When can you apply for unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Thanks! So I can file right after my last day of work? Do I need to wait for my final paycheck or anything like that?

You can file immediately after your last day. Your final paycheck timing doesn't affect when you can file, but you'll need to report any wages you receive during your weekly claims.

Oh no! That's exactly what I was worried about. Good thing I asked here first.

same thing happened to my brother, he thought he had to wait for his termination letter or something

Wait, so it doesn't matter what day of the week you file? I thought you had to file on specific days.

You can file your initial claim any day, but weekly claims have to be filed during your designated week. Washington ESD will assign you a week when you complete your initial application.

This is really helpful - I had no idea about the Sunday thing. Does that mean I should try to file early in the week?

How much does something like that cost? I'm already stressed about money.

It's worth checking out their site for details, but honestly the time savings alone made it worthwhile for me. I was spending entire days trying to get through.

Bookmarking this - I have a feeling I'm going to need to talk to someone at Washington ESD at some point during this process.

Is that something I do at the same time as filing my claim or separately?

You can do it when you file your initial claim - there's a section that walks you through the WorkSourceWA registration. Don't skip it or your claim could get delayed.

I feel you! But honestly once you get through the initial filing it's not too bad. The weekly claims are pretty straightforward.

The rules exist for good reasons - prevents fraud and makes sure benefits go to people who actually need them. But yeah, could be explained better.

I am getting two weeks of severance. Does that mean I shouldn't file until after that period?

No, still file right away! But you'll need to report the severance when you do your weekly claims. Washington ESD will determine how it affects your benefits - usually it just delays them rather than reducing the total amount.

This is exactly what happened to me. Filed immediately but didn't receive benefits for 3 weeks due to severance. Still glad I filed early though.

Good point. I was thinking about taking a week off to decompress but maybe I should wait.

You can take time off, but you can't claim benefits for weeks when you're not available for work. So plan accordingly.

Yeah I tried reading their website but got overwhelmed. This thread has been way more helpful.

Their website is terrible. Half the links don't work and the other half just lead to more confusing pages.

That makes sense. Better to have it processing than not even started. Did you ever have claims that took a long time to get approved?

Oh yeah, one time it took six weeks because they needed to verify my work history. But because I filed early, I eventually got all those back payments once it was approved.

Six weeks?! How did you survive that long without income?

Good to know there are options if I run into problems. Hopefully my claim will be straightforward.

What's adjudication? Is that something that happens to every claim?

Not every claim, but if there are questions about your eligibility or work history, they put it in adjudication for review. Can take weeks sometimes.

So I file the initial claim, then I have to file something every single week after that?

Exactly. Weekly claims are how you certify that you're still unemployed and eligible. Washington ESD will give you specific dates when you can file each week.

And don't be late! They have strict deadlines for weekly claims.

What documents do I need to have ready? I keep seeing conflicting info about this.

Your Social Security number, work history for the past 18 months (employers, dates, wages), and bank info if you want direct deposit. Washington ESD can verify most employment info electronically now.

That's way less paperwork than I expected. I was gathering pay stubs going back two years!

I've only worked in Washington for the past three years so I should be good there.

Yeah, if all your work history is in Washington, definitely file with Washington ESD. Makes everything simpler.

Got it. Filing first thing Monday morning after my last day. Thanks everyone for all the advice!

Good luck! The process seems scary at first but it's really not that bad once you get started.