When can you apply for unemployment after being laid off - Washington ESD timing rules?

Thanks! So I don't lose anything by filing today versus waiting until next week?

Exactly - file as soon as possible. Washington ESD can't pay you for weeks before you file your claim.

Ugh that sucks! I did the same thing thinking I needed to wait. Cost me like $800 in benefits I couldn't get back.

This is super common confusion. The waiting week that used to exist in Washington was eliminated years ago. Now you can file immediately and potentially get paid for your first week if eligible.

You'll need to file your weekly claim for the week that includes your last day of work. So if you worked any part of this week, you report those hours and wages on your weekly claim.

Got it, so I report the hours I worked up until my layoff date. Makes sense.

Interesting, never heard of that. Is it legit or one of those scam services?

It's legit - they just help you get through the phone system to reach actual Washington ESD staff. Doesn't cost anything unless you actually connect to an agent.

Washington eliminated the waiting week back in 2020. You can now potentially receive benefits for your first week of unemployment if you meet all the eligibility requirements.

wow I've been giving people wrong info for years then. good to know!

Do I need pay stubs or can I estimate my wages? I don't have all my recent pay stubs handy.

You can estimate but try to be as accurate as possible. Washington ESD will verify your wages with your employers anyway. Better to be close than to delay filing.

Early morning or late evening tend to have less traffic. But honestly the Washington ESD website is pretty stable these days, not like during the pandemic when it was constantly crashing.

Cool, I'll try to file tonight then. Thanks for the tip!

You can stop filing weekly claims anytime. If you find work, just stop filing and your claim will become inactive. You can reactivate it later if you lose the job again within your benefit year.

That's good to know - takes some pressure off about filing right away.

Adjudication can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on the complexity. If it's been more than 3 weeks, you might want to try calling Washington ESD to check on the status.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD about your adjudication, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier can really help. They specialize in getting people connected to agents who can explain what's holding up the claim.

Might have to try that. I've called like 20 times and either get a busy signal or get disconnected after waiting on hold.

Yes! I made a typo in my account number and it took weeks to fix. Had to wait for the debit card instead.

The debit card option isn't bad though - at least you still get your money while waiting to fix the direct deposit.

Awesome! Now make sure to file your weekly claims every week even if you haven't received your first payment yet. Keep that claim active.

Good job! The hardest part is just getting started. Weekly claims are much quicker once you get in the routine.

You claim for the week that includes your first full day of unemployment. So if you were laid off yesterday, your first claimable week started yesterday. You'll file your first weekly claim this Sunday for the week ending Saturday.

Ah ok, so I claim for the current week that just started. That makes sense.

You need to be able and available for work from the start, and you'll need to start your job search activities right away. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week, which you'll track in your WorkSourceWA account.

3 per week seems like a lot but I guess it's better than having no income. Thanks for the info.

2 weeks isn't unusual, especially if your claim needs adjudication for any reason. You should be able to check your claim status online at secure.esd.wa.gov. If you can't get clear answers there, definitely try calling or using Claimyr to reach someone who can explain the delay.

I'll check my online account again. I think I saw something about 'pending' status but wasn't sure what that meant.

Where would I find my employer's UI account number? Is that on my pay stub somewhere?

It might be on your separation paperwork or final pay stub, but don't worry if you don't have it. Washington ESD can look it up by company name and address.

Same mistake here. Thought I needed to try finding a job first before 'giving up' and filing for unemployment. Wish someone had told me you can file immediately and still look for work.

Exactly! Filing for unemployment doesn't mean you're giving up - it's just smart financial planning while you look for your next job.

Wait until Sunday to file your first weekly claim. Weekly claims are always filed on Sundays for the week that just ended (Sunday through Saturday). Filing your initial claim and your weekly claims are separate processes.

Perfect, that's what I thought but wanted to double check. Thanks!

The website is much more stable than it used to be, but I'd still recommend having all your info ready before you start. That way you can fill it out quickly without worrying about timeouts.

Good idea. I'll gather all my employment dates and employer info first, then knock it out quickly.

10 days is pretty fast! Gives me hope that I won't be waiting too long for my first payment.

Yeah, I was surprised how quick it was. I think filing immediately and having all my info correct helped speed things up.

This is so true. I almost gave up trying to reach them about a question on my claim. Finally got through and it was a simple fix that took 5 minutes once I talked to the right person.

Exactly! Most issues are pretty straightforward once you can actually talk to someone who knows the system.