What happens after you apply for unemployment with Washington ESD - confused about next steps

Thank you! I was getting worried since it's been 3 days already. Should I be checking my SecureAccess Washington account daily?

Yes, check your SAW account regularly. Sometimes documents show up there before you get physical mail.

2 weeks?? That's making me more nervous. Did you try calling them?

I've tried calling like 50 times, always busy or they hang up on me after being on hold forever.

This is super helpful! Do they always send the monetary determination before the approval decision?

Usually yes, but sometimes they come together. The monetary determination just shows what you'd be eligible for IF approved.

What if you disagree with the monetary determination amount? Can you appeal that?

Is that legit? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it actually worked for me when I needed to check on my adjudication status.

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

I'm sorry you're going through that. That's exactly what I'm afraid of happening to me.

Have you checked if your claim went into adjudication? That can add weeks to the process.

How do I check that? My account just says 'claim under review' which tells me nothing.

Wait, I need to be job searching already? I thought I could wait until I'm approved.

Better to start early. The job search requirement kicks in immediately once you start receiving benefits.

Actually the job search requirement doesn't start until your first payable week, but starting early is smart.

Common ones are pay stubs, separation paperwork, ID verification, work authorization if applicable.

I have most of that ready but not sure about the separation paperwork. My company just laid me off, didn't give me any specific documents.

For layoffs, they can usually verify directly with your employer. Make sure you have your last day of work and reason for separation correct on your application.

Good tip! I think I set that up during the application but I'll double check.

Yeah definitely verify it's set up correctly. Paper checks take forever to arrive.

How do you know if your claim is in adjudication? Will they tell you?

It should show in your account status, but sometimes it's not clear. You might just see 'pending' or 'under review'.

This is exactly what's happening to me! Been 'under review' for weeks with no explanation.

I might have to try that. This waiting is killing me financially.

How quickly were you able to get through to someone with that service?

It took a few tries but way better than calling myself. The video demo explains how it works pretty well.

Congrats! That gives me hope. Did they contact you for the verification or did you have to call them?

They sent a request through my online account. I almost missed it because I wasn't checking regularly enough.

This is why checking your SAW account daily is so important. Critical documents show up there first.

Good point! I moved recently so I should double check that everything is updated.

Do I file for the week I was unemployed or the current week? This is confusing.

You file for the week that just ended. So if you file on Sunday, you're reporting for the week that ended Saturday.

what happens if you miss filing a weekly claim?

Wait, so even if I get approved quickly, I won't get paid for the first week?

Exactly. It's called the waiting week and it's required by law. You still have to file the claim for that week though.

I've been keeping everything in a folder. Hopefully that's enough preparation.

That's smart! Also keep digital copies if possible in case they want electronic submissions.

That's great news! How long did it take to get the issue resolved once you submitted the additional info?

They said 3-5 business days to process. At least now I know what's happening instead of just waiting in the dark.

Glad it worked out for you! That's exactly why I recommend that service - getting actual answers makes all the difference.

This is exactly the kind of summary I needed. Thank you so much for all the detailed help everyone!

You're welcome! The system can be confusing but once you understand the process it gets easier.

Good luck! Feel free to post updates or ask more questions if issues come up.

You'll be fine. The waiting is the hardest part but once things get moving it goes pretty smoothly.