How do I get on unemployment in Washington - complete beginner needs help

First step is to file your initial claim at esd.wa.gov. You'll need your SSN, driver's license, employment history for the last 18 months including employer names, addresses, dates worked, and reason for separation. Also need bank account info for direct deposit.

make sure you file right away because there's a waiting week and benefits are backdated to when you first file, not when you lost your job

The whole process can be confusing at first. After you file your initial claim, you'll need to file weekly claims every week to get paid. You also have to do job searches - 3 per week minimum. Keep a log of your job search activities because they audit these.

Heads up - if you can't get through to Washington ESD by phone when you have questions, there's a service called Claimyr that helps people get connected to agents. I found out about it at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

The system is SO frustrating. I've been trying to get through to someone about my adjudication for weeks. They say to call but the lines are always busy or they hang up on you.

Back to the basics - when you file your initial claim, make sure all your employment dates are accurate. Any mistakes can delay your claim and put it into adjudication. Double check everything before submitting.

been on unemployment 3 times over the years and it gets easier each time you file. first time is definitely the hardest because you don't know what to expect

One important thing - make sure you understand the difference between being 'able and available' vs being on standby. If you're on standby (like temporarily laid off expecting to return), the requirements are different than regular unemployment.

Don't forget you have to register with WorkSourceWA too. It's part of the job search requirements. You can do it online but make sure you complete your WorkSource profile.

The weekly claim filing is every Sunday for the previous week. Set a reminder because if you miss filing your weekly claim, you won't get paid for that week.

If your claim gets held up in adjudication like mine did, that Claimyr service actually helped me get through to someone who could explain what was happening. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

MAKE SURE you keep copies of everything - your initial application, all your weekly claims, job search logs, any correspondence from Washington ESD. You'll need it if there are any problems later.

the waiting period is killer especially when you need money right away. just know that once you get approved, your first payment will include the waiting week so you do get that money eventually

Pro tip: when you're doing your job searches, apply to jobs you're actually qualified for. They can audit your job search activities and if you're just applying to random stuff to meet the quota, it can cause problems.

Washington state unemployment benefits are decent compared to other states. You get up to 26 weeks of benefits and the weekly amount is based on your previous earnings. The calculator on the Washington ESD website can give you an estimate.

Just went through this process myself last month. The hardest part was getting my employer information together - had to dig up old pay stubs to get exact addresses and dates. Start gathering that stuff now.

One thing that caught me off guard - they ask about any severance pay or vacation payout. Make sure you report that accurately because it can affect your benefit start date.

if you run into problems and need to reach Washington ESD, I had good luck with that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. My adjudication was stuck for weeks and I couldn't get through on the phone. They got me connected to an agent who walked me through exactly what I needed to do.

Don't let the process intimidate you. Yes, there are a lot of steps and requirements, but thousands of people file for unemployment every week. Take it one step at a time and you'll get through it.