Can I still collect Washington ESD unemployment if I move out of state?
I might need to relocate to Oregon for family reasons but I'm currently receiving unemployment benefits through Washington ESD. Does anyone know if I can continue collecting my weekly claims if I move out of state? I'm worried about losing my benefits or having to start over with a new claim in Oregon. My benefit year doesn't end until August so I'd hate to lose those remaining weeks.
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Giovanni Colombo
Yes, you can continue collecting Washington ESD benefits even if you move out of state. The key is that you have to remain available for work and continue your job search. You'll still file your weekly claims through the Washington system.
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CosmicCommander
•That's a relief! Do I need to notify Washington ESD about the move or just update my address?
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Giovanni Colombo
•Definitely update your address in your account. You should also make sure you understand the job search requirements since you'll be looking for work in Oregon.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
I moved to California last year while on Washington unemployment and had no issues. Just kept filing my weekly claims online like normal. Make sure you're still actively looking for work though.
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CosmicCommander
•Good to know! Did you have any trouble with the job search requirements being in a different state?
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•Not really, I just documented my job search activities in California and that was fine. The Washington ESD system doesn't really care where you're applying as long as you're genuinely looking.
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Dylan Cooper
The tricky part is if you need to contact Washington ESD about anything after you move. I spent hours trying to get through to someone when I had questions about my claim status. If you run into issues, there's actually a service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents faster. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Sofia Ramirez
•Never heard of that service before. Is it legit or just another scam?
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Dylan Cooper
•It's legitimate - they basically handle the phone queue for you so you don't have to sit on hold. Saved me a lot of frustration when I needed to talk to someone about my adjudication.
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Dmitry Volkov
•I used them too when I couldn't get through the regular phone lines. Worth it if you actually need to speak with someone at Washington ESD.
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StarSeeker
Just be aware that some states have reciprocal agreements and others don't. Washington generally allows you to collect while living elsewhere, but you might want to double-check the specific rules for Oregon since that's where you're moving.
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CosmicCommander
•What do you mean by reciprocal agreements? Should I be worried about Oregon trying to claim jurisdiction over my benefits?
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StarSeeker
•No, you're fine. Since you already have an active Washington claim, you'll continue with Washington ESD until your benefit year ends. Oregon can't interfere with that.
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Ava Martinez
wait so you can just move anywhere and keep collecting? that seems too easy
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Giovanni Colombo
•Yes, but you still have to meet all the requirements - available for work, actively seeking employment, filing weekly claims on time. It's not like you can just disappear and collect benefits.
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Ava Martinez
•ok that makes more sense. thought it was just free money lol
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
One thing to keep in mind is that if you move for family reasons, make sure that doesn't affect your availability for work. Washington ESD wants to know you're still able and available to accept employment.
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CosmicCommander
•Good point. I'm moving to help take care of my mom but I'll still be able to work. Should I mention that in my weekly claims?
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•You don't need to go into details about why you moved, just make sure you answer 'yes' to being available for work each week if that's true.
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Miguel Ortiz
This is actually pretty common. Lots of people move during their unemployment period. The state where you worked and filed your initial claim is the one that pays your benefits, regardless of where you live now.
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CosmicCommander
•That makes sense. So even if I end up finding work in Oregon, Washington ESD is still my unemployment agency until the benefit year ends?
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Miguel Ortiz
•Exactly. If you find work, you'll just stop filing weekly claims with Washington ESD like you normally would.
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Sofia Ramirez
I'm dealing with something similar but the opposite - I live in Washington and might get a job offer in Idaho. Would that affect my current claim if I'm still unemployed but considering out-of-state work?
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Giovanni Colombo
•As long as you're still available for work and actively searching, considering out-of-state opportunities shouldn't be a problem. Many people expand their search geographically.
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Sofia Ramirez
•Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear.
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Dmitry Volkov
Pro tip: keep really good records of your job search activities when you move. I've heard of people getting audited by Washington ESD and having to prove they were genuinely looking for work in their new state.
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CosmicCommander
•Good advice! I already keep a job search log but I'll make sure to be extra detailed about it.
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Dmitry Volkov
•Yeah, just document everything - applications, networking, interviews, even informational interviews. Better safe than sorry.
