When did unemployment start - confused about Washington ESD claim timeline

Thanks! So even though I filed on the 8th, benefits technically started the 5th? That makes sense with the weekly claim schedule.

Yeah that's right. The waiting week is waived sometimes but usually you don't get paid for your first eligible week.

That's really helpful to know. I was worried I had missed out on a few days of benefits somehow.

No you didn't miss anything. Washington ESD is pretty good about making sure the dates work in your favor for the benefit year start.

Interesting, I'll check that out. I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days but keep getting the busy signal.

I've heard of Claimyr but wasn't sure if it was legit. Good to know it actually works for reaching agents.

You're right about the waiting week being waived. I forgot they kept that change after the pandemic ended.

That explains why I got paid for what I thought would be my waiting week. Thanks for clarifying!

Good point about the 26 week limit. I'm hoping to find work before then but it's good to know the maximum.

Yeah definitely keep job searching. The 26 weeks goes by faster than you think, especially when you factor in the job search requirements.

I've been filing every Sunday like clockwork. Learned that lesson from reading horror stories on here about people missing weeks.

Smart. The weekly claim deadline is strict and Washington ESD won't make exceptions for late filings in most cases.

That matches what I saw on my monetary determination. Good to understand how they calculate everything.

Sometimes they can use an alternate base period if you don't qualify with the standard one, but that's less common.

Adjudication can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks depending on the issue. Have you checked your SecureAccess Washington account to see if there are any documents you need to submit?

This is another situation where Claimyr really helps. You can actually talk to an adjudicator to find out what's holding up your claim instead of just waiting and wondering.

I used that calculator before filing and it was spot on with what I actually got approved for.

Where do you find the calculator on their site? I've been looking for it but the Washington ESD website is kind of hard to navigate.

I've been using the WorkSourceWA website to track my job searches. It integrates with the Washington ESD system which is convenient.

WorkSourceWA is the way to go. Makes it much easier when they do an audit of your job search activities.

Good to know. I might pick up some gig work while I'm looking for full-time employment.

The partial benefit calculation is a bit complex but basically you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount before they start reducing your payment significantly.

Appeals can take months to resolve too, so file as soon as possible if you disagree with a determination.

This is definitely another case where being able to talk to an actual Washington ESD person through Claimyr can help clarify whether you have grounds for an appeal.

That's encouraging. I'm still figuring out the rhythm but it's getting easier each week.

Yeah, once you get into the routine it's pretty straightforward. Just don't get complacent about the requirements.

Interesting, I didn't know they could adjust it upward. That would be a nice surprise.

It can go down too if they find you weren't eligible for the amount you were getting. Always better when it goes up though!

This whole thread has been really educational. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences with Washington ESD!

Happy to help! This forum is great for figuring out the unemployment system quirks that aren't always clear on the official website.