ESD waiting week confusion - do I need job searches when I worked 40 hours before layoff?
Just got laid off on Thursday and filed for unemployment on Friday. Now it's Sunday and I need to file my first weekly claim (waiting week). Here's what's confusing me - I worked 40 full hours last week before the layoff. When I'm filling out the claim today, it's asking about job searches. Since I worked full-time last week, am I still required to report job searches for this waiting week? It seems weird they would require job searches when I was employed full-time for most of that week, especially since they won't be paying me for the waiting week anyway. Do I select 'Yes' or 'No' for the job search question? I'm worried about messing up my claim right from the start. Thanks for any help!
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Luca Ricci
For your waiting week, you need to report that you worked 40 hours and earned whatever wages you did. For the job search question, select 'No' - you did not search for work. You'll need to provide a valid reason, which in your case is that you were fully employed that week. The system will ask you to select a reason, choose the option that indicates you were employed full-time. Since you just became unemployed on Thursday, you weren't required to look for work during that week. Job search requirements only apply to full weeks when you're unemployed. Just make sure to start your job search activities this current week!
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Nia Williams
•Thank you so much! That makes perfect sense. I was overthinking it and worried I'd mess up my claim right from the beginning. I'll select 'No' and choose the employed full-time reason. I've already started applying for jobs this week.
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Aisha Mohammed
i had the same prob when i got laid off last month. just put NO for job search and pick the reason "I was still working full time" from the dropdown. ESD knows u dont need to job search when ur still working! dont worry about the waiting week, it sucks u dont get paid but at least u dont need to do all the job search stuff that week.
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Nia Williams
•Thanks for sharing your experience! That's reassuring to hear. Definitely makes me feel better knowing someone else went through the same thing recently.
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Ethan Campbell
CAREFUL! When I did my waiting week after being laid off, I said NO to job search and got denied!! Had to appeal and wait 6 weeks for my money! The job search rules are confusing and ESD is TERRIBLE at explaining them. My advice is call and talk to an actual person before you submit anything!!!!!
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Luca Ricci
•I'm sorry you had that experience, but your situation must have been different. The official ESD policy is clear: if you worked full-time during the week in question (which OP did), you select 'No' for job search and indicate full-time employment as the reason. This is considered a valid reason for not conducting job searches. The requirement is 3 job search activities per week, but only when you're fully unemployed for that week.
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Yuki Watanabe
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Carmen Sanchez
Here's the official answer: For any week you work 40 hours (full-time), you are not required to conduct job searches regardless of when the layoff occurred. In your specific situation: 1. Select 'NO' when asked if you searched for work 2. When prompted, select the reason 'I was working full-time' 3. Report your hours (40) and earnings accurately The waiting week functions as a normal claim week in terms of reporting, but you won't receive benefits for it. Starting with your second claim week, you'll need to perform and document at least 3 job search activities each week unless you qualify for an exemption. Keep in mind that for future weeks, if you work part-time (less than 40 hours), you still need to complete job search activities even if you're earning too much to receive benefits for that week.
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Nia Williams
•This is incredibly helpful and detailed, thank you! I've got a much clearer picture now. I'll make sure to start my 3 job search activities this week and document everything properly.
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Andre Dupont
wait im confused. i thought the waiting week was the first week after u apply? so if u applied on friday, isnt the waiting week this current week not last week? or am i misunderstanding something
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Carmen Sanchez
•The waiting week is the first week you file a claim, not necessarily the week you apply. In Washington, the unemployment week runs Sunday through Saturday. Since the OP filed on Friday, their first weekly claim (the waiting week) would cover the period ending the day before they applied - which is the week they worked 40 hours and then got laid off on Thursday.
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Zoe Papadakis
I just went through this exact scenario in March 2025. The key thing to remember is that ESD considers a week as Sunday through Saturday. You file for the PREVIOUS week each time you submit a weekly claim. So when you file today (Sunday), you're reporting on the week that just ended (when you worked 40 hours). Just be honest - tell them you worked 40 hours, select NO for job search, and pick the full-time work option. Then for NEXT week's claim, you'll need to do your 3 job searches since you'll be fully unemployed. Also, don't forget to register with WorkSource within a week of applying! That caught me off guard.
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Nia Williams
•Thanks so much for the detailed explanation and for mentioning WorkSource! I haven't registered with them yet - I'll make sure to do that right away. Really appreciate the heads up about that requirement.
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