ESD's new website completely hiding unemployment claim links - anyone else?
Is anyone else struggling with ESD's new website update? I tried to file my weekly claim today and it's like they've deliberately hidden every single unemployment-related link! I can find plenty of other working links on the site, but somehow the ONE thing I actually need to do - file my unemployment claim - is impossible to find. No clear navigation, no obvious buttons, nothing. I've been claiming for 6 weeks without issues until this update. Did they move everything around or is the site glitching? Seriously considering calling ESD but we all know how that goes... Anyone figure out a workaround or secret pathway to the weekly claim form?
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GalacticGladiator
OMG YES!!!! I thought it was just me being stupid or something!!!! Spent 2 HOURS yesterday trying to find where to submit my weekly claim. Finally found it buried under like 3 different menu options. Try clicking on 'My Account' then look for something called 'Benefit Services' and then there should be a tiny link that says 'Unemployment Insurance' - its like they DONT WANT us to find it!!! So frustrating!!!!
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Freya Larsen
•Thank you!!! I'll try that path right now. It's ridiculous they would make such a user-unfriendly update when people DEPEND on this system for their basic needs. Why fix something that wasn't broken?
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Omar Zaki
yep same here. new design is terrible. took me forever to find where to do my claim
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Chloe Taylor
The ESD website was updated last week as part of their system modernization project. Unfortunately, the navigation has changed significantly from the previous version. Here's how to access your weekly claim: 1. Log in to your SAW account 2. On the dashboard, look for the "My Benefits" section (not "My Account") 3. Select "Unemployment Insurance" from the dropdown menu 4. Click on "Weekly Claim" in the left sidebar menu 5. Then select "File a weekly claim" If you're not seeing these options, try clearing your browser cache or using a different browser. Some users have reported the site works better in Chrome than in Edge or Safari.
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Freya Larsen
•THANK YOU! This worked perfectly. I was looking under completely different menu options and getting nowhere. I wish ESD would send out clearer communications about these major changes instead of just springing them on everyone.
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Diego Flores
Their website overhaul is a DISASTER! I work in UX design and this is literally what we teach as a case study in what NOT to do. Basic functionality buried under nonsensical navigation, inconsistent menu structures, and they've completely disregarded user journey mapping. It's like they deliberately wanted to reduce claim numbers by making it impossible to navigate. I've had issues with every single attempt to use the site since the update. And don't even get me started on how it performs on mobile - completely unusable!
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Anastasia Ivanova
•Not sure why they always gotta change things. Old website worked fine for years.
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Sean Murphy
I had the same issue last Sunday and ended up missing my claim deadline because I couldn't figure out where to file! I finally got through to ESD yesterday after calling literally 27 times. They said they're aware of the navigation problems and are "working on improvements," but in the meantime suggested using their step-by-step guide they apparently emailed to everyone (I never got it). They did let me backdate my claim because of the website issues, so if anyone else missed their filing window because of this, make sure to mention the website problems when you call. Also, I discovered a much faster way to reach an actual human at ESD. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Total lifesaver given the current situation with the website.
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StarStrider
•Thanks for sharing this. I was about to give up on calling after being hung up on 3 times this morning. Will check out that service cause I really need to talk to someone about this website mess.
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GalacticGladiator
Has anyone else noticed that when you DO finally find the weekly claim form, half the questions are different than before???? I'm so paranoid I'm going to answer something wrong and get my benefits stopped!
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Chloe Taylor
•The questions have been reworded but they're asking for the same information as before. The most important ones about your work availability, job search activities, and any earnings remain essentially unchanged. If you're unsure about a particular question, you can click the small (?) icon next to it for an explanation.
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Freya Larsen
Update: I managed to find the weekly claim form using the directions from @helpful_guidance above. For anyone else struggling, the key is to look under "My Benefits" NOT "My Account" which seems counterintuitive. Also discovered they've added a mobile app called "WA Unemployment" that actually works better than the website right now. Might be worth downloading if you're having website issues.
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Diego Flores
•Thanks for the app tip! That's actually working much better for me too. Still a terribly executed website migration overall, but at least there's a workable alternative.
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