ESD website login loop problem - shows 'logout' immediately after login
I've been trying for 3 days to access my unemployment account on the ESD website and keep hitting a weird login loop. When I enter my username/password, it briefly shows I'm logged in, then instantly flips to showing 'logout' in the corner, but I can't access any of my claim information! It's like I'm both logged in and logged out at the same time. I've tried: - Clearing cookies/cache multiple times - Using Chrome, Firefox AND Edge browsers - Restarting my computer completely - Waiting 24 hours between attempts Nothing works! My weekly claim is due in 2 days and I'm getting desperate. Has anyone else experienced this? Any solutions that actually fixed it? The system was working fine until this week.
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Luca Russo
same thing happened to me last month!! sooo frustrating. turned out it was because my SAW account and my ESD account somehow got unlinked. try going directly to secure access washington first (https://secureaccess.wa.gov/) and make sure everything is connected right there before trying to get into esd
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Zara Mirza
•Thanks for the suggestion. I tried going through SAW directly but still having the same problem. It shows I'm connected to ESD services but then hits the same loop when I click through. So weird!
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Nia Harris
This is actually a common issue with the ESD website when your session cookie gets corrupted. What you need to do is: 1. Log out completely from SAW and ESD 2. Clear your browser cookies (specifically for wa.gov domains, not just all cookies) 3. Disable any browser extensions that might interfere with login (especially ad blockers and privacy tools) 4. Make sure your computer's date/time is correctly synchronized 5. Try logging in with private/incognito browsing mode The website has been extra glitchy since their February 2025 security update. The session timeout settings are extremely sensitive now.
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Zara Mirza
•I'll try the incognito mode and specifically clearing the wa.gov cookies. Didn't think about my browser extensions - I do have uBlock running, so maybe that's causing problems. Will report back!
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GalaxyGazer
maybe its ur password? i had to reset mine like 4 times last year cause the system kept saying i was using the wrong one even tho i KNOW i was typing it right. esd website is garbage
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Zara Mirza
Update: Tried incognito mode and disabling my extensions but still no luck. Called the technical support line but got disconnected twice after waiting 45+ minutes each time. This is so frustrating when I just need to file my weekly claim!
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Mateo Sanchez
•I work with unemployment claims regularly and this specific login loop issue is usually related to one of three things: 1. Your account has a security flag that needs to be cleared by ESD staff 2. There's a browser compatibility problem with the latest ESD site update 3. You need to fully reset your SAW account connection to ESD Unfortunately all three require speaking with someone at ESD. Their phone lines are completely overwhelmed since the system update. I've had clients use Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to ESD quickly - they have a service that helps you skip the phone queue. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Once you get through, ask specifically for a "security flag clearance" and "SAW account relink.
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Aisha Mahmood
Have you tried using a completely different device? Sometimes the ESD site acts weird on computers but works on phones or tablets (or vice versa). Worth a shot before going through the hassle of calling them!
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Zara Mirza
•That's a good idea! I haven't tried my phone yet. Will give that a shot right now.
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Ethan Moore
ESD ALWAYS does this!!! Their system is designed to prevent people from filing! I had the exact same problem in January and guess what? My claim lapsed because I couldn't file on time and they denied my backdate request! Keep records of EVERYTHING - screenshots of errors, dates/times you tried to log in, and all your call attempts. You'll need this evidence when they inevitably try to blame you for their system failures.
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Nia Harris
•While I understand your frustration, this isn't intentional on ESD's part. Their systems are outdated and weren't designed to handle the volume of claims they're processing. They're actually in the middle of a multi-year modernization project, but it's causing temporary issues during updates. Always document everything, but appeal rights exist specifically for technical issues like this.
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Zara Mirza
Final update: SOLVED! I tried the Claimyr service someone suggested above and got through to ESD in about 15 minutes (after days of trying on my own). Turns out there WAS a security flag on my account because I had accessed the site from different IP addresses (home network and phone hotspot) which triggered their fraud detection system. The agent cleared the flag and had me reset my password, and now everything works! Thanks everyone for your help.
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Yuki Kobayashi
•Thanks for updating us! So switching between networks can trigger security flags now? That's really good to know - I've been using both my home wifi and work internet to check my claim status. Might explain some weird issues I've been having too.
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