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Update: My payment FINALLY showed up this morning!! Exactly 14 days after my approval letter. Thanks everyone for your help and keeping me sane during the wait. For anyone else dealing with this - just know there seems to be about a 2-week delay between approval and actually getting paid.
Hey Connor, glad you finally got your payment! I went through the exact same thing last year - that 2-week wait feels like forever when you're stressing about bills. Just a heads up for the future: I noticed ESD sometimes has random processing hiccups where payments get delayed even after you're in the regular cycle. Keep an eye on your payment dates and don't panic if one week takes a day or two longer than usual. The system isn't perfect but it does work eventually. Hope everything goes smoothly for you from here on out!
To answer your original question directly - yes, Washington ESD is absolutely still accepting new unemployment applications in 2025. The system is operational and processing claims regularly. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
One important thing to add - make sure you have all your employment documentation ready before you start the application. Washington ESD will need your last employer's name, address, dates of employment, and your wages. Having your pay stubs and W-2s handy will make the process much smoother. Also, if you have any union affiliation or were part of a mass layoff, mention that as it might affect your claim processing time. The online system will walk you through everything step by step, so don't stress too much about it!
This is really helpful! I didn't realize I needed all that employment documentation ready beforehand. I was just going to wing it with whatever I could remember. Do you know if they accept digital copies of pay stubs or do they need physical ones? I have most of my recent pay stubs saved as PDFs on my phone from when my employer switched to digital pay stubs last year.
Digital copies are totally fine! The Washington ESD online system actually works better with digital documents since you can upload them directly if needed. I'd recommend organizing all your PDFs in a folder on your phone or computer before you start - having everything in one place makes it so much easier when you're filling out the application. Also, even though they don't always ask for uploads during the initial application, they might request documentation later if there are any questions about your wages or employment history, so keeping those PDFs accessible is smart.
This thread has been super helpful. I'm in a similar situation and was worried about messing up my unemployment claim. Now I know what to do!
This is such valuable information! I've been hesitant to take on any work while collecting unemployment because I was afraid it would disqualify me completely. It's reassuring to know that Washington allows part-time work as long as you report everything properly. The earnings deduction formula makes sense too - you get to keep most of your benefits while still having some income coming in. I'm definitely going to look into some part-time opportunities now. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice!
Update us on how it goes! I'm sure other people on unemployment could benefit from hearing about your experience with the apartment search process.
I'm a landlord in the Seattle area and wanted to add my perspective. We absolutely consider unemployment benefits as valid income - what matters most to us is that you can demonstrate consistent payment history and that your total benefits meet our income requirements. Bring a printout from your ESD online account showing your payment history, not just the determination letter. Also, if you're worried about the temporary nature of UI, mention any job leads or interviews you have lined up. Shows you're actively working toward stable employment again.
This is incredibly helpful to hear from an actual landlord! I hadn't thought about printing the payment history from my online account - that's a great tip. I do have a few interviews scheduled next week so I'll definitely mention those. It's reassuring to know that some landlords are understanding about the temporary nature of unemployment. Thank you for taking the time to share the landlord perspective!
This is so reassuring to hear from a landlord directly! I've been stressed about this exact situation. Quick question - when you say "payment history," do you mean showing like 3-4 months of actual deposits into my bank account, or is there a specific report I can get from the ESD website that shows this better? Also, would it help to include a brief letter explaining my job search efforts along with the documentation?
Chloe Green
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. This thread has given me a lot to think about and some concrete steps to take. At least I feel like I have a better understanding of my options now.
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Evelyn Kim
•Glad we could help. Don't hesitate to come back if you have more questions as you work through the process.
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Henrietta Beasley
•Definitely consider using Claimyr if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD. It's made dealing with their phone system so much easier for a lot of people.
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Hunter Hampton
I'm going through this exact same situation right now - my benefits are set to end in about 3 weeks and I'm terrified. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening. I had no idea about some of these options like applying for SNAP or checking into county assistance programs. The Claimyr service sounds like it might be worth trying too since I've been completely unable to get through to anyone at Washington ESD to ask about my wage credits. It's scary how little support there seems to be once regular UI runs out, but at least now I have some concrete steps I can take instead of just panicking. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it helps to know I'm not alone in this.
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