Can't remember my 8 digit pin for unemployment Washington ESD - how to recover it?
I'm trying to log into my Washington ESD account to file my weekly claim but I can't remember what my 8 digit pin is. I set it up months ago when I first applied and now I'm completely blanking on it. The system won't let me proceed without it and I'm worried I'm going to miss my filing deadline. Does anyone know how to recover or reset your pin through the Washington ESD website? I've looked everywhere on their site but can't find a clear option.
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Nia Thompson
You should be able to reset it through the SecureAccess Washington (SAW) login page. Look for the 'Forgot PIN' or 'Account Recovery' option when you're trying to log in.
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Luca Greco
•I tried that but it's asking me security questions I don't remember the answers to either. This is so frustrating.
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Nia Thompson
•In that case you might need to call Washington ESD directly to get your account unlocked and reset your PIN over the phone.
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Mateo Rodriguez
ugh this happened to me too, spent like 2 hours trying to figure it out before I finally got through to someone
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Luca Greco
•How long did it take you to get through when you called? I've been trying for days and can't get past the busy signal.
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Mateo Rodriguez
•honestly it was a nightmare, kept getting disconnected and had to call like 50 times
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Aisha Hussain
I had this exact problem last month and was getting nowhere with the phone system. A friend told me about this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents faster. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked - got connected within like 20 minutes instead of calling all day. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and their site is claimyr.com. Might be worth trying if you're stuck.
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Luca Greco
•Never heard of that before, is it legit? I'm desperate at this point but don't want to get scammed.
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Aisha Hussain
•Yeah it's real, they just help you navigate the phone system to actually reach a human. Saved me so much time and stress.
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GalacticGladiator
•I've used Claimyr too when I had adjudication issues. It's not free but way better than spending entire days redialing Washington ESD.
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Ethan Brown
The PIN reset process is broken half the time anyway. Washington ESD's system is such a mess. Sometimes you can reset it online, sometimes you can't, and half the time the security questions don't match what you originally entered.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•RIGHT?? I swear they change the security question format every few months and then act like it's our fault when we can't remember.
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Ethan Brown
•Exactly! And don't even get me started on how the system logs you out every 5 minutes for 'security' but then won't let you back in.
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Carmen Ruiz
Make sure you're using the right login portal. Some people try to use the old eServices site instead of the new SecureAccess Washington system. Your PIN might work on one but not the other.
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Luca Greco
•I'm pretty sure I'm on the right site but let me double check. Is it secure.esd.wa.gov?
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Carmen Ruiz
•That's the old one. You want to go through SecureAccess Washington now - it should redirect you there automatically but sometimes it doesn't.
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Nia Thompson
If you do get through to someone at Washington ESD, they can reset your PIN over the phone but you'll need to verify your identity with your SSN, date of birth, and possibly some employment information from your claim.
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Luca Greco
•Good to know, I have all that info ready. Just need to actually reach a human being!
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Andre Lefebvre
•They might also ask you about your last employer or the date you filed your claim, so have that handy too.
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Mateo Rodriguez
seriously though, write down your new PIN somewhere safe this time. I learned that lesson the hard way
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Luca Greco
•Oh definitely, I'm putting it in my phone notes AND writing it down. This stress is not worth it.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•Password manager app is your friend for this stuff. I use it for all my Washington ESD login info now.
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Yuki Yamamoto
The whole PIN system is stupid anyway. Why can't they just use regular passwords like every other website? An 8-digit PIN is less secure than a good password.
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Ethan Brown
•Because Washington ESD is stuck in 1995 apparently. Their whole system feels like it was designed by someone who's never used the internet.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•For real, and then they wonder why people have trouble accessing their benefits.
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QuantumQuest
I work in IT and the number of people who come to me with Washington ESD login problems is ridiculous. The system is genuinely poorly designed from a user experience perspective.
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Luca Greco
•It's reassuring to hear that from someone who actually knows about this stuff. I was starting to think I was just being dumb.
