When can you apply for unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about timing

You should file your unemployment claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed! Don't wait. In Washington state, you can file your initial UI claim the same day you lose your job or the next business day. The waiting period doesn't affect when you can APPLY - it affects when you start getting paid.

i waited like 2 weeks to file mine and it was a mistake... you lose out on benefits for those weeks you don't file. just do it asap

The key thing to understand is that Washington ESD has a one-week waiting period, but that's separate from when you can apply. You can file your initial claim immediately after job loss. The waiting period just means you won't get paid for your first eligible week. But if you delay filing, you're just losing potential benefit weeks entirely.

I had such a hard time getting through to Washington ESD on the phone to ask about this same question. Spent hours calling and either got busy signals or got disconnected. Finally found out about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an agent in like 20 minutes. They have this demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone at ESD directly.

JUST APPLY NOW!!! Don't overthink it. The Washington ESD system is already confusing enough without you making it harder on yourself by waiting.

Also, make sure you have all your information ready when you file - your Social Security number, employment history for the last 18 months, and details about your most recent employer. Having everything organized will make the application process much smoother.

wait i thought you had to be unemployed for a week before you could apply? that's what my friend told me

Update: I just filed my claim online and it was actually pretty straightforward. Thanks everyone for the advice! Now I just need to make sure I file my weekly claims on time.

For anyone else reading this thread, the general rule in Washington is: file your unemployment claim within one week of becoming unemployed. You CAN file later, but you'll lose benefits for any weeks you don't file. And remember, you must be able and available for work and actively seeking employment.

I wish I had known this when I got laid off last year. I waited almost a month to file because I thought I might get called back to work. Lost out on like $2400 in benefits because of that delay.

Question - if I'm getting severance pay, does that affect when I can apply for unemployment?

Does anyone know if the timing is different for part-time workers? I was only working 20 hours a week when I got laid off.

I had to call Washington ESD to ask about this exact question last month and it took me 4 hours of calling to get through. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. Definitely worth it if you need to talk to someone directly about your specific situation.

Pro tip: file your claim early in the week if possible. I've heard that filing on weekends or late in the week can sometimes cause processing delays.

can you apply if you quit your job or only if you get fired/laid off?

I'm in the same boat as the original poster. Got laid off Thursday and wasn't sure about timing. This thread has been super helpful! Filing my claim right now.

One more thing to add - make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still being processed. I made the mistake of thinking I should wait until my claim was approved before filing weekly claims.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I was searching for this exact information and this thread answered all my questions perfectly.

Just wanted to add my experience - I tried calling Washington ESD for two weeks straight about timing questions and never got through. Finally tried that Claimyr service and got connected immediately. Sometimes paying for help is worth it when you're dealing with unemployment stress.

Bottom line for anyone still reading: Apply for unemployment benefits immediately after job loss. Don't wait. The Washington ESD system rewards people who file promptly and penalizes those who delay.

As someone who just went through this process recently, I can confirm everything said here is correct. I got laid off on a Wednesday and filed my claim that same evening. The online application took about 30 minutes and I had my confirmation number right away. The hardest part was actually gathering all my employment history for the past 18 months - make sure you have dates, addresses, and contact info for all your previous employers. Also, don't stress too much about making mistakes on the application. You can always call to make corrections later, but you can't get back those lost benefit weeks if you wait too long to file. The Washington ESD website is actually pretty user-friendly once you get started.