Call ESD

Washington Unemployment

Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.

Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.

Using Claimyr will:

  • Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
  • Skip the long phone menu
  • Call the correct department
  • Redial until on hold
  • Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
  • Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call
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Ask the community...

  • DO post questions about your issues.
  • DO answer questions and support each other.
  • DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
  • DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)

Ryan Young

How soon does unemployment kick in after filing with Washington ESD?

Filed my unemployment claim with Washington ESD on Monday after getting laid off from my warehouse job. I'm really stressed about how long it takes for benefits to actually start. My last paycheck was two weeks ago and I'm already behind on rent. Does anyone know how soon unemployment actually kicks in once you file? I heard it can take weeks but I'm hoping that's not true.

Hang in there OP. The first few weeks are the hardest but once you get that first payment it's a huge relief. You'll get through this.

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Ryan Young

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Thanks for the encouragement. I really needed to hear that today.

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Madison Allen

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Update us when you hear something! Always curious to hear how long people's claims take to process. And seriously, if you need to talk to ESD before then, check out Claimyr. That service saved my sanity.

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Ryan Young

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I definitely will update. And yeah, I'm probably going to try that service if I don't hear anything by Friday.

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Madison Allen

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Good plan. Sometimes just talking to a real person can give you peace of mind about where things stand.

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Jacinda Yu

If you get fired can you collect unemployment in Washington ESD?

I got terminated from my job last week and I'm not sure if I can file for unemployment benefits. My supervisor said I was let go for 'performance issues' but I think it was really because they wanted to cut costs. I've been working there for 2 years and never had any formal write-ups or warnings. Can I still collect Washington ESD unemployment if I was fired? I really need the income while I look for another job.

James Johnson

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File online at the Washington ESD website - it's much faster than calling. You can create your account and file your initial claim right from home.

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Jacinda Yu

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Is the online system easy to use? I'm not super tech-savvy.

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James Johnson

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It's pretty straightforward. Just have your employment history and Social Security number ready. Takes about 20-30 minutes.

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Good luck with your claim! Getting fired sucks but at least Washington state has a decent unemployment system. You should be able to get some financial support while you find your next job.

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Jacinda Yu

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Thanks everyone for all the advice. I feel much more confident about filing now.

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You're welcome! Keep us updated on how it goes.

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Paolo Rizzo

How long you have to be on a job to get unemployment in Washington state

My husband just got laid off from his warehouse job after working there for about 5 months. He's never filed for unemployment before and we're wondering if 5 months is long enough to qualify for benefits in Washington? I heard there's some minimum work requirement but I'm not sure what it is. Also does it matter that he had a different job before this one earlier in the year? Any help would be appreciated, we're pretty stressed about finances right now.

Zara Malik

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Good luck with the application! Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like he should qualify. The 5 months plus the previous restaurant work should put him over the wage threshold for sure.

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Paolo Rizzo

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Thank you! I feel much more confident about this now after reading everyone's responses.

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Luca Greco

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One last tip - if you run into any technical issues with the online application or need to speak with someone at Washington ESD for any reason, that Claimyr service really does work. Used it myself when I had questions about my base period calculation. Much better than trying to call during normal business hours.

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Paolo Rizzo

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I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully we won't need it but good to know it's there if we do.

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Amina Sy

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Most people don't need to call Washington ESD at all if their situation is straightforward, but it's definitely nice to have that option available.

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Vera Visnjic

How many weeks of unemployment do you get from Washington ESD?

I just got laid off from my construction job after 2 years and I'm trying to figure out how long my unemployment benefits will last. I've never had to file for UI before so I'm totally lost. Does Washington ESD give you a certain number of weeks automatically or does it depend on how long you worked? My buddy said something about 26 weeks but I want to make sure that's right before I count on it for my budget planning.

Honestly the hardest part isn't the 26 week limit, it's dealing with Washington ESD when you have problems. Their phone system is horrible and you can never get through to ask questions.

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Xan Dae

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THIS. I spent literally hours trying to get someone on the phone about my claim status.

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Lim Wong

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That's why I ended up using Claimyr - I was so tired of the busy signals and dropped calls. At least with their service I knew someone would eventually get through for me.

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Good luck with your claim! Construction unemployment is really common, especially this time of year, so Washington ESD is used to processing those claims. Should be pretty straightforward for you.

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Vera Visnjic

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Thanks for all the help everyone! I feel way more prepared to file my claim now.

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Thais Soares

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You got this! Just stay on top of your weekly filings and job search and you'll be fine.

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Natalia Stone

How much do you get paid from Washington ESD unemployment - need to know benefit amounts

I'm trying to figure out what my weekly benefit amount will be if I file for unemployment through Washington ESD. I made about $52,000 last year working full time but got laid off two weeks ago. I've looked at the Washington ESD website but the benefit calculator seems confusing and I can't tell if I'm doing it right. Does anyone know roughly what percentage of your previous wages you get? I need to budget for rent and bills while I'm job searching. Also wondering if there's a maximum amount they'll pay regardless of how much you made before.

Freya Ross

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The maximum benefit amount in Washington is actually pretty good compared to other states. $999 per week is decent money while you're job hunting. Just make sure you're actively looking for work because they do check up on that.

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Leslie Parker

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How often do they check your job search activities? Is it random or do they review everyone?

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Freya Ross

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I think it's mostly random audits, but they can also investigate if someone reports that you're not really looking for work. Better to just follow the rules.

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Sergio Neal

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Good luck with your claim! The benefit amount calculation seems complicated at first but once you understand the formula it makes sense. Don't stress too much about getting the exact number ahead of time - you'll find out for sure when you file and they process your claim.

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Natalia Stone

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Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much more confident about filing my claim now.

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You're welcome! This forum has been super helpful for me too when I was figuring out the unemployment system.

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