How do I receive unemployment benefits in Washington - complete beginner guide needed

Thank you! Do I need to have all my pay stubs or can I just estimate my wages?

You'll need exact dates and wages for each employer. Washington ESD will verify everything with your employers anyway so be accurate.

How do I file the weekly claims? Is it the same website?

Yes, same site. You'll answer questions about any work you did that week and confirm you're able and available for work.

Is that service legit? I'm worried about giving my info to third parties.

It's just a calling service that gets you through to Washington ESD. You don't give them your personal claim info, just your phone number.

How many jobs do I need to apply to each week?

Minimum 3 job search activities per week, but they can include more than just applications - networking, job fairs, etc.

This is where most people mess up. Washington ESD can audit your job search activities at any time.

Pending usually means they're verifying your employment or wages. It can take 2-4 weeks for first payments.

2-4 weeks?! How am I supposed to pay rent? This is ridiculous.

Can I set up direct deposit when I file or do I have to wait?

You can set it up right away in your online account. Much faster than waiting for checks.

Good advice! I always do mine early Sunday and never had issues.

Wish I'd known this earlier - lost a whole week because the system crashed while I was filing.

How is the amount calculated exactly?

It's based on your highest-earning quarter in the last 18 months. Roughly 60% of your average weekly wage up to the maximum.

What about unemployment payments from other states? Do I need to report those too?

Yes, any income from any source needs to be reported on your weekly claims.

What's adjudication? That sounds scary.

It's just when they need to investigate something about your claim - like if you were fired vs laid off, or if you had a work conflict.

That seems backwards - why file if I'm not approved yet?

Because once you're approved, you'll get paid for all the weeks you filed. If you don't file, those weeks are gone forever.

Wait, really? I thought there was still a waiting week.

Nope, they eliminated it permanently. One less thing to worry about.

What are the most common reasons people get disqualified?

Usually it's being fired for misconduct, quitting without good cause, or not meeting the work search requirements.

There's an app? What's it called?

It's just called 'Washington ESD' in the app store. Pretty basic but gets the job done.

I screenshot mine every week just to be safe.

Smart! I keep a notebook with all my confirmation numbers and dates.

Thank you everyone! This has been super helpful. I'm going to file my claim today.

Good luck! Don't hesitate to ask if you run into problems during the process.

That's good to know. I was thinking about taking some online courses.

Look into the Training Benefits program - it might cover your courses and let you skip the job search requirements.

Thanks for the encouragement! I was really stressed but this thread has helped so much.

Just remember - if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD and can't get through, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work. Worth trying if you get stuck.