How do I sign up for unemployment benefits with Washington ESD?

You'll need to file your initial claim online through the Washington ESD website at esd.wa.gov. Click on 'File a claim for unemployment benefits' and it will walk you through the process step by step. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment information for the last 18 months including employer names, addresses, dates worked, and reason for separation.

Make sure you file as soon as possible! There's a waiting period so the sooner you get your claim in, the sooner you can start receiving benefits. I waited a week thinking I might find something quick and it just delayed everything.

The Washington ESD phone system is absolutely terrible if you need help. I spent literally 6 hours on hold last month trying to get through to someone about my claim status. If you run into issues and can't get through by phone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration!

ugh the whole process is such a pain. took me forever to figure out all the requirements and then they put my claim in adjudication for weeks

Don't forget you have to do weekly claims every week to get paid! Even if your initial claim is still being processed, you need to file your weekly claim every Sunday. I missed this at first and it delayed my payments.

Make sure you understand the job search requirements too. You need to complete at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a log of what you did. Washington ESD can ask to see this at any time.

The system is honestly a nightmare. I had to call Washington ESD like 50 times before I got through to someone who could actually help me. They kept hanging up on me or the system would crash. Super frustrating when you're already stressed about being unemployed.

One thing that helped me was creating my SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account before filing my claim. It's the login system Washington ESD uses and it can take a day or two to get verified. Better to have it ready so you're not waiting around.

Just be prepared for the whole process to take longer than you expect. My initial claim took 3 weeks to get approved and that was without any complications. Have some backup plans for paying bills if possible.

Washington ESD has gotten better since the pandemic chaos but it's still not great. The website crashes sometimes and the phone system is awful. Just be patient and persistent.

Pro tip: if you get stuck and need to talk to someone, try calling right when they open at 8am. That's when you have the best chance of getting through without waiting hours.

Don't stress too much about the initial application. The hardest part is just getting started. Once you submit it, you'll get a confirmation and then you just wait for them to process it.

Make sure you have all your employment dates exactly right. Washington ESD will verify everything with your employers and any discrepancies can cause delays or issues with your claim.

The whole unemployment system in Washington is just frustrating. But once you get through the initial hurdles, the weekly claims are pretty straightforward. Hang in there!