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Sofia Morales

What time can I file my weekly unemployment claim with Washington ESD?

I'm trying to figure out the best time to file my weekly unemployment claim. I know Sunday is the day to file but I'm not sure if there's a specific time when the system opens or if I can file it at midnight. Does anyone know when exactly I can submit my weekly claim through the Washington ESD website? I don't want to miss the deadline but also want to get it done early in the week.

You can file your weekly claim starting at 6 AM on Sunday through the Washington ESD website. The system is usually available 24/7 except for maintenance windows, but Sunday morning at 6 AM is when the new week officially opens for filing.

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Perfect, thanks! So I can file it early Sunday morning and not worry about it the rest of the week.

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I always file mine right at 6 AM Sunday just to get it out of the way

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You can file your weekly claim any time after 6 AM on Sunday through 11:59 PM the following Saturday. There's no specific time requirement - just make sure you file it within that weekly window. The system is available 24/7 except for maintenance periods.

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Thank you! So I don't have to wake up super early on Sunday morning? That's a relief.

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Nope, any time that week works. I usually file mine on Tuesday evenings just to stay consistent.

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I've been filing mine on Sunday evenings and never had an issue. The system seems to be up most of the time, but yeah 6 AM is when it officially opens for the new week.

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Good to know it works in the evening too. I'm more of a night person so that might work better for me.

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Same here, I usually file Sunday night while watching TV

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i always do mine sunday night around 8pm, never had any issues. just dont wait until the last minute on saturday night in case the system is slow

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Good point about not waiting until the last minute. I'll probably do mine mid-week to be safe.

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If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check your claim status or ask questions about filing times, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it so much easier than trying to call repeatedly.

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Really? I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status. How does this service work exactly?

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It basically calls for you and gets you connected to an actual person at Washington ESD. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

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That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate at this point. Might give it a try.

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The Washington ESD online system doesn't care what time you file, but I'd recommend being consistent with your timing. Some people file right after midnight on Sunday, others wait until they have all their work information ready mid-week. Just make sure you're reporting your work hours and earnings accurately for the correct week period.

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What if I worked some hours during the week? Do I need to wait until after I finish all my work to file?

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You report work for the week that just ended, not the current week. So if you're filing on Sunday, you're reporting work from the previous Sunday through Saturday.

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I was having the same confusion when I started! The timing thing stressed me out too. I tried calling Washington ESD multiple times to ask about this but could never get through - you know how their phone lines are. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me actually talk to someone at ESD. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and the website is claimyr.com. Really helped me understand the weekly claim process better.

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How does that work? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days with no luck.

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Claimyr basically calls for you and gets you connected to an actual person. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.

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Is there a cost for that service? Sounds too good to be true.

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The system is usually fastest early in the morning on Sundays, but that's just my experience. Peak times can be slower, especially Monday mornings when everyone's rushing to file before work.

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Makes sense that Monday mornings would be busy. I'll avoid those times.

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I file mine at like 2 AM on Sunday because I'm a night owl anyway. System is super fast then.

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Just make sure you file before the deadline which is Saturday night at 11:59 PM. You have the whole week to file but I always recommend doing it early to avoid any last-minute technical issues with the Washington ESD system.

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What happens if I miss the Saturday deadline? Can I still file late?

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You can file late but it might affect your payment timing. It's best to file within the week to avoid any complications.

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I've noticed the Washington ESD website can be slow on Sunday mornings, probably because everyone is trying to file at the same time. If you run into issues, try again later in the day.

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Yeah I've experienced that too. Sunday afternoons seem to work better for me.

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Good tip, I'll keep that in mind if I have trouble filing early Sunday morning.

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just remember you have to keep filing every week even if your claim is in adjudication or pending. learned that the hard way when my payments got delayed because i stopped filing

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Wait, even if I'm not getting paid yet I still need to file weekly?

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Yes, you must continue filing weekly claims to maintain your place in line for benefits. If you stop filing, you could lose those weeks entirely.

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Make sure you have all your information ready before you start filing - work search activities, any earnings for the week, etc. The system will time out if you take too long.

