How do I do my weekly claim for Washington ESD unemployment - confused about the process
I just got approved for unemployment benefits and I'm supposed to file my weekly claim but I have no idea how to actually do this. The letter from Washington ESD mentions I need to file every week but doesn't really explain the steps. Do I go back to the same website where I filed my initial claim? What information do I need to have ready? I'm worried I'll mess something up and lose my benefits. Can someone walk me through this process?
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Grant Vikers
You'll file your weekly claims through the same SecureAccess Washington (SAW) portal where you filed your initial claim. Log in and look for the 'file weekly claim' option. You'll need to report any work you did that week, any job offers you received or refused, and confirm you're able and available for work.
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Amaya Watson
•Thank you! Do I need to report volunteer work or just paid work?
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Grant Vikers
•Only report paid work. Volunteer work doesn't count as earnings for UI purposes.
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Giovanni Martello
Make sure you file your weekly claim every Sunday for the previous week. The system opens at 6 AM on Sunday and you have until 11:59 PM the following Saturday to file. Don't wait until the last minute though - if you miss a week you might have to do extra paperwork to get that week paid.
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Amaya Watson
•What happens if I accidentally file late one week?
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Giovanni Martello
•You can still file but it might delay your payment. Washington ESD will ask why you filed late and you'll need to provide a good reason.
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Savannah Weiner
I've been filing weekly claims for 2 months now and it's pretty straightforward once you get used to it. The questions are basically the same every week - did you work, did you look for work, are you able to work, stuff like that. Just be honest about everything.
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Amaya Watson
•How long does it usually take for the payment to show up after filing?
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Savannah Weiner
•Usually 2-3 business days if there are no issues with your claim.
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Levi Parker
One thing that helped me was using Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD when I had questions about my weekly claims. I was getting confused about the job search requirements and couldn't get through on the phone. Found out about claimyr.com and they actually got me connected to an agent who explained everything. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Libby Hassan
•How much does that cost? I'm already struggling financially.
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Levi Parker
•It's worth it if you really need to talk to someone. Way better than spending hours trying to call and getting hung up on.
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Hunter Hampton
dont forget about the job search requirement!! you need to do at least 3 job search activities each week and keep records. washington esd can audit you at any time
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Amaya Watson
•What counts as a job search activity?
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Grant Vikers
•Applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, informational interviews, updating your resume - lots of things count. Keep detailed records though.
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Sofia Peña
The weekly claim questions are pretty much yes/no answers about your availability and work search. Just remember to answer truthfully - if you worked any hours that week, report them. If you didn't look for work because you were sick, report that too.
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Amaya Watson
•What if I worked just a few hours? Do I still get some unemployment?
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Sofia Peña
•Yes, you can do part-time work and still collect partial benefits. Washington ESD will calculate how much to deduct based on what you earned.
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Amaya Watson
This is all really helpful, thank you everyone. I was overthinking it I guess. One more question - can I file my weekly claim from my phone or do I need to use a computer?
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Giovanni Martello
•You can use your phone but the desktop version is easier to navigate in my opinion.
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Savannah Weiner
•I always use my phone, works fine. Just make sure you have good internet connection so it doesn't time out.
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Aaron Boston
Been filing weekly claims for 6 months now. The key things to remember: file every week even if you worked full time that week (you just won't get paid for that week), always report earnings accurately, and keep track of your job search activities. The system will flag you if you make mistakes.
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Amaya Watson
•What kind of mistakes trigger flags?
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Aaron Boston
•Inconsistent reporting mostly. Like if you say you're available for work one week but then report you were out of town the next week without explanation.
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Libby Hassan
I'm still confused about the able and available requirement. If I have a doctor's appointment during business hours one day, am I still considered available for work that week?
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Grant Vikers
•Yes, routine appointments are fine as long as you're generally available for work during normal business hours most of the week.
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Levi Parker
•These kinds of specific questions are exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. The Washington ESD agent I talked to clarified all the gray areas for me.
