Washington ESD waiting week criteria for unemployment - how does it work?

Oh really? That's great news! So I should file my first weekly claim this Sunday then?

Yes, file your weekly claim as soon as it's available. Don't skip any weeks or you might lose benefits for those weeks.

That might have been due to adjudication or verification issues, not a waiting week. Washington hasn't had a waiting week requirement since the law changed.

Ah that makes sense, my claim was held up for identity verification for like 3 weeks.

Thanks for the clarification! So there's no waiting period at all anymore?

Correct, no unpaid waiting week. But you still have to meet all the other eligibility requirements - available for work, actively seeking work, etc.

I actually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to Washington ESD when I couldn't reach them myself. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was way easier than trying to call myself.

What causes a claim to go into adjudication?

lots of things - if you quit your job, got fired, have wages from multiple states, identity verification issues, stuff like that

So glad they got rid of that waiting week. It was really hard when you're already struggling financially to have to wait even longer for help.

Absolutely. The waiting week was an unnecessary barrier for people who needed assistance immediately after losing their job.

Yeah it was one of the few good things that came out of all the unemployment system changes during COVID.

Exactly. Though the system is still a pain to navigate sometimes.

The elimination of the waiting week applies to all types of unemployment claims in Washington, including standby claims. As long as you're eligible, you can be paid for your first week.

Perfect, thanks! I was worried I'd have to go without pay for an extra week on top of the layoff.

Right? Like you're already stressed about losing your job and then they make you wait even longer for help.

Exactly! It was just cruel policy that hurt people when they were already down.

If your claim is approved without adjudication issues, you should typically see payment within 2-3 business days after filing your weekly claim. It goes to direct deposit or debit card depending on what you selected.

Awesome, I set up direct deposit so hopefully it comes through soon. Thanks!

Yeah some of the older forum posts and websites haven't been updated. It's confusing when you're trying to figure out what's current.

Definitely. I almost didn't file my first weekly claim because I thought I had to wait.

How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money being unemployed.

It's worth checking out their site at claimyr.com to see the current pricing. For me it was worth it to get answers instead of spending days trying to call myself.

Same here! Now I just need to make sure I don't mess up my job search requirements.

Ha, that's the next thing to worry about. At least we can get paid while we figure that out though!

Thanks everyone! This has cleared up all my confusion. Really appreciate all the helpful responses.

You're welcome! Good luck with your claim and hope you find work soon.

Good point. The waiting week is gone but all the other eligibility rules still apply.

Exactly. You need to be able and available for work, actively seeking employment, and meet any other specific requirements for your claim type.

Yeah their website could definitely be more user-friendly. Half the time I can't find what I'm looking for.

That's another reason I ended up using Claimyr - sometimes it's just easier to talk to an actual person at Washington ESD to get clear answers instead of trying to navigate their website.