ESD Job Search Records - How long to keep after claim exhausted?
My regular UI benefits just ran out last week (claim exhausted) but my benefit year doesn't officially end until October 2025. The ESD website is super confusing about record keeping requirements. Does anyone know exactly how long I need to hang onto all my job search logs and documentation? I've got like 8 months of weekly job search records taking up space! Can I shred these now that my benefits are exhausted, or do I need to keep them until my benefit year actually expires? I'm worried about getting audited or something and then not having the proper records.
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Andre Lefebvre
Same boat 3 months ago. tossed mine after a month when benefits ended and nothing happened
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Carmen Ruiz
•Did you get any kind of notification that your claim was closed? I'm just paranoid because I got randomly audited last year on my job search activities and don't want any issues.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
The official ESD guidance is that you should keep your job search records for at least one year after your benefit year ends (not when benefits are exhausted). So in your case, that would be until October 2026. This is because ESD can audit your job search activities for any week you received benefits for up to a year after your benefit year ends. If you're running out of space, you could scan everything and keep digital copies instead of the physical papers. That's what I did.
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Carmen Ruiz
•Thank you! That's exactly what I needed to know. Scanning them is a good idea - I'll start doing that this weekend. Do you know if they accept digital copies if they do audit you?
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Jamal Anderson
What if we didn't KEEP any records????? I just wrote everything down in the ESD website each week when I filed my claim but I don't actually have any physical papers or emails saved!!! Am I going to get in trouble??? Nobody told me I had to KEEP everything!!! Just that I had to DO the activities!!! Now I'm freaking out!!!
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•You should be okay if you entered detailed information in the ESD system each week. The key is having specific information about each job contact or activity (company name, position, date, contact method, etc). If you can remember or reconstruct that information if asked, you'll likely be fine. But going forward, save emails, screenshots, or notes about your job search activities.
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Mei Wong
I worked for ESD as a claims specialist until recently. Here's the official guidance: keep ALL job search records for one year after your benefit year ending (BYE) date. Not when benefits exhaust, but when the actual claim year ends. ESD conducts random audits throughout the year and can request records for any week you claimed. Digital records are absolutely acceptable as long as they contain the required information: employer name, position, application date, contact method, and follow-up actions. If you're using WorkSource activities, keep certificates of completion or emails confirming attendance. In your case, with a BYE of October 2025, keep everything until October 2026 to be safe.
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QuantumQuasar
•So wait - does that mean we need to keep doing job searches after benefits are exhausted? Or just keep the records? The website is so confusing about this.
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Liam McGuire
I couldn't get a clear answer on this either when my benefits ran out! I ended up calling ESD after trying for 3 days straight. When I finally got through, they told me I needed to keep them for at least a year past my benefit year end date. So annoying that this info isn't clearly stated anywhere!!!
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Amara Eze
•If you're having trouble getting through to ESD by phone, try Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me connect with an ESD agent in under 25 minutes after I spent days getting nowhere with the regular number. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Seriously saved me so much frustration when I was dealing with my adjudication issues last month.
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QuantumQuasar
This totally makes no sense to me. Why would they need job search records from almost 2 years ago??? The whole system is designed to make people fail. I got audited last year and they disqualified 3 weeks of benefits because I couldn't find some stupid email confirmation for a job application. The ESD system is broken.
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Andre Lefebvre
•yep the system sucks. my cousin got hit with a $5k overpayment because his job search records weren't 'detailed enough' whatever that means
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Giovanni Greco
I'm actually going through a simlar situation thos week. My beneifts just ended but my neighbor said I could be eligible for an extension? Does anyone know if theres extensions available for 2025 claims? Should I keep doing job serches just in case?
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Mei Wong
•There are currently no federal extensions available like there were during COVID. The only extensions currently available are Training Benefits (if you're in an approved training program) or Extended Benefits which only activate during periods of high unemployment (not currently active in Washington). Unless you qualify for a different type of claim or Training Benefits, once your regular UI is exhausted, that's it for this benefit year.
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Carmen Ruiz
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to scan all my documents this weekend and keep them until October 2026 to be safe. The ESD website really should make this clearer.
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