What to do if Washington ESD unemployment is taking too long - need advice

ugh same boat here, filed 5 weeks ago and still nothing. this is ridiculous

Six weeks is definitely too long for a regular UI claim. There might be an issue with your application that's causing it to go into adjudication. Have you checked your SecureAccess Washington account to see if there are any alerts or required documents?

I was in the exact same situation last month - 7 weeks of waiting and getting nowhere with calling. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent. They have some kind of system that calls for you and gets past the busy signals. Cost me a bit but was totally worth it since I got my claim resolved the same day I talked to someone.

The Washington ESD phone system is completely broken. I've been trying to get through for 3 weeks about a different issue and it's impossible. They clearly don't have enough staff to handle the call volume.

While waiting, make sure you're still filing your weekly claims even if you're not getting paid. If you miss weeks, you could lose those benefits even after your claim is approved. Also document everything - dates you called, reference numbers, etc.

try calling right when they open at 8am, sometimes better luck then

This happened to my sister last year. Turned out there was an issue with her employer's response to the separation notice that was holding everything up. She didn't find out until she finally got through to someone after 2 months of calling. The agent was able to resolve it in 10 minutes once she explained the situation.

Can you contact your state representative? Sometimes they can help with Washington ESD issues when people can't get through normal channels.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked for me too. Got through to Washington ESD in about 3 hours after weeks of trying on my own. My claim was stuck because they needed additional verification of my employment dates.

washington esd is the worst, took them 8 weeks to process mine and that was without any complications

Check if your claim went into adjudication. That's usually what causes the long delays. Adjudication means they're investigating something about your claim - could be job separation issues, availability questions, or eligibility concerns.

I feel for you. I went through this exact same thing and almost lost my apartment waiting for benefits. The stress is unreal when you can't get answers from anyone.

Make sure you're not missing any required documents. Sometimes Washington ESD requests additional paperwork and if you don't see the notification, your claim just sits there indefinitely.

try different times of day, sometimes late afternoon has shorter wait times

Six weeks is definitely excessive. At this point I'd try every option available - the calling service, contacting legislators, even reaching out to local news if they have a consumer help segment. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

This is why I always tell people to have emergency savings. Can't rely on government systems to work when you need them.

Just want to say hang in there. I know it's incredibly stressful but you will get through this. Keep trying different approaches and don't give up.

Update us when you get it resolved! I'm dealing with a similar situation and want to know what ends up working.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - 6 weeks is absolutely unacceptable for a basic unemployment claim. From what I've seen in this thread and my own experience, Washington ESD's phone system is completely overwhelmed and broken. A few practical suggestions: 1) Document everything - keep a log of every call attempt with dates and times, 2) Try calling the employer services line instead of the claimant line - sometimes you can get transferred to someone who can help, 3) File a complaint with the Washington State Auditor's office about the delays, and 4) Based on the positive feedback here, the Claimyr service seems worth trying if you can afford it. Don't let them wear you down - you've earned these benefits and deserve to receive them in a reasonable timeframe. Keep us posted on what works!

I went through almost the exact same thing last year - filed in February and didn't see a penny until May. What finally worked for me was contacting my state representative's office. I was skeptical at first but their constituent services staff actually reached out to Washington ESD on my behalf and got my case escalated. Turns out my claim had been flagged for some minor discrepancy in my work history that could have been cleared up in 5 minutes if anyone had bothered to look at it. The rep's office got me a direct callback from an ESD supervisor within 3 days, and my benefits started flowing the following week with full back pay. It's worth a shot - your tax dollars pay their salaries, so don't feel bad about asking for help when the system is clearly failing you.