITELY HAPPENING TO PEOPLE!!! I waited 8 weeks for my first payment and nearly got evicted. The system is completely broken and understaffed!!! ESD doesn't care that people have bills to pay. They'll make you wait forever without any explanation. My advice? Keep calling them EVERY SINGLE DAY until you get through to a real person who can look at your claim.

It really depends on your specific situation. The standard processing time should be 2-3 weeks if there are no issues with your claim. However, if your claim requires adjudication (investigation) for any reason, it can take 6-8 weeks or sometimes longer. Common reasons for adjudication include: - Your employer contests your eligibility - You had irregular work hours or income - You left your job (even in a layoff) under unusual circumstances - You made an error on your application - You have worked in multiple states recently Unfortunately, ESD won't always tell you clearly if you're in adjudication. I suggest calling them to check the status, though getting through can be very difficult.

I waited 5 weeks and then suddenly got backpay for everything all at once. The worst part was not knowing if I was doing something wrong or if it was just taking forever for no reason. Did you verify your identity through ID.me? That tripped me up for a while.

After struggling to reach an actual person at ESD for weeks (constant busy signals, disconnects, etc.), I discovered a service called Claimyr that helped me finally get through to an ESD agent. I was in a similar situation - waiting forever with no updates. The agent I spoke to was able to identify an issue with my claim that was causing the delay and fixed it right there. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website is claimyr.com. Seriously saved me from financial disaster since I was able to get my claim moving instead of just waiting blindly.

did u get the letter that says "we received your application"? i never got mine for like 2 weeks and that was part of the problem. also check ur spam folder sometimes they email important stuff and it goes there

One thing that might help: log into your account and check for any alerts or messages that require a response. Sometimes there are questionnaires or additional fact-finding forms they need you to complete, but the notification system doesn't always work properly. Also, if you mentioned receiving severance pay, that could definitely trigger additional review. They need to verify the amount and calculate how it affects your benefit eligibility. Have you received any letters in the mail from ESD?

Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like your claim is almost certainly in adjudication due to the severance payment. Here's what I recommend: 1. Continue filing your weekly claims on time, even if you're not getting paid yet 2. Document all your job search activities meticulously 3. Try calling ESD at the moment they open (typically 8:00 AM) as that's when you have the best chance of getting through 4. If you can't reach them by phone after several attempts, consider sending a secure message through your online account specifically asking about the severance review status The good news is that once they resolve the adjudication, you should receive all back payments for the weeks you've claimed, assuming you're found eligible. The waiting is definitely stressful, but stay proactive about following up.

when i filed back in november it took almost 9 weeks to get paid!!! i called like 50 times and either got busy signals or was on hold for hours just to get disconnected. the whole system is a joke. but at least when they finally paid me they gave me everything backpaid so i wasn't completely screwed. just completely stressed out for 2 months lol