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QuantumQuest
•Nope, it's definitely not user-friendly. Even tech-savvy people struggle with it. Don't feel bad about needing help.
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GalacticGladiator
Another option if you're really stuck is to visit a WorkSource office in person. They can sometimes help you reset your PIN or at least connect you directly to Washington ESD while you're there.
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Luca Greco
•That's actually a great idea. There's one not too far from me. Do you know if they're doing walk-ins or if you need an appointment?
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GalacticGladiator
•I think most are doing appointments now but call ahead to check. Each location is a bit different.
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Jamal Anderson
Just want to say this thread is super helpful. I've been having the same issue and was starting to panic about missing my weekly claim deadline.
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Luca Greco
•Right? I'm so glad I'm not the only one dealing with this. Makes me feel less crazy.
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Jamal Anderson
•Definitely trying the Claimyr thing if I can't get through today. Sounds way easier than what I've been doing.
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Mei Zhang
PRO TIP: If you do get your PIN reset, test it immediately while you're still on the phone with the agent. Sometimes there's a delay before it becomes active in the system.
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Luca Greco
•That's really smart advice, thank you. I wouldn't have thought to do that.
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Mei Zhang
•Learned that one the hard way too. Nothing worse than hanging up and then finding out the new PIN doesn't work.
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Liam McGuire
washington esd is the worst, i've been trying to get through for weeks about a different issue and their phone system just hangs up on you
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Amara Eze
•Same here! The automated system is so frustrating. It asks you a million questions and then just disconnects.
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Liam McGuire
•exactly!! and then you have to start all over again
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Giovanni Ricci
I've been using Claimyr for a few months now whenever I need to reach Washington ESD and it's been a game changer. Worth every penny to not have to deal with that phone system nightmare.
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Luca Greco
•How often do you typically need to call Washington ESD? I'm hoping this PIN reset is a one-time thing.
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Giovanni Ricci
•Not super often, but when I do need to call it's usually urgent. Like when my weekly claim gets flagged or I need to report something.
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NeonNomad
Make sure when you do get through that you ask them to email you confirmation of the PIN reset. Sometimes they say they did it but it doesn't actually go through on their end.
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Luca Greco
•Good thinking. I'll definitely ask for some kind of confirmation or reference number.
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NeonNomad
•Yeah, always get a case number or something. Helps if you have to call back about the same issue.
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
This is why I keep a notebook with all my Washington ESD info - PIN, security questions, claim dates, everything. Too important to trust to memory.
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Luca Greco
•That's what I'm going to do from now on. This whole experience has been way too stressful.
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
•Trust me, it's worth it. Unemployment stuff is complicated enough without having to remember random PINs and passwords.
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Dylan Mitchell
Just an update - I tried Claimyr this morning and got through to Washington ESD in about 15 minutes. The agent was super helpful and reset my PIN right away. Finally got my weekly claim filed. Thanks everyone for the suggestions!
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Luca Greco
•That's awesome! I'm definitely going to try that if I can't get through today. So relieved to hear it worked for you.
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Dylan Mitchell
•Yeah definitely recommend it. Way less stress than trying to call 100 times a day.
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Sofia Martinez
•This gives me hope. I've been trying to reach them about my adjudication for two weeks now.
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Dmitry Volkov
For anyone else reading this later - make sure you don't wait too long to file your weekly claim even if you're having PIN issues. You can sometimes file late but it's easier to just get the PIN fixed ASAP.
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Luca Greco
•Good point. I was so focused on the PIN I almost forgot about the actual deadline. Thanks for the reminder.
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Dmitry Volkov
•No problem! The system is confusing enough without missing deadlines on top of everything else.
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Ava Thompson
Final update: Got my PIN reset and weekly claim filed! Used Claimyr like others suggested and it worked perfectly. Thanks to everyone who helped - this community is amazing.
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CyberSiren
•So glad it worked out! This thread helped me too when I had the same problem last week.
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Ava Thompson
•That's what these forums are for! We're all just trying to navigate this system together.
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Miguel Alvarez
•Bookmarking this thread for future reference. Great info here.
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