What is the waiting period for unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Washington eliminated the waiting week back in 2021, so there's no unpaid waiting period anymore. Your benefits should start with your first week if you're eligible. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims every Sunday for the previous week. The key is when you actually file your weekly claim, not when you filed the initial application.

Wait I thought there was still a waiting period? I filed in December and felt like I had to wait forever for my first payment. Maybe I'm confusing the processing time with an actual waiting week though.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

The waiting period thing used to be confusing because different states had different rules. Some states still have a week you don't get paid for, but Washington got rid of theirs. Just make sure you meet all the other requirements like being able and available for work and doing your job search activities.

i think there used to be a waiting week but they got rid of it during covid and never brought it back which is good because that was such bs making people wait an extra week when they already lost their job

Just to clarify the timeline for the original poster - you filed January 20th for a job that ended January 15th. You should file your first weekly claim this Sunday (January 26th) for the week ending January 18th. If your claim gets approved without any issues, you should see payment within a few days after filing that weekly claim.

One thing to watch out for is if your claim goes into adjudication for any reason. That can add weeks to the process even though there's no waiting period. Common reasons are if they need to verify why you left your job or if there are questions about your work history.

The good news is Washington is actually pretty fast compared to other states once your claim is approved. I usually get my payment 1-2 days after filing my weekly claim on Sunday.

For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD by phone, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier actually worked for me too. I was trying to call about my adjudication status and couldn't get through for days. They got me connected in like 20 minutes.

Just remember that even without a waiting period, you still need to file every single week to get paid for that week. Don't assume they'll backdate everything automatically if you miss filing a weekly claim.

Also make sure you answer all the weekly claim questions honestly. They ask if you worked, if you looked for work, if you were able and available, etc. Wrong answers can cause issues later.

Bottom line for OP - no waiting period in Washington, file your weekly claims every Sunday, and you should get paid within a few days if everything goes smoothly. The main delays come from claim processing or adjudication issues, not from any built-in waiting period.