What is the waiting week for unemployment benefits in Washington?

Oh really? That's great news! So I just need to make sure I file my weekly claim and I should get paid for that first week?

Exactly! Just make sure you file by the deadline which is usually Sunday night by midnight for the week ending that Saturday.

Got it, I'll make sure to file every week. Thanks for the heads up!

Is that legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days about my claim and keep getting busy signals.

Yeah it's legitimate. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.

Interesting, might have to check that out if I run into issues with my claim.

Thanks for the clarification! I was confused because my dad mentioned having to wait when he was on unemployment years ago.

Yeah, a lot of people still think the waiting week exists because it was around for so long. The change happened during the pandemic and stuck.

If you filed 2 weeks ago and haven't gotten paid, your claim might be in adjudication. Check your account on the Washington ESD website to see if there are any pending issues.

I checked and it just says 'claim under review' but doesn't give me any details. This is so frustrating!

That's exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr can help. When your claim is under review, talking to an actual ESD agent can help you understand what's needed to move it forward.

Agreed! The waiting week never made sense to me. If you're unemployed, you need the money immediately.

Some states still have it unfortunately. Washington did the right thing making it permanent.

Good point. I was disqualified for 7 weeks when I quit my last job and had to wait that out before getting benefits.

Yeah, those are different things. The waiting week was just a general delay for everyone.

Yes, standby claims also don't have a waiting week. You get paid from the first week you're on standby as long as you meet the other requirements.

awesome, thanks! my employer said they might put us on standby for a few weeks so good to know

This is really important advice. I skipped a week once thinking I wasn't eligible and it caused issues with my claim.

Good to know! I'll make sure to file every week regardless.

Totally agree. That first week after losing a job is already stressful enough without worrying about having no income.

I remember the waiting week from when I was on unemployment in 2019. So glad they got rid of it.

How long does the initial processing usually take?

It varies, but usually within a week or two if there are no issues with your claim. If it's taking longer, there might be something that needs to be resolved.

And if you need to talk to someone about delays, that's where services like Claimyr can help you actually get through to an agent instead of being stuck on hold forever.

Exactly! Just stay consistent with your weekly filing and you should be fine.

Same here, this thread really helped clear things up!