Does immigration cause unemployment - Washington ESD claim affected?
I've been hearing a lot about how immigration affects job availability and I'm wondering if this has impacted my Washington ESD claim processing. I filed for unemployment 6 weeks ago after getting laid off from my warehouse job and my claim is still in adjudication. A coworker mentioned that increased competition for jobs might be affecting how Washington ESD evaluates claims or job search requirements. Has anyone else experienced delays that might be related to labor market changes? I'm required to apply for 3 jobs per week but there seem to be fewer openings than before.
46 comments


Amara Nwosu
Washington ESD claim processing delays aren't related to immigration issues - they're usually due to verification requirements or documentation problems. What does your claim status show in your SAW account? Check if there are any pending issues that need your attention.
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Liam O'Donnell
•My SAW account just shows 'adjudication in progress' with no specific issues listed. Been like this for weeks.
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AstroExplorer
•That's frustrating. Have you tried calling Washington ESD directly to ask about the holdup?
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Giovanni Moretti
been waiting 8 weeks for my claim to get approved, don't think it has anything to do with immigration tbh. washington esd is just slow with everything
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Liam O'Donnell
•8 weeks?? That's insane. Did you ever get through to someone on the phone?
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Giovanni Moretti
•tried calling like 50 times, always busy or get hung up on after waiting an hour
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Fatima Al-Farsi
I actually found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to Washington ESD when I was stuck in adjudication hell. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Basically they handle the calling for you so you don't have to sit on hold forever.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Is this legit? Sounds too good to be true honestly.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•Yeah I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Got through to an agent in like 2 days and they cleared up my adjudication issue.
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Dylan Cooper
•How much does something like that cost though?
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AstroExplorer
The job market has definitely changed but Washington ESD processes claims based on your individual work history and eligibility, not broader economic factors. Your 3-job weekly requirement is standard regardless of market conditions. Are you logging all your job searches in WorkSourceWA?
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Liam O'Donnell
•Yes I'm logging everything in WorkSourceWA. Just seems like there are fewer warehouse jobs available than before.
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Sofia Perez
•Try expanding your search radius or considering related positions like shipping/receiving or inventory management.
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Dmitry Smirnov
WASHINGTON ESD IS JUST INCOMPETENT!!! Has nothing to do with immigration and everything to do with their broken system. I've been fighting them for 3 months over an overpayment notice that makes no sense.
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Amara Nwosu
•Did you file an appeal for the overpayment? You have 30 days from the notice date.
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Dmitry Smirnov
•Of course I appealed! Still waiting for a hearing date. This whole system is a joke.
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ElectricDreamer
Look, I work in HR and the labor market is definitely tighter in some sectors, but that doesn't affect how Washington ESD processes individual claims. Your adjudication delay is probably due to them verifying your last employer information or checking work separation details.
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Liam O'Donnell
•My employer did go out of business right after laying us off. Maybe that's causing the delay?
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ElectricDreamer
•That could definitely be it. When employers close, Washington ESD has to verify information through different channels which takes longer.
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Ava Johnson
same boat here, filed 7 weeks ago and still waiting. tried calling washington esd every day but can never get through
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Miguel Diaz
•Have you considered trying Claimyr? Someone mentioned it earlier and I'm thinking about giving it a shot.
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Ava Johnson
•might be worth it at this point, running out of savings
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Zainab Ahmed
Immigration doesn't directly impact Washington ESD claim processing, but labor market conditions can affect your job search experience. The key is documenting your search efforts properly in WorkSourceWA and maintaining your eligibility requirements.
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Liam O'Donnell
•I'm doing everything right with the job search requirements. Just frustrated with the claim delay.
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Connor Byrne
•Have you checked if there are any ID verification issues? Sometimes that causes long delays.
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Yara Abboud
My neighbor had the same problem - claim stuck in adjudication for months. Turns out Washington ESD needed additional documentation from her previous employer that went out of business. She finally got approved but it took forever.
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Liam O'Donnell
•How did she finally get it resolved? Did she have to provide something specific?
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Yara Abboud
•She had to provide her final pay stub and some tax documents to prove her work history since the employer couldn't be contacted.
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PixelPioneer
The whole immigration debate is separate from how Washington ESD processes claims. Your delay is administrative, not policy-related. Focus on getting through to an agent to check your specific case status.
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Keisha Williams
•Easier said than done when you can't get through their phone system!
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Paolo Rizzo
•That's why services like Claimyr exist - to deal with the phone system problems.
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Amina Sy
been unemployed for 4 months now and washington esd still hasn't paid me a dime. system is completely broken regardless of what's happening with immigration
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Amara Nwosu
•4 months with no payment? There must be a specific issue with your claim. Have you received any correspondence explaining the delay?
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Amina Sy
•just generic letters saying my claim is under review. no real explanation
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Oliver Fischer
I used Claimyr last month when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my standby status issue. Worked great - they got me connected to an agent who explained that my employer needed to submit additional paperwork for my standby claim. Problem was resolved within a week after that call.
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Liam O'Donnell
•That's exactly what I need - someone who can actually explain what's holding up my claim.
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Natasha Ivanova
•Standby claims are different from regular UI though. OP's situation sounds like a regular adjudication delay.
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NebulaNomad
The job market has definitely changed but Washington ESD eligibility criteria haven't. Your claim delay is probably due to employer verification issues, especially if your company closed down. Keep documenting your job search efforts while you wait.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Good point about the employer closure. I should probably gather more documentation about the business closing.
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Javier Garcia
•News articles about the closure or notices from the company might help verify the circumstances.
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Emma Taylor
washington esd adjudication delays are notorious right now. has nothing to do with immigration policy and everything to do with their understaffed offices
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Malik Robinson
•Exactly! They're probably processing claims from months ago still.
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Liam O'Donnell
•So basically I just have to wait it out? That's not very helpful when bills are due.
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Isabella Silva
Your best bet is getting through to Washington ESD directly to check on your specific case. The immigration stuff is a red herring - your claim is being held up by something specific to your situation.
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Liam O'Donnell
•I've tried calling dozens of times. The phone system is impossible.
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Ravi Choudhury
•That's when services like Claimyr become worth it. Sometimes you need to pay for a solution when the free option doesn't work.
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