When do you file weekly unemployment claims in Washington ESD?

Thank you! So I don't have to wait for a specific Sunday to start, I can file this upcoming Sunday for last week?

Exactly. As long as your claim is active and approved, you file every Sunday for the previous week.

Did you lose that week's benefits when you missed filing?

Yeah you can't go back and claim weeks you missed. That's why it's important to file every single Sunday even if you worked that week.

The website gets overloaded on Sunday mornings. Try filing later in the day or early Monday morning - you have until Saturday night to file.

If you're having persistent issues with the website, you can call Washington ESD to file by phone. Though good luck getting through on the regular number. I actually found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helps you get through to ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Thanks I'll check that out. The website issues are driving me crazy.

You file that Sunday for whatever days you were eligible that week. So if you were approved Wednesday, you'd claim Thursday, Friday, and Saturday when you file on Sunday.

Okay that makes sense. And then going forward I file every Sunday for the full week?

Correct. Every Sunday for the full previous week.

No advantage timing-wise as long as you file before the Saturday night deadline. Some people prefer early Sunday to avoid website traffic, others wait until later.

I always file Sunday morning because I'm worried I'll forget if I wait. Set a reminder on your phone.

I think it's because they need time to process the claims and determine eligibility before paying out benefits. Filing for the week that already ended makes sense from an administrative standpoint.

I guess but it's still confusing for new people. They should make it clearer on the website.

Yes, you still file and report the hours you worked and gross wages earned. Washington ESD will calculate if you're eligible for partial benefits that week.

Good to know. I have a part-time job lined up and wasn't sure if that would affect my weekly filing.

Ha! Good to know I'm not the only one who finds this confusing. I'll set up a calendar reminder.

That's smart. Missing even one week can mess up your benefit payments.

Glad it worked for you! I've used it a few times when I needed to talk to someone about my claim status.

How much does it cost? Might be worth it if it saves me from the phone runaround.

It's worth it for the time saved alone. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

That's a great idea! I'm going to set that up right now.

Smart. I should do this too since I already almost forgot once.

Good point. I bookmarked the official site so I don't accidentally go to the wrong place.

Yes, always double-check the URL. The official site will have the wa.gov domain.

As long as you file before Saturday night at 11:59 PM, you should be fine. The payment might be delayed but you won't lose the week.

I've filed on Wednesday before and still got paid, just took an extra day or two to process.

Washington ESD doesn't have an official mobile app. You have to use the website through your phone browser or call in your claim.

Yeah the mobile website is pretty bad. That's another reason why services like Claimyr can be helpful - they can file your claim over the phone if you're having technical issues.

That would be nice! Maybe we should suggest it to Washington ESD. Though I doubt they'd implement it anytime soon.

That's why the calendar reminder is so important. Can't rely on the state to remind you.

Thanks for the summary! That's exactly what I needed to hear from someone with experience.

Perfect summary. Those are the three most important things to remember.

Yes, standby status still requires weekly claim filing. You'll have different questions about your availability and work search requirements, but the timing is the same.

Got it, thanks. I wasn't sure if standby had different rules.

That's a good point. I was wondering if I should skip weeks when I work more hours.

Never skip filing. Always report your work and wages and let Washington ESD calculate your eligibility for that week.

That's a great way to think about it! Like a weekly report rather than a request for future benefits.

Yeah that makes way more sense when you frame it that way.

Yes, you file during the waiting week too. You won't get paid for that week but you still need to file to keep your claim active and establish the filing pattern.

Okay good to know. I thought maybe I should wait until after the waiting week to start filing.

Same here! Glad I asked this question because the answers cleared up a lot of confusion.

Happy to help. The timing is the trickiest part for new claimants but once you get in the routine it becomes automatic.