Washington ESD waiting week confusion - what does this mean for my claim?

That's frustrating but thanks for clarifying. So I still need to file that first weekly claim even though I won't get paid for it?

Yes exactly, you still have to file it to keep your claim active. Don't skip filing or it could mess up your whole claim.

Did you have any trouble reaching Washington ESD to confirm this? I've been trying to call for days.

Oh man the phone situation is terrible. I actually found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me get through to an actual person at Washington ESD. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Thanks for the legal reference. Is there any way around the waiting week or does everyone have to do it?

Everyone has to serve the waiting week unless you're on standby status through your employer. Regular unemployment claims all have this requirement.

What's standby status? I keep seeing that mentioned but don't understand it.

I feel you on this. The waiting week thing seems cruel when people are already desperate.

The waiting week was implemented as a cost-saving measure and to prevent people from filing frivolous claims. Whether you agree with it or not, it's part of the current system.

Your waiting week starts with your first compensable week, which begins on Sunday. So if you file Wednesday, your waiting week would be the Sunday-Saturday period that includes that Wednesday.

OK so I'd file my first weekly claim the following Sunday for that week I won't get paid for?

Exactly right. And make sure you're doing your job search activities during that week too since those requirements still apply.

No, you can file your initial claim immediately when you become unemployed. The waiting week refers to the first week you won't receive payment, not a delay in filing.

oh that makes more sense. so i can file my claim right away but just won't get paid for the first week?

The waiting week does not count against your total available weeks of benefits. If you're eligible for 26 weeks of benefits, you'll still get 26 paid weeks plus the one unpaid waiting week.

That's a relief at least. So it's really just delaying the first payment by a week.

How many job search activities do you have to do during the waiting week?

Same as any other week - 3 job search activities. And you have to keep track of them in WorkSourceWA just like normal.

Different states have different unemployment laws. Some states eliminated their waiting week, others still have it. Washington has chosen to keep theirs.

Typical Washington - always finding ways to make things harder for working people.

You still need to report any earnings during your waiting week just like any other week. Since you're not getting paid anyway, it won't reduce your payment, but you still have to report it.

Good to know, thanks. Still have to follow all the same rules even though there's no payment.

Like I mentioned earlier, I used Claimyr to get through. It was worth it to actually talk to someone instead of getting the busy signal constantly.

I'll check that out. Getting real tired of hearing that busy tone over and over.

Most regular unemployment claims require the waiting week. The main exception is if you're on standby status through your employer, which is a specific type of temporary layoff arrangement.

What qualifies as standby status? My employer said they might call me back in a few weeks.

Standby status has specific requirements - your employer has to provide a definite recall date within 6 weeks and maintain your health benefits. Just saying they 'might' call you back wouldn't qualify.

Check your account online to see what status your claim is in. If it's been more than two weeks and you've served your waiting week, there might be an issue with your claim that needs attention.

It says 'adjudication in progress' - what does that mean?

That means they're reviewing something about your claim before approving it. Could be related to your reason for separation or work history. You might want to call them to see what specific issue they're reviewing.

Correct, you serve one waiting week per benefit year, regardless of whether you've filed for unemployment before. If you exhaust your benefits and file a new claim later, you'd serve another waiting week.

Got it, thanks. So it's per benefit year, not per lifetime.

I get the frustration but complaining about it here won't change the law. Better to understand how it works and plan accordingly.

Easy for you to say when you're not the one struggling to pay rent.

Volunteering is generally fine as long as it doesn't interfere with your availability for work or your job search activities. The key is that you must remain able and available for work.

Thanks, that's helpful. Was thinking about doing some community service while I'm job hunting.

Yes, you file your weekly claims on the same schedule regardless. Washington ESD has you file claims on Sundays for the previous week. Your waiting week gets filed just like any other week.

OK so the only difference is I won't get paid for that first week I file for.

Exactly right. Everything else about the process is the same.

That's not accurate. The waiting week requirement applies regardless of your reason for unemployment, whether you were laid off, fired, or quit for good cause. The reason for separation affects your eligibility for benefits, but not the waiting week requirement.

Ah OK, my friend must have been thinking of something else. Thanks for clearing that up.

I mentioned Claimyr earlier - they really do help you get through to actual people at Washington ESD. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone directly about your claim.

I'll look into that, thanks. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to understand your specific situation.

Thanks for summarizing that clearly. This thread has been really helpful for understanding the waiting week.

Agreed, much clearer explanation than the official Washington ESD materials.

That's a really important clarification! I was wondering about that exact timing issue. So if I file on a Thursday, my waiting week would actually be the Sunday-Saturday period that includes that Thursday, not starting from Thursday itself. This helps me understand when I should expect to file my first weekly claim. Thanks for explaining that - the Sunday-Saturday benefit week structure makes much more sense now.

I'm in the same boat as you! Just lost my job last week and was panicking thinking I had to wait even longer before I could do anything. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful. It's still annoying that we have to go through all the motions of filing and job searching for a week we won't get paid for, but at least now I understand the process. Going to file my initial claim tomorrow and get started on those job search requirements right away.

That's such a helpful way to think about it - like the state is testing your commitment! I was definitely planning to take it easier during that first week since there's no payment, but you're absolutely right that all the requirements still apply. Better to build good habits from day one rather than risk messing up my claim later. Did you find the WorkSourceWA system easy to use for logging job search activities, or is that another confusing part of the process?