When does unemployment pay start after filing with Washington ESD?

Thanks! I already filed my first weekly claim this week. Should I keep doing them even if my claim isn't approved yet?

Yes, definitely keep filing weekly claims. If you miss any weeks, you could lose benefits for those periods even after your claim gets approved.

Did they contact you about the verification or did you just have to wait?

They sent me a letter asking for pay stubs and my former employer had to confirm some details. It was a pain but eventually got sorted out.

Wait, so there's a whole week where you don't get paid even if you qualify? That seems really unfair when people are already struggling.

Unfortunately yes, that's how Washington ESD structures it. The first week is unpaid but you still need to file your weekly claim for that week.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money.

It's worth checking out their site for details, but honestly the time saved not having to redial constantly made it worthwhile for me. I was able to get my claim status cleared up in one call instead of trying for days.

I've heard of services like this but never tried one. Did they actually get you to a real person at Washington ESD?

Yeah, connected me to an actual Washington ESD representative who could look up my account and explain what was holding up my claim.

That's exactly what I'm worried about! Have you tried calling to see what's going on?

tried calling like 50 times, always busy or they hang up on me after being on hold forever

Good point, I'll check that daily. Is there anything specific I should be looking for?

Look for any alerts or messages in your inbox, and make sure your claim status doesn't show 'adjudication' or 'pending' without explanation.

I did set up direct deposit when I filed. How much faster is it usually?

Direct deposit usually hits your account within 2-3 business days after Washington ESD processes your weekly claim. Checks can take a week or more to arrive by mail.

You can appeal a denial within 30 days. The appeal process adds more time though - can take several weeks or even months to resolve.

Months?! That's insane when people need money to live.

Three weeks isn't unusual, especially if this is your first claim or if there are any complications with your work history. Keep filing weekly claims and be patient.

I keep checking the website obsessively but it never changes. This waiting is killing me.

Wait, do I need to be job searching while my claim is still processing? Nobody told me that.

It depends on your situation, but generally yes. Check your claim details for specific requirements. You might need to log job search activities in WorkSourceWA.

Six weeks?! I can't wait that long. There has to be a way to speed this up.

Unfortunately there's not much you can do except keep filing weekly claims and try to get through to someone on the phone to check your status.

I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. The not knowing is worse than the waiting.

That's exactly how I felt. At least after talking to an agent I knew my claim was progressing normally and approximately when to expect payment.

That's so encouraging! Did you get any advance notice that it was coming or did it just appear?

My claim status changed to 'paid' on the website the day before the deposit hit my account. So keep checking your SecureAccess portal!

This gives me hope! I'm at 3 weeks so maybe mine will come through soon too.

How do I know if my claim was incomplete? Is there a way to check?

Log into your SecureAccess account and look for any outstanding issues or document requests. If everything looks complete and you're still waiting, it's probably just processing time.

I understand the frustration, but those weekly claims are crucial. If you don't file them, you lose eligibility for those weeks even after your claim is approved.

yeah I know, just wish the system was more transparent about what's happening behind the scenes

Oh wow, I didn't even think about taxes. Thanks for the heads up!

You can set up tax withholding when you file your weekly claims. It's usually 10% federal tax withholding.

What made the difference between 2 weeks and 4 weeks the second time?

Not sure honestly. Different employer maybe? Or just different processing times. The system seems inconsistent.

That's really helpful, thank you. I might need to look into that if this takes much longer.

211 is a good resource to call for local assistance programs. They can connect you with food banks, utility assistance, etc.

That's amazing! I'm definitely going to check out Claimyr. How long did it take them to connect you?

They got me connected within about 20 minutes. Way better than the hours I spent trying to call on my own and getting nowhere.

Address verification issue? I wonder if that's what's holding up my claim too. I moved recently and wasn't sure if I updated everything correctly.

Thank you so much everyone! This thread has been incredibly helpful. I feel much better knowing what to expect and having some options if things get delayed.

You're welcome! Come back and update us when your payment comes through. Good luck!