Will I get unemployment back pay from Washington ESD after approval?

That's such a relief to hear! Do they pay it all at once or spread it out over multiple deposits?

Usually it comes as separate deposits for each week, but sometimes they batch a few weeks together. Check your payment history on your ESD account to track them.

Did you have to do anything special to get the back pay or did it just automatically process?

It was automatic once they approved my claim. Just had to make sure I had filed all my weekly claims during the waiting period.

Never heard of this before - is it legit? I've been trying to call ESD for weeks about my payments.

Yeah it's legitimate. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you so you don't have to sit on hold for hours. Worth it when you need answers about back pay.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already broke waiting for my unemployment money.

Good point, I've been continuing to file. Should I report any odd jobs I did during the adjudication period on those back claims?

Yes absolutely! You need to report any work or income for each week, even the backdated ones. ESD will adjust your payment accordingly.

That usually happens if you weren't available for work during certain weeks or if there were job search requirement issues. Did you check your claim details?

I thought I was doing everything right but maybe I missed something with the job search log. This system is so complicated.

Hang in there! I know how stressful it is. Just keep filing your weekly claims and hopefully yours will clear soon too.

thanks, trying to stay positive but its hard when bills are piling up

How do I check what my weekly benefit amount is supposed to be? I want to make sure I'm getting the right amount.

Log into your ESD account and look under 'Claim Details' or 'Payment Information'. It should show your weekly benefit amount and any deductions.

They asked for some employment verification documents about halfway through the process. Took another 3 weeks after I submitted those.

Ugh I submitted mine a month ago and still nothing. This process is ridiculous.

I've tried that but still end up on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected. The phone system is terrible.

That's exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier - it takes the headache out of trying to reach them by phone. They handle all the calling and waiting.

Washington eliminated the waiting week in 2020. If your claim was filed after that, you should get paid for the first week too.

Good to know! I was confused about that policy change.

6 weeks total for me, but I've heard of some taking 8-10 weeks depending on the issue. Try not to stress too much, just keep filing your weekly claims.

6 weeks?! I don't know how I'm going to survive that long without income.

Good catch! I just double-checked mine and it looks correct. How long did it take to get the mailed checks?

About a week for the checks to arrive, then had to wait for them to clear at my bank. Direct deposit is definitely faster.

I agree it's frustrating but they have to investigate each case thoroughly. Better than getting overpaid and having to pay it back later.

I guess, but 6+ weeks seems excessive for what should be a straightforward review.

Good point! I forgot about the tax implications. Can I change my withholding settings after the fact?

Yes, you can update your tax withholding preferences in your ESD account under 'Tax Information'.

Mine was also separation from employer. Had to provide documentation about why I left my job. Seems like that's a common one that takes a while.

Yeah that makes sense. Thanks for sharing your experience, it gives me hope that mine will eventually get resolved too.

Yes, back pay counts toward your total benefit year entitlement. So if you're entitled to 26 weeks total and get 6 weeks back pay, you'd have 20 weeks remaining.

That's what I figured but wanted to confirm. Thanks for clarifying!

You're welcome! This forum has been a lifesaver for getting real answers about the ESD process.

Definitely! So much better than trying to decode the official ESD website.

How did you manage to get through to them? I've heard the wait times are terrible.

I actually used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Made the whole process much easier than trying to call myself.

I keep seeing Claimyr mentioned - is it really worth it? I'm skeptical about paying for something like that.

I was skeptical too at first, but when you're dealing with missing back pay worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, it's worth it to get it resolved quickly.

Will do! I'll check back in once I see the deposits hit my account.