What does it mean if my unemployment status says open with Washington ESD?

That's a relief to hear! So should I keep filing my weekly claims even though I haven't been paid yet?

Yes, absolutely keep filing your weekly claims. You need to maintain your claim status and they'll backpay you once everything is processed.

I've been applying to jobs but haven't been logging them anywhere specific. Where am I supposed to record these?

You can keep your own log or use WorkSourceWA. Just make sure you have records of dates, employers contacted, and type of contact in case they audit you.

Wait, I thought you only had to do job searches after your first payment? I've been skipping that part...

Three weeks?! I was hoping it would be faster than that. Did you have to do anything special to get it moving?

Nope, just had to wait it out. I tried calling Washington ESD a bunch of times but could never get through. The system just takes forever sometimes.

That sounds too good to be true. How much does something like that cost?

It's worth checking out their site at claimyr.com - they focus on the value of actually reaching someone rather than the cost. For me, getting through to resolve my issue was worth it.

I'm always skeptical of these third-party services but honestly anything that helps with Washington ESD's phone system might be worth trying.

Oh no, what happened? Why did they disqualify you after so long?

They said I didn't earn enough in my base period, but I swear I gave them the right information. Had to file an appeal and everything.

That's why it's important to double-check your wage information when you first file. Washington ESD goes by what employers reported, not what you think you earned.

Right? Like what's the difference between 'open' and 'active' or 'pending'? They need better explanations.

There actually is a difference. Open means your claim is established, active means you're currently eligible for benefits, and pending usually means there's an issue being reviewed.

What kind of verification steps are they doing?

They verify your employment history, wages, reason for unemployment, and eligibility. If anything looks unusual they might request additional documentation.

This is helpful. I've been wondering why my claim is taking so long but sounds like it's normal.

Good to know! I'll make sure to check daily. Thanks for the tip.

Yes! And make sure your contact information is up to date. They might try to call or send mail.

What's adjudication? I keep seeing that term mentioned in other posts.

Adjudication is when they're reviewing your claim for potential issues - like if you quit your job or were fired, they need to determine if you're still eligible for benefits.

Right, and adjudication can take weeks or even months depending on how complex the issue is and how backlogged they are.

I mentioned it earlier - it really did help me get through. The automated system kept hanging up on me but Claimyr got me connected to an actual person.

I tried it last week and it worked. Took about 20 minutes but I finally got to talk to someone at Washington ESD who could explain what was happening with my claim.

That's encouraging. I'll check out claimyr.com and see if it's worth trying.

Same here! I've probably spent 30+ hours trying to get through. The whole system needs an overhaul.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. I was wasting so much time trying to call myself.

At this point I'm willing to try anything. The stress of not knowing what's happening with my claim is killing me.

That's reassuring to hear from someone with experience. I'll try to be more patient and stop obsessing over checking my account every few hours.

Trust me, I know it's hard not to check constantly when you're worried about money. But the status will update when it updates, and checking won't make it go faster.

Perfect, that gives me something to look forward to. Thanks for explaining the progression!

And don't forget to report any work or income on your weekly claims, even if it's just a few hours. Being honest upfront prevents problems later.

This is super helpful! I'm in the exact same boat - filed about a week ago and seeing 'open' status but no payments yet. It's good to know that 10 days is pretty typical from open to first payment. I've been doing my weekly claims but wasn't sure about the job search requirements. You mentioned they're required even before the first payment - do you know where I can find the specific requirements for Washington state? I want to make sure I'm doing everything right so there are no delays.

You can find the job search requirements on the Washington ESD website under the "WorkSource" section, but basically you need to do 3 work search activities per week unless you're union or on approved standby. Activities can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking contacts, or even taking approved training classes. I'd recommend creating a simple log with dates, employer names, and type of contact - you might need to provide this if they audit your claim. Also, make sure to register with WorkSourceWA.com as that's often a requirement. The good news is that since your claim shows 'open', you're already past the biggest hurdle of initial approval!

Thank you so much for sharing your timeline! 12 days feels like forever when you're waiting, but it's really helpful to know that's normal. I'm on day 8 with 'open' status and was starting to panic that something was wrong. The direct deposit tip is great - I set that up when I first filed but wasn't sure if it would make a difference. It's reassuring to know about the backpay too since I was worried about losing those first couple weeks. Did you get any notification when your payment was processed, or did it just show up in your account?

I got a text notification first, then an email about 2 hours later. The money showed up in my account the next morning around 6 AM. Washington ESD's notification system is actually pretty good once things get rolling - they'll text you about payments, important messages, and status changes if you have that set up in your profile. Make sure your phone number is correct in your account settings! Also, once you get that first payment, the weekly ones usually come like clockwork every Tuesday if you file your claim on Sunday. The waiting really is the hardest part, but hang in there!

From what I understand, Washington ESD usually just cross-references with the wage records that employers are required to report quarterly - they don't typically contact employers directly unless there's a discrepancy or missing information. The verification is mostly automated, which is why it can take anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks depending on how complex your work history is. Unfortunately there's not much you can do to speed it up since it's all happening on their end. You're doing the right things by keeping up with weekly claims and logging job searches. Just try to be patient - I know it's easier said than done when you're waiting for that first payment! The fact that you're at 'open' status after just 5 days is actually pretty good timing.

I'm in a very similar situation - just hit day 6 with 'open' status and the waiting is definitely nerve-wracking! What you mentioned about the verification process being mostly automated makes sense. I've been wondering if having multiple jobs in the past year would slow things down, but it sounds like their system should handle that automatically. I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling anxious about this - it's reassuring to see so many people saying 'open' is a positive sign. Thanks for asking the question about speeding up the process too, I was wondering the same thing!

You're definitely not alone in feeling stressed about the wait! I'm at day 11 with 'open' status and was getting really anxious too until I read through this thread. It's amazing how much better it feels to know that 10-14 days is totally normal and that everyone else has gone through the same nail-biting experience. The hardest part is not knowing what's happening behind the scenes, but it sounds like Washington ESD's system just takes time to do all the verification work. Hang in there - based on what others have shared, we should hopefully see some movement soon!