Do you apply for unemployment where you live or work in Washington state?

Thanks! That makes sense. Do I need a Washington address to file or can I use my Oregon address?

You can use your Oregon address. Washington ESD will mail everything to wherever you actually live.

THIS. I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my claim and can never get through. The phone system is absolutely terrible.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Interesting, I might have to try that. How much does it cost?

I think it's worth it when you consider how much time you save not sitting on hold for hours. Way better than the stress of trying to get through on your own.

What if you worked in multiple states during the same time period? I worked in both Washington and Oregon last year.

You'd file in whichever state you earned more wages in during your base period. Washington ESD can combine wages from other states if needed through an interstate claim.

I have my pay stubs but not all of them. Will Washington ESD be able to look up my wages automatically?

They should have most of your wage information from employers who reported to them, but it's good to have your own records just in case there are discrepancies.

Did you have any issues with job search requirements since you live out of state?

Nope, you can do your job searches anywhere. Washington ESD doesn't require you to only look for jobs in Washington state.

Early mornings right when they open tend to be better, but even then it's hit or miss.

This is exactly why I use Claimyr now. They handle all the calling and waiting so I don't have to deal with Washington ESD's phone system.

I'll check that out, thanks! Better to be sure before I start the application.

Good point. I lost my job last Friday so I should probably file this week.

Yes, don't wait. You can file online at Washington ESD's website 24/7 which is much easier than trying to call.

That makes sense. Hopefully I won't need to worry about appeals.

Appeals aren't that uncommon, especially if there are any questions about why you left your job. Just keep good records of everything.

Do you have to log your job search activities for Washington ESD?

Yes, you need to keep a log of your job search activities. They can ask to see it if they audit your claim.

How long is 'several weeks'? I'm already worried about paying rent next month.

took me about 4-5 weeks to get my first payment last year, and that was without any issues on my claim

What's the weekly claim process like? Do I have to do something every week?

Yes, you have to file a weekly claim every week to certify that you're still unemployed and looking for work. You can do it online through your Washington ESD account.

That sounds really helpful. I'll bookmark that site in case I need it.

Is Claimyr legit? I'm always suspicious of services that charge to help with government stuff.

Yeah it's totally legit. They're not doing anything you couldn't do yourself - they just handle the calling and waiting for you. Sometimes it's worth paying for convenience.

Thanks for the heads up! I'll gather all that information before I start the application.