How do I get unemployment money from Washington ESD - complete beginner

Washington ESD is the Employment Security Department - that's our state's unemployment office. You can file your initial claim online at esd.wa.gov. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment info from the last 18 months including employer names, addresses, dates worked, and reason for separation. The whole process takes about 30-45 minutes.

File ASAP because there's a waiting week before you can get your first payment. After you file your initial claim, you have to file weekly claims every week to certify you're still unemployed and looking for work. Miss a week and you don't get paid for that week.

Getting through to Washington ESD by phone is nearly impossible with their call volume. I spent weeks trying to reach them about my claim issues. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that handles the calling for you. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ - basically they keep calling until they get through then connect you to an agent. Saved me so much frustration.

Your weekly benefit amount will be based on your wages from the last 4 quarters before you filed. In Washington, the maximum weekly benefit is currently $999 but most people get between $300-600 depending on how much they made. You can get up to 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits.

Make sure you understand the job search requirements! You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log of your activities. They can audit this stuff and if you don't have proper documentation, they'll make you pay back benefits.

This is all really helpful but I'm getting overwhelmed. Is there like a step-by-step guide somewhere for people who have never done this before?

Word of warning - if your claim gets stuck in adjudication (review process), it can take weeks or even months to resolve. This happens when there are questions about your eligibility, like if your employer contests the claim or there's confusion about why you left.

don't forget about workshare programs either if your employer offers it. sometimes its better to work reduced hours with partial unemployment than get laid off completely

The whole system is such a mess. I filed in November and still haven't gotten a single payment because of some paperwork issue they won't explain properly. Been calling every day for 3 weeks.

One more tip - set up your online account with Secure Access Washington (SAW) right away. That's how you'll access your claim info, file weekly claims, view payment history, and handle most unemployment stuff going forward.

Just went through this whole process myself last month. Biggest thing is don't panic if it takes a few weeks to get your first payment. The system is slow but it does work eventually. Keep filing your weekly claims even if you haven't gotten paid yet.

PSA: If you get any part-time work while collecting unemployment, you MUST report it on your weekly claim. Even if it's just a few hours. They will find out eventually and make you pay everything back with penalties if you don't report it.

The key thing everyone's missing is that you need to be able and available for work. If you're not physically or mentally able to work, or if you're not available due to other commitments, you don't qualify for regular unemployment benefits.

One last thing - keep copies of EVERYTHING. Every document you submit, every correspondence from Washington ESD, your job search log, all of it. If there are ever questions or appeals, you'll need that paper trail.

Just remember the system is designed to help people who are unemployed through no fault of their own. As long as you're honest and follow the rules, you should be fine. Don't let the bureaucracy intimidate you.