What does waiting period served mean for unemployment - Washington ESD claim approved?

Yes, 'waiting period served' is good news! In Washington, there's a mandatory one-week waiting period before you can receive benefits. This status means you've completed that waiting period and your claim is moving forward. You should see payments start coming through within the next few days if everything else checks out.

The waiting period is basically Washington ESD's way of ensuring you're genuinely unemployed and not just filing frivolous claims. Once it shows as 'served' you've met that requirement. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on time though - that's crucial for continued eligibility.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status and can never reach anyone on the phone. The automated system just hangs up on me after 30 minutes of holding. How do you guys actually talk to a real person there?

waiting period served just means you finished the unpaid week. its not that complicated people

I remember when I first saw that status - I thought it meant I was in trouble or something! The Washington ESD website really doesn't explain these status updates very clearly. Once you see payments start coming through you'll feel so much better about the whole process.

Just to clarify for anyone else reading this - the waiting period is exactly one week, and it applies to your first week of eligibility, not your first week of filing. So if you filed late, the waiting period might have already been served by the time you submitted your claim.

The WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS SUCH A NIGHTMARE! I've been dealing with this bureaucratic mess for months and every time I think I understand something they change the rules or the website breaks. At least you got through the waiting period - some people get stuck in adjudication limbo for weeks!

Once you start getting payments, make sure to keep track of everything for tax purposes. Washington doesn't tax unemployment benefits but federal taxes still apply. You can have taxes withheld automatically or pay quarterly - whatever works better for your situation.

I've been on unemployment twice in the past five years and 'waiting period served' always meant I was about to start getting paid. Usually takes 2-4 business days after you see that status for the first payment to hit your account or debit card.

The waiting period thing always confused me because it seems like just another hoop to jump through. Like, if you're eligible for benefits why make people wait an extra week? But anyway, yeah it's good that yours shows as served.

Make sure you're doing your job search activities too! Even though your waiting period is served, you still need to complete the required job searches each week and log them. Don't let that slip or it could mess up your benefits.

I remember being in your exact same situation! Filed my claim, did everything right, then saw 'waiting period served' and had no idea what it meant. The relief when that first payment finally came through was incredible. You're almost there!

For anyone else struggling to reach Washington ESD by phone like I was - that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier has been a lifesaver. Used it twice now when I needed to talk to someone about my claim and both times got through quickly. Way better than spending hours on hold just to get disconnected.

The good news is once you're past the waiting period and getting regular payments, the system usually runs pretty smoothly. Just keep filing your weekly claims on time and doing your job searches. Don't overthink it!

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who answered - this thread has been super helpful! I feel much better understanding what 'waiting period served' actually means. Will update when I get my first payment!