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Sophia Miller

How do I get an unemployment insurance account number from Washington ESD?

I'm trying to figure out where to find my unemployment insurance account number. I filed my initial claim last week but I don't see any account number anywhere in my paperwork or emails from Washington ESD. Do I need to wait for something in the mail, or is there somewhere online I can find it? I need this number for some paperwork my previous employer is asking for.

Your UI account number should be in the confirmation email you got when you filed your initial claim. Check your spam folder too - sometimes Washington ESD emails end up there.

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I checked everywhere including spam and I don't see any confirmation email. Should I be worried that my claim didn't go through?

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Same thing happened to me - never got the email but my claim was still processed

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You can find your unemployment insurance account number by logging into your SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account and going to your claim details. It's usually displayed at the top of your claim summary page. If you can't see it there, it might be called your 'UI claim number' or 'benefit year number'.

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Thanks! I'll log in and check. I was looking for something labeled specifically as 'account number

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Yeah they don't always make it obvious what to look for in the SAW system

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If you're having trouble finding it online, you might need to call Washington ESD directly. But good luck getting through - I've been trying for days and keep getting disconnected.

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I actually found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an Washington ESD agent when I couldn't reach them myself. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

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Interesting, I'll have to look into that. Getting through to Washington ESD is such a nightmare

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Wait, is this a paid service? How much does it cost?

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It's worth checking out their site for details. For me it was definitely worth it to avoid spending hours on hold just to get basic information about my claim.

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Your account number might also be on any paper mail you get from Washington ESD if you haven't received anything online yet. Sometimes they send a determination letter that has all your claim info including the account number.

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How long does that usually take to arrive? It's been about a week since I filed

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Usually 1-2 weeks for the initial determination letter, but it can vary depending on if your claim needs adjudication

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ugh why does washington esd make everything so complicated?? i spent 2 hours looking for my account number last month

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Tell me about it. The whole system is confusing for people who are already stressed about being unemployed

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At least it's better than it was during the pandemic when everything was completely broken

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Make sure you're looking in the right place - sometimes people confuse the Social Security number field with the account number field on forms. Your UI account number is usually a different format with letters and numbers.

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Good point, I was wondering if I was supposed to use my SSN instead

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No, definitely don't use your SSN when they ask for your UI account number. They're completely different things

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If you filed online through the Washington ESD website, try going back to the same page where you submitted your application. Sometimes there's a confirmation screen that shows your account number that you can access again.

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I didn't think to go back to that page. I'll try that right now

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That's actually a good idea - I never thought to check there either

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Another option if you're still stuck is to use that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. They can help you get through to an Washington ESD representative who can give you your account number over the phone. Much faster than waiting for mail or trying to figure out the website.

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How quickly were you able to get through using that service?

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It was pretty fast - way better than the hours I wasted trying to call on my own. The video demo explains how it works better than I can.

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Just an FYI - if your claim is still processing or in adjudication, you might not have an account number assigned yet. Sometimes you have to wait until your claim is approved before they give you the full details.

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Oh that could be it. My claim status just says 'processing' so maybe I need to wait

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That's not usually how it works - you should get an account number when you file, regardless of whether it's approved yet

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Hmm, maybe it's different now. It's been a while since I filed my claim

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Check your bank account if you've already received any payments. Sometimes the deposit shows information that includes your UI account number in the transaction details.

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I haven't gotten any payments yet since I just filed last week, but that's a good tip for later

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Yeah, my bank statement definitely shows my UI account info when I get deposits from Washington ESD

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If all else fails, go to a WorkSource office in person. They can help you access your account information and make sure everything is set up correctly with your claim.

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That's a good backup plan. There's a WorkSource office not too far from me

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Make sure to bring your ID and Social Security card if you go in person

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Yes, and any paperwork you have from when you filed your claim

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I had this same problem and it turned out my claim was flagged for identity verification. Once I submitted the ID documents they requested, I got my account number in the next email. Check if you have any pending items in your SAW account.

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I'll check for that. Where do you see pending items in the SAW system?

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There should be an 'Alerts' or 'To Do' section when you log into your unemployment account

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Sometimes Washington ESD sends the account number in a separate mailing from the determination letter. I got mine on a little card that was easy to miss in all the other paperwork they send.

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I'll keep an eye out for that. I haven't gotten any mail from them yet

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Yeah they send so much paper it's easy to overlook important stuff

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Pro tip: once you find your account number, write it down somewhere safe. You'll need it for weekly claims, job search activities, and any correspondence with Washington ESD. Don't rely on having to look it up every time.

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Good advice! I'll make sure to save it once I find it

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I wish I had done that from the beginning - would have saved me a lot of hassle

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UPDATE: I found it! It was in my SAW account under the claim details section like someone mentioned earlier. Thanks everyone for the help. For anyone else looking, it's not labeled very clearly but it's there near the top of the claim summary page.

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Glad you found it! That's exactly where it should be

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Great! Now you won't have to use Claimyr for this particular issue, but keep it in mind if you need to reach Washington ESD for anything else

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Thanks for updating - this thread will help other people who have the same question

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Wait, are you the original poster? I thought Sophia Miller was looking for her account number, not Natalie Wang. Either way, glad someone found theirs! @Sophia Miller did you try the SAW account method yet?

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