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Sophia Carter
just file every sunday and answer the questions honestly, its not rocket science people
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Amaya Watson
•Easy for you to say - this is my first time dealing with unemployment and I don't want to mess up my benefits.
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Giovanni Martello
•Everyone's nervous their first time, that's totally normal. You'll get the hang of it quickly.
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Chloe Zhang
Make sure you keep copies of everything! Screenshot your weekly claim confirmations and keep records of all your job search activities. I learned this the hard way when Washington ESD asked me to verify my job searches from 3 months ago.
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Amaya Watson
•What happens if you can't provide the job search records they ask for?
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Chloe Zhang
•They can make you pay back benefits if you can't prove you met the requirements. It's called an overpayment and it's a huge hassle.
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Brandon Parker
The Washington ESD website has a tutorial about filing weekly claims if you want to see it step by step before you actually file your first one. Might help with the nerves.
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Amaya Watson
•I'll look for that, thanks! I didn't know they had tutorials.
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Adriana Cohn
One tip - if you're going to be traveling or unable to look for work for any reason, you need to report that on your weekly claim. Don't just skip filing that week or you'll create problems for yourself.
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Amaya Watson
•What if I go out of state for a family emergency?
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Adriana Cohn
•Still file your claim but report that you were unavailable for work that week. You won't get paid for that week but it keeps your claim active.
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Jace Caspullo
THE SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN!! I've been trying to file my weekly claim for 3 hours and it keeps timing out. This is ridiculous - people need their benefits to survive and Washington ESD can't even keep their website working!
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Giovanni Martello
•Try filing early Sunday morning or late at night when there's less traffic on the system.
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Savannah Weiner
•I had that problem too but it usually works better on weekdays if you can't get through on Sunday.
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Melody Miles
Quick question - do I need to file a weekly claim for my first week after I got approved? I'm seeing conflicting information online.
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Grant Vikers
•Yes, you need to file for every week you want to claim benefits, including your first eligible week.
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Aaron Boston
•Check your determination letter - it should tell you what your first payable week is.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
I use the mobile app and it works fine most of the time. Takes maybe 5 minutes to complete the weekly claim once you know what you're doing.
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Amaya Watson
•There's a mobile app? I've just been using the website.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•Yeah, search for Washington ESD in your app store. Makes it super convenient.
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Eva St. Cyr
Does anyone know if you can file your weekly claim in advance? Like if I know I'll be busy next Sunday, can I file on Saturday for the upcoming week?
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Giovanni Martello
•No, you can only file for the week that just ended. The system won't let you file in advance.
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Grant Vikers
•You have until Saturday night to file for the previous week though, so you don't have to file exactly on Sunday.
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Kristian Bishop
been doing this for months and the most important thing is just being consistent. File every week, keep good records, and don't try to game the system. Washington ESD will catch you if you lie about anything.
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Amaya Watson
•Thanks everyone for all the help! I feel much more confident about filing my first weekly claim now.
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Kaitlyn Otto
If you run into any issues or have questions that need a real person to answer, I had good luck with that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Got me through to Washington ESD way faster than trying to call myself.
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Axel Far
•How long did it take them to get you connected?
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Kaitlyn Otto
•Way faster than the hours I spent on hold trying to call directly. Definitely worth it when you really need to talk to someone.
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Jasmine Hernandez
Just remember that missing weekly claims can mess up your whole benefit year. I missed two weeks in a row once and it took forever to get it sorted out. Don't make my mistake!
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Amaya Watson
•What happened when you missed those weeks?
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Jasmine Hernandez
•Had to do a bunch of paperwork and wait weeks to get those benefits paid. It was a nightmare.
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Liam Murphy
I just went through this same process a few weeks ago and totally understand the confusion! Here's what worked for me: Set up a Sunday routine where you log into the SecureAccess Washington portal around the same time each week. Have a notebook ready to jot down your job search activities as you do them throughout the week - it makes filing so much easier. The questions are pretty straightforward once you do it a couple times. Don't stress too much about it, just be honest and consistent with your answers. You've got this!
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