When will I know if my Washington ESD unemployment was approved?

Thanks! Should I be worried if it takes longer than 2 weeks?

Not necessarily, sometimes they need more time to verify your work history or wage information.

What's adjudication exactly? Is that bad?

It's when they need to investigate something about your claim - like if you quit vs got fired, or if there are wage discrepancies. Not necessarily bad but takes longer.

Mine went to adjudication and I waited 8 weeks! Couldn't get through to anyone on the phone either.

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true.

Yeah it's real. They basically keep calling for you until they get through. I was skeptical too but it actually worked.

How much does it cost though?

It's worth it if you really need to talk to someone. Way better than spending all day redialing.

Same here! Filed almost a month ago and still waiting. This is ridiculous.

The system is definitely backed up. Try calling right at 8am when they open, that's usually the best time to get through.

I've tried that multiple times. Either busy signal or they hang up after 30 minutes on hold.

Really? I didn't know that. How do I file weekly claims if I'm not approved yet?

You can still file them online. Just log into your account and look for the 'File Weekly Claim' option. You'll need to report any work you did and wages earned.

This is important - I missed filing my first two weeks because I didn't know and lost out on that money even after I got approved.

Good point, I'll keep an eye on my mailbox. Thanks!

If you get denied, don't panic. You can appeal the decision within 30 days.

That's reassuring. I'm definitely eligible so hopefully it won't take too long.

What makes someone eligible vs not eligible?

You need to have worked enough quarters and earned enough wages in your base period. Also can't have been fired for misconduct or quit without good cause.

That gives me hope! I'm only at 1 week so far.

Hang in there. Once you're approved the first payment usually comes pretty quick.

Agreed. Other states process claims much faster than Washington.

The pandemic really overwhelmed the system and they're still catching up. It's slowly getting better but yeah, still frustrating.

I might try that if I don't hear something soon. Thanks for the suggestion.

It's definitely worth it if you're stressed about your claim status. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was holding things up.

How many jobs do I need to apply for each week?

I think it's 3 per week but check the requirements on the Washington ESD website to be sure.

It's 3 job search activities per week. Can be applications, networking events, job fairs, etc. Keep a log of everything.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try to stay patient.

You got this! Let us know when you hear back.

Congratulations! That's great news.

Wait, is this the original poster? I'm confused.

No sorry, I'm someone else who was waiting too. Didn't mean to confuse anyone!

That's exactly what I need - just to know what's happening. I think I'll try Claimyr too.

Yeah the peace of mind is worth it. At least now I know there's no problem, just slow processing.

I feel the same way. Hopefully we both hear something soon.

fingers crossed. let me know when you hear back!

Good to know. I've been checking every day but maybe I should space it out a bit.

Yeah don't drive yourself crazy checking constantly. Every couple days is fine.

How long did the appeal take?

About 6 weeks total but I got backpay for the whole time once it was approved.

That's helpful to know. What usually triggers adjudication?

Usually issues around why you left your job, wage discrepancies, or if you have multiple jobs in your base period. Most straightforward layoffs don't trigger it.

I've been filing weekly claims since I applied. Hopefully that was the right thing to do.

Yes that's exactly right. You're doing everything correctly.

Good luck! Feel free to post again if you have any other questions.

We're all here to help each other through this process. Hope you get approved soon!