When do you get unemployment benefits in Washington - timing and eligibility questions

You should file your claim as soon as possible! In Washington, there's typically a one-week waiting period before you can receive benefits. The sooner you file with Washington ESD, the sooner that waiting week starts. Don't wait thinking it won't matter - every day counts.

The waiting period thing is confusing but here's how it works: You file your initial claim, then you have to wait one week before you can file your first weekly claim. During that waiting week you still have to do job searches and meet all the requirements, you just don't get paid for it.

For eligibility, you need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period. Since you worked 8 months, you should be fine as long as you earned enough. Washington ESD looks at your highest quarter earnings to determine your weekly benefit amount.

I had such a hard time getting answers about timing when I filed my claim. Kept getting different information from Washington ESD representatives. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a real person at the unemployment office. They have some kind of system that navigates the phone tree automatically - check out claimyr.com. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

One thing people don't mention is that even after you file, your claim might go into adjudication which can delay everything by weeks. This happens if there's any question about why you lost your job or if you quit vs were fired.

The whole system is so confusing! I filed three weeks ago and still haven't gotten my first payment. My claim shows 'pending' but nobody can tell me why.

Pro tip: file your claim on Sunday evening or Monday morning. The Washington ESD system gets overwhelmed during peak times and you might run into technical issues if you wait until later in the week.

Remember you also need to register with WorkSource Washington within a certain timeframe. I think it's like 4 weeks but don't quote me on that. They'll send you instructions after you file your claim.

Here's what nobody tells you about the timing - even after you get approved and start receiving benefits, payments can be delayed for random reasons. Bank holidays, system maintenance, processing backlogs. Always have a backup plan.

The 8 months you worked should definitely qualify you, but make sure all your employers reported your wages correctly. I had issues because one of my part-time employers didn't report my earnings properly to Washington ESD.

I'm going through the same thing right now. Filed my claim last Monday and I'm still in the 'pending' status. The anxiety of not knowing when money will come in is killing me.

Just want to add that if you're worried about the waiting period, you can sometimes get emergency assistance while waiting for unemployment to kick in. Check with local social services or food banks.

Quick question - do you have to file weekly claims on a specific day of the week or can you do it any day?

The benefit amount calculation is based on your highest earning quarter, so even though you were unemployed before your recent job, as long as you earned enough in your recent quarters you should be fine for the monetary determination.

Been following this thread because I'm in a similar situation. One thing I learned is that you should keep track of every job application you submit from day one, even during the waiting week. Washington ESD can audit your job search activities at any time.

For what it's worth, I got my first payment exactly 3 weeks after filing my initial claim. One week waiting period, then filed my first weekly claim, then got paid 3 business days later. Your timeline might be different if there are any complications with your claim.

The hardest part for me was the uncertainty. The Washington ESD website doesn't give you much information about where your claim stands in the process. You just have to wait and hope everything goes smoothly.

One last thing - make sure you understand the difference between when you file your claim and when your benefit year starts. Your claim is effective the Sunday of the week you file, not necessarily the day you submit the application.

Good luck with your claim! The process is stressful but most people do get approved if they qualify. Just stay on top of your weekly claims and job search requirements.

Just to wrap up the timing question - in my experience, if everything goes perfectly, you're looking at about 3-4 weeks from filing to receiving your first payment. But build in extra time for potential delays because the system isn't perfect.

I went through this exact situation last year and want to share some practical advice. File your claim ASAP - don't wait! The waiting week starts from when your claim is effective (the Sunday of the week you file), not when you actually get approved. I made the mistake of waiting a few days thinking it wouldn't matter, but every day counts when you're worried about rent. Also, even though 8 months of work should definitely qualify you, double-check that your employer reported your wages correctly in the system. I had a delay because my previous employer had submitted incorrect information to Washington ESD. The whole process took me about 4 weeks total once everything was sorted out, but having realistic expectations helped manage the stress. Hang in there!