What does unemployment status mean on Washington ESD account?

I see 'Regular UI' under claim type. Payment history is empty though. Should I be worried?

Not necessarily. If you just filed two weeks ago, it can take time for the first payment to process, especially if there are any verification steps needed.

Did you have any issues with your job separation or anything that might cause delays?

nope, straightforward layoff. just seems like they're backed up

I don't see any eligibility issues listed. There's a section that says 'Identity Verification' but it shows as complete.

That's good - identity verification being complete is important. If you don't see any pending adjudication issues, your first payment should process after your waiting week.

What's a waiting week? Nobody told me about that when I filed.

Is that legit? I've been trying to call for days and can never get through.

Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it actually got me connected to discuss my adjudication issue. Much better than spending hours on hold.

Never heard of this but might be worth trying. The phone system is impossible.

Thank you! That helps clarify things. I was worried it meant something was wrong.

The interface could definitely be more user-friendly. A lot of people get confused by the terminology.

How long did it take for your first payment to come through?

about 3 weeks total from when i first filed

So I won't get paid for my first week of being unemployed? That seems unfair.

Correct, the first week serves as a waiting period. It's been standard policy for years. You'll get paid starting from your second eligible week.

This is why I always tell people to file immediately when they lose their job. Every day you wait pushes back when you'll start getting paid.

I've been applying for jobs but haven't logged them anywhere. Where am I supposed to do that?

You need to use WorkSourceWA to log your job search activities. It's linked to your unemployment claim and Washington ESD checks it.

How many job contacts do we need per week? I can never find clear info on this.

Exactly! It would save everyone so much stress and confusion.

The terminology dates back to when these systems were first computerized. It makes sense to the staff but not to claimants.

Did they charge you a lot for it?

They don't focus on cost - more about getting you connected quickly. Check their site for details.

I haven't gotten any letters yet. Should I be checking somewhere specific?

check your secure messages in the account, not just email. important stuff usually goes there first

Found the claim summary! It shows my weekly benefit amount and says no disqualifying issues. That's reassuring.

Perfect! That means you're all set. Just keep filing weekly and your payments should start processing after the waiting week.

Good to know there's light at the end of the tunnel. This whole process is stressful.

Good to know what the timeline should be. I'll give it another week or two before panicking.

Agree with this timeline. Most people see their first payment by week 3 or 4 if everything's in order.

Three per week? I've been applying to way more than that but haven't logged any of them.

You need to go back and log them retroactively if possible. It's not just applications - networking, job fairs, skills training all count.

This is critical - I know someone who had their benefits stopped because they weren't logging job searches properly.

Thanks everyone for all the help! I feel much better about where things stand now.

This thread helped me too - I was wondering the same thing about my claim status.