How does unemployment checks work - Washington ESD payment process confusing me

Ok that makes sense, I did set up direct deposit so I'll keep checking my account. Thanks!

Yeah the timing is pretty consistent once you get into the rhythm of it.

What's the deadline for filing weekly claims? I want to make sure I don't miss it.

You need to file between Sunday and the following Saturday. Most people do it Sunday mornings to get it out of the way.

I always set a reminder on my phone for Sunday mornings because I almost forgot once and panicked lol

Interesting, never heard of that before. Does it actually work?

Yeah it worked for me when I needed to ask about a payment delay. Way easier than trying to call the regular number.

Good to know, I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues. Thanks for the tip!

That's reassuring, I was starting to worry something went wrong.

Yeah first payment is always nerve-wracking but once it comes through you'll feel better about the whole process

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

It's 3 job contacts per week minimum, but check the specific requirements on your weekly claim form.

Yeah I usually do 4-5 just to be safe. Better to have too many than too few if they audit you.

I set up direct deposit though, so I shouldn't get a debit card right?

Correct, if you have direct deposit set up properly you won't get the debit card.

Oh yeah, forgot you mentioned direct deposit. You should be all set then.

Oh wow I didn't even think about taxes. How do I have them withhold taxes?

You can change your tax withholding preferences in your Washington ESD account online. It's under the profile or account settings somewhere.

Yeah definitely do this if you don't want a surprise tax bill next year. They'll withhold 10% for federal taxes.

That's exactly why I started using Claimyr. Gets you through to an actual person without the endless hold times.

I might have to try that next time. This whole system is so unnecessarily complicated.

The phone system is definitely the worst part of dealing with Washington ESD unfortunately

No problem! I figured I couldn't be the only one confused about it.

Same here, this thread has been super helpful

Good idea, I'll start checking that regularly. Thanks for all the helpful advice everyone!

Yeah the payment history is super useful, I check it every week after filing my claim

What if I do some freelance work or gig work? Do I need to report that too?

Yes, any income needs to be reported. Freelance, gig work, part-time jobs, everything.

Exactly, they're pretty strict about income reporting so it's better to over-report than under-report

That's good to hear. I'm hoping it gets easier once I understand the process better.

It definitely does! The first few weeks are always the most confusing.

Good point, I'll double-check that my address is correct.

Yeah I learned that the hard way when I moved and forgot to update it

Yeah it's definitely a learning curve but everyone here has been super helpful explaining it.

This forum is great for getting real answers about Washington ESD stuff

That's really smart advice. I'll start keeping better records of everything.

Yeah it's saved me a couple times when there were questions about my claim

Thanks for the encouragement! I feel much better about the whole process now.

No problem! We've all been there and it's always intimidating at first.

Good to know it's been helpful for multiple people. I'll definitely keep it in mind.

Yeah seems like a useful backup option when the regular phone lines are jammed

Thank you! I'll be checking my account obsessively until it shows up lol

Haha that's totally normal, we all do that with the first payment!