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Zainab Omar
Don't forget to update your address with Washington ESD as soon as you move. They might need to send you important documents and you don't want to miss anything because of an address issue.
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CosmicCommander
•Definitely will do that. Is there anything else I should update besides my address?
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Zainab Omar
•Just make sure all your contact information is current - phone number, email, mailing address. Everything else should stay the same.
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Connor Murphy
I moved from Washington to Texas last year while collecting and it was seamless. The only thing that was annoying was when I had questions about my claim, it took forever to get through to Washington ESD by phone. That's actually when someone recommended Claimyr to me - they help you get connected to agents faster.
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CosmicCommander
•Yeah, someone else mentioned that service earlier. Might be worth looking into if I have any issues.
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Connor Murphy
•It really helped me when I was stuck in adjudication. The regular phone lines were impossible to get through.
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Yara Sayegh
Can confirm this works fine. I moved to Arizona during my benefit year and continued collecting from Washington ESD for several more months. No issues at all as long as you keep filing your weekly claims.
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CosmicCommander
•That's reassuring to hear from someone who actually did it. Any other tips for making the transition smooth?
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Yara Sayegh
•Just be honest in your weekly claims and keep looking for work. The system doesn't really care where you're physically located.
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NebulaNova
The unemployment office in Oregon won't have anything to do with your Washington claim, so don't worry about dealing with two different agencies. You'll only interact with Washington ESD.
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CosmicCommander
•Good to know! I was worried about having to navigate two different systems.
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NebulaNova
•Nope, just Washington ESD until your benefit year ends or you find work, whichever comes first.
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Keisha Williams
Make sure you understand what constitutes 'available for work' when you move. Some people think they can move somewhere remote and still collect, but you have to genuinely be in a location where employment opportunities exist.
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CosmicCommander
•I'm moving to Portland area so there should be plenty of job opportunities there.
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Keisha Williams
•Portland's a great job market, you should be fine. Just keep applying and documenting your search.
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Paolo Conti
Does anyone know if there are any restrictions on how far you can move? Like could someone theoretically move to Hawaii and still collect Washington unemployment?
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Giovanni Colombo
•Technically yes, as long as they're still available for work and actively job searching. Distance alone isn't a disqualifier.
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Paolo Conti
•Interesting. I always thought there were geographic restrictions.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•The restriction is more about being available for work than about distance. If you moved somewhere with no job opportunities in your field, that could be a problem.
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Amina Diallo
I had a friend who moved to Nevada while collecting Washington unemployment and ran into issues when Washington ESD tried to contact her about her job search. Make sure you keep your contact info updated and respond promptly to any requests for information.
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CosmicCommander
•What kind of issues did she have? Did she lose her benefits?
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Amina Diallo
•They temporarily stopped her payments until she could provide documentation of her job search activities. It got resolved but it was stressful for a few weeks.
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Oliver Schulz
The online system makes this so much easier than it used to be. You can file your weekly claims from anywhere with internet access. Just make sure you're honest about your work search activities.
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CosmicCommander
•Yeah, I've been filing online since I started my claim. It's pretty convenient.
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Oliver Schulz
•Exactly. As long as you keep filing on time and meet the requirements, your physical location shouldn't matter.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
One more vote for Claimyr if you need to reach Washington ESD after you move. I used them when I had questions about my claim and it saved me hours of phone calls. The demo video they have explains it pretty well.
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CosmicCommander
•I think I'll bookmark that service just in case. Thanks for the recommendation!
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•No problem. Hopefully you won't need it, but it's good to know it's there if you do.
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AstroAdventurer
Bottom line: you should be fine moving to Oregon while collecting Washington ESD benefits. Just follow the rules, keep looking for work, and file your weekly claims on time. Thousands of people do this every year.
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CosmicCommander
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel much better about the move now.
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AstroAdventurer
•Good luck with the move and the job search! Oregon's a great state.
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Javier Mendoza
Just wanted to add that if you do run into any problems with your claim after moving, don't panic. Most issues can be resolved with a phone call to Washington ESD, though getting through can be challenging. Document everything and be persistent.
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CosmicCommander
•Will do. I'm feeling pretty confident about this now thanks to all the advice here.
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Javier Mendoza
•That's great to hear. The unemployment system can be confusing but this is actually one of the more straightforward situations.
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