How has unemployment changed over time - Washington ESD benefits and filing process evolution

wait you have to use WorkSourceWA? I thought that was optional

Nope, it's mandatory now. You have to register and maintain an active job search profile there. Washington ESD can audit your job search activities at any time.

OMG yes! The phone system is terrible. I tried calling 200+ times in one day and never got through.

Have you tried Claimyr? A friend told me about it - claimyr.com - they help you get through to Washington ESD agents. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. I'm considering trying it since I can't reach anyone the normal way.

Never heard of that, is it legit? Sounds too good to be true honestly

This! I have no idea how they calculated my weekly benefit amount. The letter they sent was completely confusing.

It's based on your highest earning quarter in your base year, but the formula involves all sorts of calculations. Much more complicated than the old flat-rate systems some states used to have.

The Sunday crashes are the worst! I always try to file early morning now to avoid the rush.

Pro tip: file your weekly claim on Monday or Tuesday if possible. Way less server issues then.

The identity verification process alone is a nightmare now. They want documents for everything.

probably because of all the fraud during covid, they tightened everything up

Makes sense but it's definitely made the whole process more stressful for legitimate claimants.

True, that is convenient when it works. Though I've heard some people have issues with the debit card option.

Yeah the debit card has fees I think. Direct deposit to your own bank account is definitely the way to go.

I had a phone hearing last year and it went fine. Actually prefer it to having to take time off work to go somewhere in person.

I would hate doing it over the phone, I need to see people's faces when I'm explaining something important

What's standby status? I've never heard of that

It's for when you're temporarily laid off but expect to return to the same employer. Different rules than regular unemployment - you don't have to do job searches but you have to be available to return when called back.

wish I had known about that during my layoff last year!

When did they get rid of the waiting week? I remember having to deal with that years ago.

I think it was around 2018 or 2019 in Washington. Made a huge difference for people who really needed that first week of benefits.

this is so true, and when you finally do get someone on the phone they have no context about your previous calls or issues

That's another reason I'm thinking about trying Claimyr. At least then I know I'll actually get through to someone who can help instead of waiting on hold for hours.

exactly! the convenience is great until you need actual help

The self-service options have gotten better over the years though. You can check claim status, payment history, download forms, etc. all online now.

The identity verification requirements are crazy now. They wanted like 5 different documents from me.

Yeah and if you don't have exactly what they want or it's not clear enough quality, your whole claim gets held up in adjudication.

This is what frustrates me the most. With all the technology improvements, you'd think they could process things faster.

I've been waiting 6 weeks for my adjudication to resolve. Tried everything to reach them until someone suggested Claimyr. Finally got through to an actual Washington ESD agent who could explain what was holding up my claim.

How much does that cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay extra just to reach the agency that owes us benefits.

And the definition of 'suitable work' has gotten broader too. Used to be you could hold out for something in your field, now they expect you to take anything after a certain number of weeks.

How many weeks before they expect you to take any job? I'm worried about this.

It varies but generally after 13 weeks they expect you to consider work at 75% of your previous wage. The rules are pretty detailed in the Washington ESD handbook.

True, though getting to the 'approved' stage seems to take longer than ever with all the verification steps.

yeah the actual payment is fast but getting approved in the first place is a nightmare

the SecureAccess Washington site looks like it was designed in 2005

Function over form I guess, but yeah it could definitely use a visual update. At least the important information is there once you figure out how to navigate it.

That's a good summary. It's definitely a trade-off between efficiency and accessibility.

Which is why services like Claimyr exist now - to bridge the gap when you can't reach Washington ESD through normal channels. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person about your specific situation.

Makes sense. The system has gotten so complex that navigating it on your own can be really challenging, especially if you run into problems.