How does unemployment work in Washington State - complete beginner needs help

Yes, you'll file with Washington ESD (Employment Security Department). The process is pretty straightforward once you get started. You'll need to create an account on their website and file your initial claim. Make sure you have your Social Security number, employment history for the last 18 months, and reason for separation ready.

The whole system can be confusing at first but it's not too bad. You file your initial claim, then you have to file weekly claims every week to get paid. There's also job search requirements - you need to make 3 job contacts per week and keep a log.

Just went through this myself a few months ago. The hardest part is actually getting through to someone at Washington ESD if you have questions. Their phone lines are constantly busy and you'll get disconnected a lot. I probably called 50+ times before I got through to an actual person.

The weekly claim filing is crucial - you MUST file every week even if you haven't received your first payment yet. Miss a week and you won't get paid for that week at all. The system doesn't automatically backdate missed weeks.

ugh the washington esd website is such a pain to navigate. half the time it doesn't load properly and the other half it logs you out randomly. just be patient with it i guess

One thing to know - if your claim goes into adjudication, it can take weeks to resolve. This happens if there's any question about why you left your job or if you're eligible. During adjudication, you don't get paid until it's resolved.

The benefit amount depends on your wages in your base period (first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters). Maximum weekly benefit in Washington is around $1,015 but most people get less than that.

Don't forget about WorkSourceWA - you'll need to register there within a certain timeframe. It's separate from the Washington ESD site but required for unemployment benefits.

I mentioned Claimyr earlier but seriously, if you run into issues and can't get through to Washington ESD, it's worth checking out. I was stuck for weeks trying to resolve an issue with my weekly claims and Claimyr got me connected to an agent in like 10 minutes.

The waiting week is gone now which is good news. You used to have to wait a week before getting your first payment but they eliminated that during COVID and it's stayed eliminated.

Just a heads up - they'll send you a debit card for your payments. Don't throw it away thinking it's junk mail like I almost did. It comes in a plain envelope.

also make sure you report any work you do even if its just a one day gig. they'll find out anyway and then you'll have overpayment issues

The job search requirements are pretty specific. You need 3 job contacts per week and they need to be legitimate contacts. Just browsing job boards doesn't count.

Keep all your documentation organized from day one. If you ever need to appeal a decision or if they audit your job search, you'll need everything in order.

One more thing - there are time limits on everything. You have to file your initial claim within a certain timeframe, appeal decisions within 30 days, respond to requests for information quickly. Don't procrastinate on anything Washington ESD related.

The whole process seems overwhelming but once you get into the routine it becomes automatic. File your weekly claim, do your job searches, keep your records. Just stay on top of it.

Oh and if you're in tech, make sure you're looking at jobs that are suitable for your experience level. They can't force you to take just any job but it needs to be reasonable for your background.

Last piece of advice - if you ever get a notice from Washington ESD, read it carefully and respond promptly. They send out a lot of automated notices that can be confusing but ignoring them is never the right move.

Seriously though, bookmark that Claimyr site. I wish I had known about it from the beginning instead of wasting so much time on hold with Washington ESD.

Welcome to Washington and sorry about the job loss. The unemployment system here is actually pretty good once you figure it out. Just stay organized and don't panic if things seem slow at first.