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How long do you have before it times out?

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I think it's about 20 minutes of inactivity. Just have everything ready and you'll be fine.

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I learned this the hard way - had to start over twice because I was looking up job search info while filing

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Does anyone know if you can file your weekly claim from the mobile app or do you have to use the full website?

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I've used both and they work the same. The mobile site is just the regular Washington ESD website optimized for phones.

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Great, that's convenient. I'm always on my phone anyway.

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Be careful about filing too early if you worked during the week. Make sure you have all your earnings calculated correctly before submitting.

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Good point. I don't work during the week but that's important for people who do part-time work.

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Yeah I made that mistake once and had to call Washington ESD to correct it. Not fun.

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I usually file mine on Monday mornings just to spread out when people are using the system. Never had any issues with delays in payment.

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That's smart. I might try that instead of fighting with everyone else on Sunday.

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As long as it's before Saturday night that should work fine.

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Been filing for 6 months now and I do it every Wednesday after work. Gives me time to gather any pay stubs or work info from that week. The key is consistency - pick a day and stick to it so you don't forget.

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Wednesday sounds like a good middle-ground day. Not too early, not too late in the week.

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I do Wednesdays too! Makes it easy to remember.

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THE WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS TERRIBLE ANYWAY. Doesn't matter what time you file, half the time it's down for 'maintenance' or running slow. I've been dealing with this mess for months and it never gets easier.

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Oh no, is the system really that unreliable? Now I'm worried about missing deadlines because of technical issues.

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The system has gotten much better over the past year. There are occasional maintenance windows but they're usually announced in advance.

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Better than it was doesn't mean good. Still crashes during peak times.

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The Washington ESD system goes down for maintenance sometimes on Sunday mornings. If you can't access it right at 6 AM, just wait an hour or two and try again.

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Is there a way to know when maintenance is scheduled?

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They sometimes post notices on the Washington ESD website but not always. Usually it's brief though.

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I always file mine on Sunday mornings with my coffee. Makes it feel like less of a chore. The important thing is that you're filing within the correct week period and answering all the questions honestly.

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That sounds like a nice routine. I should try to make it feel less stressful.

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Pro tip: bookmark the direct link to the weekly claim filing page so you don't have to navigate through the whole Washington ESD website every time.

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That's a great idea! Do you happen to have that link?

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Just log into your account and bookmark the page where you file your weekly claim. It'll save you time.

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FYI if you miss your weekly filing deadline, you might be able to file a late claim but it's not guaranteed. Washington ESD can deny late claims if they think you don't have good cause. Better to file on time every week.

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What counts as 'good cause' for filing late?

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Usually things like medical emergencies, technical problems on their end, or other situations beyond your control. But you'd have to provide documentation.

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I had to call Washington ESD about my filing schedule when I started working part-time and wasn't sure how to report my hours. Took forever to get through until someone recommended Claimyr to me. Actually got to talk to an ESD rep within minutes instead of hours on hold. Made a huge difference in understanding exactly when and how to file.

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Several people have mentioned Claimyr now. I might need to check that out if I run into issues.

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Same here - Claimyr was a lifesaver when I had questions about my claim status.

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Pro tip: set a phone reminder for the same day and time each week. I use Thursday at 2 PM and haven't missed a filing in over a year. Consistency is key with unemployment claims.

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Great idea about the phone reminder! I'll set that up right now.

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I do the same thing but on Tuesdays. Works perfectly.

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I've been filing my weekly claims for months now and Sunday at 6 AM is definitely when it opens. I set an alarm and file it first thing so I don't forget.

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That's dedication! I might not be that punctual but good to know the exact time.

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I do the same thing. Better to get it done early than stress about it all week.

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If you're having trouble with the Washington ESD website, try using a different browser or clearing your cache. Sometimes that fixes loading issues.

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I'll keep that in mind if I run into technical problems. Thanks!

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Chrome works best for me with the Washington ESD site. Firefox sometimes has issues.

