When can I open my unemployment claim in Washington - timing questions
I got laid off yesterday from my warehouse job and I'm trying to figure out when exactly I can file my unemployment claim with Washington ESD. I've heard conflicting info about whether you can file immediately or if you have to wait. Some people say file right away, others say wait until after your last day of work. My last day was Tuesday and I got my final check already. Can I start the application process now or do I need to wait? I don't want to mess anything up by filing too early.
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Giovanni Colombo
You can file your initial claim right away! Washington ESD allows you to file as soon as you become unemployed. The sooner you file, the sooner your claim gets processed. There's no benefit to waiting.
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Amara Okafor
•Thanks! I was worried about filing too early and having it rejected or something.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•Yeah definitely file ASAP. I waited a week thinking I needed to and just lost money for no reason.
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StarStrider
File immediately but understand there's a waiting week before you can receive benefits. Your first week is unpaid regardless of when you file, so getting started early just gets you through the processing faster.
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Amara Okafor
•So I won't get paid for this first week even if I file today?
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StarStrider
•Correct. Washington has a one-week waiting period. You'll file weekly claims but the first week is always unpaid.
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Dylan Campbell
I had a nightmare trying to get through to Washington ESD when I had questions about my claim timing. Spent hours on hold. If you run into issues reaching them, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration.
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Sofia Torres
•How does that work exactly? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days about my adjudication.
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Dylan Campbell
•You go to claimyr.com and they basically handle the calling for you. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Sofia Torres
Wait I'm confused about something - if I file today but my effective date is next week, does that mess up my weekly claim schedule? I don't want to file the wrong week or something.
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Giovanni Colombo
•Your effective date will be based on when you became unemployed, not when you filed. Washington ESD sorts this out automatically.
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Sofia Torres
•Ok that makes sense. I was overthinking it.
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Dmitry Sokolov
File NOW. The longer you wait the longer it takes to get your money. I filed the day I got laid off and still had to wait 3 weeks for my first payment because of processing delays.
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Amara Okafor
•3 weeks?? That's way longer than I expected.
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Dmitry Sokolov
•Yeah Washington ESD is super slow right now. My claim went to adjudication for some reason and took forever.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
make sure you have all your info ready before you start - social security number, employer info for the last 18 months, bank info if you want direct deposit. the application takes a while if you dont have everything.
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Amara Okafor
•Good point, I should gather all that stuff first. Do I need pay stubs or anything like that?
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•nah they just ask for employer names and dates. pay stubs might be needed later if they audit your claim but not for the initial filing
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Giovanni Colombo
One important thing - make sure you understand the job search requirements that will kick in after your waiting week. You'll need to log job search activities in WorkSourceWA or you could get disqualified.
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Amara Okafor
•How many job searches do I need to do per week?
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Giovanni Colombo
•It's usually 3 job search activities per week, but check your specific requirements when you file. They'll tell you exactly what you need to do.
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Ava Martinez
I filed mine on a Sunday and it went through fine. The Washington ESD website is available 24/7 so you don't have to wait for business hours or anything.
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Amara Okafor
•That's convenient at least. I was planning to do it tonight after work.
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Sofia Torres
Quick question - if my employer is fighting my claim, does it matter when I file? Like should I file before they have a chance to report anything negative?
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StarStrider
•File regardless. If there's a dispute it'll go to adjudication where you can present your side. Don't delay filing because of employer concerns.
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Sofia Torres
•Thanks, I was worried they might try to block it somehow.
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Miguel Ramos
Washington ESD is such a pain to deal with. I've been trying to reach them about my claim for weeks. Anyone know if that Claimyr thing someone mentioned actually works?
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Dylan Campbell
•Yeah it definitely works. I was skeptical at first but it got me through to an agent within a few hours instead of days of trying myself.
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Miguel Ramos
•Might have to try that. I'm tired of getting hung up on after waiting on hold.
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Amara Okafor
Update: I went ahead and filed my claim online tonight. Took about 30 minutes to complete everything. Now I just have to wait and see what happens with processing. Thanks everyone for the advice!
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Giovanni Colombo
•Good call! Now just make sure to file your weekly claims on time every week.
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Dmitry Sokolov
•Congrats on getting it done. The hardest part is over.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
oh btw make sure you keep checking your account for any requests for additional info. washington esd might ask for verification docs and if you miss the deadline they can deny your whole claim
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Amara Okafor
•How often should I check? Daily?
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•i check every few days just to be safe. they usually give you like 10 days to respond to requests
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QuantumQuasar
For anyone reading this later - you can file your claim online at secure.esd.wa.gov but make sure you're on the real site. There are fake sites that try to steal your info.
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Amara Okafor
•Good point about fake sites. I made sure to go directly to the official Washington ESD website.
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StarStrider
Just to summarize for anyone else in this situation: File immediately after becoming unemployed, have your employment history ready, understand there's a waiting week, and stay on top of your weekly claims and any additional requests. Don't overthink the timing - sooner is always better than later.
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Sofia Torres
•This is really helpful. Wish I had found this thread when I was starting my claim.
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Ava Martinez
•Should pin this info somewhere. Gets asked all the time.
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Zainab Omar
Anyone know what happens if you file and then get called back to work before your first payment? Do you have to pay anything back?
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StarStrider
•If you haven't received any payments yet, just report that you returned to work on your next weekly claim. No issues there.
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Zainab Omar
•Ok good. I might get called back but want to file just in case.
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Connor Gallagher
The Washington ESD phone system is absolutely terrible. I spent 6 hours total over 3 days trying to get through for a simple question. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got connected in like 2 hours. Worth every penny to avoid the frustration.
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Miguel Ramos
•Ok you've convinced me. Going to try claimyr.com tomorrow morning.
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Connor Gallagher
•Yeah definitely do it. Check out their demo video first so you know what to expect.
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Amara Okafor
Final update: My claim was approved and I got my determination letter today. For anyone wondering, it took exactly 10 business days from when I filed to get approved. Now I just need to keep up with my weekly claims and job search requirements.
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Giovanni Colombo
•That's a pretty normal timeline. Glad it worked out smoothly for you!
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Dmitry Sokolov
•Nice! 10 days is actually pretty fast for Washington ESD these days.
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Yara Sayegh
•Congrats! Make sure you set a reminder for your weekly claim filing day so you don't forget.
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Yara Sayegh
For future reference, Washington ESD processes claims Monday through Friday during business hours. Weekend filings get processed the following Monday, but there's no advantage to waiting until Monday to file.
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Keisha Johnson
•Good to know. I was wondering if weekend filings got delayed or something.
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Keisha Johnson
This thread is super helpful. I'm in the same situation as OP was and now I know exactly what to do. Filing my claim tonight!
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Amara Okafor
•Good luck! The process is pretty straightforward once you get started.
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Giovanni Colombo
•Feel free to ask if you run into any issues. This community is pretty good about helping out.
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Paolo Longo
WASHINGTON ESD IS SO SLOW ugh sorry for caps but seriously they take forever to process anything. I filed 3 weeks ago and still waiting for adjudication to finish. At least I know I filed at the right time thanks to this thread.
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Dylan Campbell
•If you're stuck in adjudication that long, definitely try calling. Or use Claimyr if you can't get through - adjudication issues are exactly what they help with.
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Paolo Longo
•Yeah I might have to try that calling service. This is ridiculous.
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