What day to certify for unemployment - Washington ESD weekly claim timing confusion

Oh okay, so I can do it any day between Sunday and Saturday? I thought there was a specific day assigned to me.

Exactly! Just make sure you do it every week to keep getting paid. The system will show you which weeks are available to certify.

No, that's not true. You have the whole week to certify. Sunday is just when the new week opens up in the system.

oh man ive been stressing about getting up early every sunday for nothing lol

I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They have this demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of redialing!

Really? That sounds too good to be true. Does it actually work?

Yeah, I was skeptical too but it got me connected in about 20 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hours of busy signals.

Thank you for the clear answer! I was getting mixed information from different sources.

You're welcome. Always best to check the official Washington ESD website for accurate information rather than relying on rumors.

They do send you information about certification requirements when your claim is approved. Check your correspondence in your SecureAccess Washington account.

i probably have like 50 unread messages in there oops

That's smart! I'll probably do the same thing to establish a routine.

Same here. Sunday evening has become my weekly ritual.

Yes, you still need to certify every week. Just report your work hours and gross wages accurately. Washington ESD will calculate your reduced benefit amount.

Okay good, I was worried I'd have to skip weeks when I worked.

You can request to reopen a missed week if you had good cause. Medical emergencies typically qualify. Contact Washington ESD as soon as possible to explain the situation.

Thank you! I'll call them tomorrow... if I can get through.

If you need to reach Washington ESD, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really helps with getting through their phone system.

Good to know it's flexible! I was stressing about the timing for no reason.

Yeah, don't overthink it. Just pick a day and stick with it so you don't forget.

No, the day you certify doesn't affect payment timing. Washington ESD processes payments on their schedule, usually within 2-5 business days after certification.

Thanks! I was wondering if certifying early would get me paid faster.

Good point. I tried to certify for the current week when I first started and got confused why it wasn't available.

Yeah, it's always for the previous week. The system won't let you certify for partial weeks.

Yes, keep certifying even during adjudication. If your claim gets approved, you'll receive back pay for all the weeks you certified.

ok good i was worried i was wasting my time

There's a mobile app? I've been using the website this whole time.

Yeah, it's called SecureAccess WA. Same login as the website but more convenient.

As long as you submit before 11:59 PM on Saturday, it counts for that week. The system cuts off at midnight.

Perfect, thanks for the clarification!

I totally get that anxiety. Once you get into a routine it becomes second nature though.

Yeah, I'm feeling better about it after reading everyone's responses here.

Thank you everyone! This thread has been super helpful. I'll start certifying on Sunday evenings.

Glad this got cleared up. The certification timing is definitely one of the most common questions about unemployment benefits.