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If you're working part-time while on unemployment, make sure you understand how to report those hours correctly. The timing of when you file doesn't matter as much as making sure you're reporting everything accurately.

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I'm not working right now but good to know for the future. Is there anything tricky about reporting part-time work?

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Just make sure you report gross earnings before taxes and the exact number of hours worked. Washington ESD will calculate your partial benefit amount.

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been filing for 8 weeks now, always do it sunday evening while watching tv. super easy once you get the hang of it. the questions are basically the same every week

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That's reassuring to hear it gets easier. The first time feels so intimidating.

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Make sure you keep records of when you file each week. I take a screenshot of the confirmation page just in case there are ever any questions about whether I filed on time.

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Smart idea about the screenshots. I'll start doing that too.

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I print mine out and keep them in a folder. Old school but it works.

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I was so confused about this when I started too! Thought I had to file at exactly 6 AM on Sunday or something. Turns out you have the whole week window. Don't stress about the timing - just make sure you file every single week.

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Thank you! Everyone here has been so helpful. I feel much better about the process now.

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One more thing - if you're ever having trouble getting through to Washington ESD with questions, that Claimyr service others mentioned really works. I was skeptical at first but it saved me hours of calling. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ if you're curious.

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I'll definitely bookmark that for future reference. Thanks for all the help everyone!

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Welcome to the unemployment process! It seems overwhelming at first but you'll get into a rhythm. Just remember: file every week within the window, report everything accurately, and keep good records. You've got this!

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Really appreciate all the encouragement and advice from everyone. This forum is awesome.

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The most important thing is just to file it sometime during the week. Don't stress too much about the exact time on Sunday morning.

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True, I'm probably overthinking it. Just wanted to make sure I understand the process.

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Better to ask questions and get it right than to mess up your claim!

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I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked. Got through to a Washington ESD agent in about 10 minutes instead of spending hours calling. Definitely worth it if you need to talk to someone about your claim.

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Really? I'm still considering trying it. Did they help you with your weekly claim questions?

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Yeah, they connected me to an agent who answered all my questions about filing times and claim status. Much easier than the normal calling process.

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Just remember that even though you can file starting Sunday at 6 AM, your payment timing depends on when Washington ESD processes everything. Filing early doesn't necessarily mean you get paid faster.

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Good to know. I was wondering if filing early would speed up the payment process.

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Yeah, the payment schedule is pretty fixed regardless of when you file during the week.

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Make sure you're logging into the right Washington ESD website - secure.esd.wa.gov. There are some fake sites out there that look similar.

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Thanks for the warning! I'll make sure I'm on the official site.

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Yeah, always double-check the URL. The official Washington ESD site is the only safe place to file your claim.

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If you're new to filing weekly claims, the process is pretty straightforward once you get used to it. The Washington ESD website walks you through each step.

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That's reassuring. I'm still getting used to the whole unemployment process.

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It gets easier each week. Just take your time the first few times and you'll be fine.

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One thing to watch out for - if you're getting any kind of pension or retirement income, make sure you report that on your weekly claim. Washington ESD takes that stuff seriously.

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I don't have any pension income but good to know for future reference.

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Yeah, any income needs to be reported. Better to be honest and avoid problems later.

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Bottom line - you can file your weekly claim starting Sunday at 6 AM through Saturday at 11:59 PM. The earlier in the week you file, the less likely you are to run into technical issues or forget. Good luck with your claim!

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Perfect summary, thank you! I feel much more confident about filing my weekly claim now.

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And remember, if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your claim, services like Claimyr can save you a lot of time and frustration trying to get through on the phone.

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I'll definitely keep that in mind if I run into any issues. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice!

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I've been filing my weekly claims for about 3 months now and I typically do mine on Tuesday mornings around 9 AM. The system is usually pretty quick then since most people file on Sundays or Mondays. As others have mentioned, you have the entire week from Sunday 6 AM to Saturday 11:59 PM, so there's really no rush. The key is just being consistent - pick a day that works for your schedule and stick with it. I set a recurring calendar reminder so I never forget!

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