When does unemployment kick in after filing - Washington ESD timing?

The waiting week is served during your first week of unemployment, so you won't get paid for that week. After that, if your claim is approved without any issues, payments typically start 2-3 weeks after filing. You still need to file your weekly claims during this time though.

mine took forever to kick in because they had to verify my employment history, ended up being like 5 weeks before i saw any money

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I discovered Claimyr recently. It's a service that helps you get connected to ESD agents without sitting on hold forever. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Might be worth it if you need to check your claim status.

The timeline depends on whether your claim goes into adjudication or not. If Washington ESD needs to investigate anything about your job separation, it can take weeks longer. Simple claims with no issues usually process faster.

THEY MAKE YOU WAIT FOREVER ON PURPOSE!!! I swear they hope you'll give up and find a job before they have to pay you anything. It's all about saving money for them.

just a heads up - even after your claim is approved, the first payment might take an extra few days to hit your account depending on your bank

Make sure you're doing your job search activities too. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week starting with your second week of benefits. Keep detailed records because they audit these regularly.

Been waiting 3 weeks for my first payment and still nothing. Filed weekly claims every week and my account shows I'm eligible but no money yet. This is ridiculous.

The waiting week thing is so stupid. Like we're not already struggling enough when we lose our jobs. Other states don't make you wait.

My claim took 4 weeks to get approved but once it was, I got all the back pay including for the weeks I was waiting. So don't panic if it takes a while, you'll get the money eventually.

anyone else notice their account balance keeps changing? mine shows different amounts every time i log in, super confusing

Pro tip: set up direct deposit if you haven't already. Debit card payments can take longer and the card fees are annoying.

I was laid off from Boeing in December and filed right away. First payment came exactly 3 weeks later with no issues. Guess it depends on your situation and how busy they are.

Keep in mind your benefit amount might be different than what you calculated. They use a specific formula based on your highest earning quarter.

this whole system is a joke, took 6 weeks to get approved and then they said i was overpaid and wanted money back, like make up your minds

For what it's worth, I got approved and my first payment in 2 weeks exactly. Filed on a Monday, got paid 2 weeks later on a Tuesday. Sometimes the system works like it should.

Don't forget you can check your payment status online. Your ESD account will show pending payments and when they're scheduled to be released.

If you need help immediately, most counties have emergency assistance programs while you wait for unemployment to kick in. Might be worth looking into.

been through this process twice now and it's always stressful waiting for that first payment. hang in there, it'll come eventually