What day do you file for unemployment with Washington ESD?
I just lost my job yesterday and I'm trying to figure out when I should file my unemployment claim with Washington ESD. Do I need to wait until a specific day of the week or can I file anytime? Also, once I file my initial claim, what day am I supposed to file my weekly claims? I'm really confused about the timing of everything and don't want to mess this up.
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Kingston Bellamy
You can file your initial unemployment claim with Washington ESD any day of the week through their website. Don't wait - file as soon as possible after you lose your job because there's a one-week waiting period before benefits start. For weekly claims, you'll file every Sunday for the previous week.
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Morita Montoya
•Thanks! So I should file my initial claim today then? And then start filing weekly claims this coming Sunday?
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Kingston Bellamy
•Exactly right. File your initial claim today, and yes, you'll start filing weekly claims on Sunday. Just make sure you're actively looking for work because you'll need to report your job search activities.
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Joy Olmedo
i think you have to wait until monday to file but im not sure about that
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Isaiah Cross
•No, that's not correct. You can file your initial Washington ESD claim any day. The Monday thing might be something you're thinking of from another state, but Washington doesn't have that restriction.
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Joy Olmedo
•oh ok my mistake then. good to know!
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Kiara Greene
File ASAP! I waited a few days when I got laid off thinking it didn't matter and I regretted it. Washington ESD takes forever to process claims these days, especially if they need to verify anything about your employment. The sooner you get in the system, the better.
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Morita Montoya
•How long did your claim take to get approved? I'm worried about how I'm going to pay my bills while waiting.
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Kiara Greene
•Mine took about 3 weeks, but that was because they had to verify my wages with my employer. If everything is straightforward, it should be faster.
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Evelyn Kelly
Just went through this whole process myself. You file the initial claim anytime, but here's what they don't tell you - if you can't get through to Washington ESD when you have questions, try Claimyr. It's a service that helps you actually reach an agent instead of sitting on hold forever. Check out claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Morita Montoya
•Never heard of that before. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?
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Evelyn Kelly
•Yeah, saved me hours of calling. I had an issue with my wage verification and couldn't get through the normal way. Worth checking out if you run into problems.
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Paloma Clark
Sunday is weekly claim day in Washington. You'll get used to it - every Sunday you log in and answer questions about the previous week. Did you work? Did you look for jobs? Were you available for work? Pretty straightforward once you do it a few times.
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Morita Montoya
•What happens if I forget to file on a Sunday? Can I file late?
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Paloma Clark
•You can file late but it might delay your payment. Try to set a reminder on your phone for every Sunday.
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Isaiah Cross
•Actually, you have until the following Saturday to file your weekly claim before it's considered late. But yeah, Sunday is best to stay on schedule.
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Heather Tyson
The Washington ESD system is such a pain to navigate when you're first starting out. Make sure you have all your employment info ready - dates, wages, reason for separation. They'll ask for everything.
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Morita Montoya
•What if I don't have exact wage information? My last paystub might not reflect my total quarterly earnings.
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Heather Tyson
•Do your best estimate. Washington ESD will verify with your employer anyway. It's better to file with estimates than to wait and delay the whole process.
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Raul Neal
One thing to remember - if you're filing on a weekend, the system might be slower. I always filed my initial claim during business hours when possible, seemed to go through faster.
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Kingston Bellamy
•The system availability shouldn't affect initial claim filing, but you're right that it can be slower during peak times. Evenings and weekends tend to have more traffic.
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Morita Montoya
UPDATE: Just filed my initial claim! Took about 45 minutes to complete everything. Now I guess I wait to hear back from Washington ESD about whether it's approved.
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Kingston Bellamy
•Great job getting it filed quickly! You should get a determination letter within a week or two letting you know if you're approved and what your weekly benefit amount will be.
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Kiara Greene
•Nice work! Remember to start looking for jobs right away and keep track of where you apply. You'll need that info for your weekly claims.
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Jenna Sloan
For anyone else reading this - don't stress too much about filing on the 'perfect' day. The important thing is filing as soon as you're eligible. Washington ESD doesn't care what day of the week you submit your initial application.
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Christian Burns
•This is true. I filed mine on a Tuesday and everything went fine. The weekly claims being due on Sunday is the important timing thing to remember.
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Sasha Reese
Pro tip: after you file your initial claim, you'll get a letter with important info about your claim. Don't throw it away! It has your weekly benefit amount and other details you'll need.
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Morita Montoya
•Good to know! How long does it take to get that letter?
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Sasha Reese
•Usually arrives within a week of filing your claim, but could take longer if they need to verify employment info.
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Muhammad Hobbs
Washington ESD's website has gotten better over the years but it's still confusing at first. Take your time filling out the application and double-check everything before submitting.
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Morita Montoya
•Yeah, there were a lot of questions I wasn't sure about. Hopefully I answered them correctly.
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Muhammad Hobbs
•If you made any mistakes, they'll usually contact you to clarify. Don't worry too much about it.
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Noland Curtis
Just remember that filing your claim is just the first step. You'll need to actively look for work and report your job search activities every week. Washington ESD requires specific documentation of your efforts.
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Diez Ellis
•How many jobs do you have to apply for each week in Washington?
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Noland Curtis
•You need to make at least 3 job search activities per week. This can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, or meeting with career counselors.
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Vanessa Figueroa
If your claim gets stuck in adjudication or you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your case, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does help. I used it when my claim was pending for weeks and couldn't get through by calling normally.
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Morita Montoya
•How much does something like that cost?
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Vanessa Figueroa
•I think it's pretty reasonable considering how much time it saves you. Way better than calling 50 times a day and never getting through.
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Abby Marshall
Sunday weekly claims become routine after a while. Set an alarm on your phone and just make it part of your weekend routine. Missing even one week can mess up your payments.
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Sadie Benitez
•What time on Sunday do the weekly claims open up? Is there a specific time?
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Abby Marshall
•I usually file mine Sunday morning and never had issues. I don't think there's a specific time it opens, just sometime Sunday.
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Drew Hathaway
Been on unemployment twice in the past few years. Filing day doesn't matter for initial claims, but stay consistent with your Sunday weekly claims. Washington ESD is pretty strict about the timeline for those.
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Morita Montoya
•Thanks for all the advice everyone! This has been really helpful as someone going through this for the first time.
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Laila Prince
Good luck with everything! The first few weeks are always stressful but it gets easier once you understand the routine. Just stay on top of your job search requirements and file every Sunday.
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Morita Montoya
•Definitely feeling less anxious about the whole process now. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain everything!
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Isabel Vega
•This thread was helpful for me too. I'm probably going to need to file soon and was wondering about the same timing questions.
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Dominique Adams
One last thing - if you run into any issues with Washington ESD not processing your claim or if it gets stuck somewhere, don't just wait around. Be proactive about contacting them. Sometimes claims get lost in the system and you need to follow up.
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Marilyn Dixon
•This is so true. My friend waited 6 weeks thinking her claim was just being processed normally, but it turned out there was an issue that needed her attention.
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Evelyn Kelly
•That's exactly why services like Claimyr are helpful - when you actually need to reach someone at Washington ESD to resolve an issue, the normal phone system is basically useless.
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Louisa Ramirez
Hope your claim goes smoothly! Most people don't have major issues if they file everything correctly and stay on top of the weekly requirements. Welcome to the club nobody wants to be in, but at least there's help available.
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Morita Montoya
•Thanks! Hopefully I'll find a new job soon and won't need to be on unemployment for long.
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