How to certify for unemployment benefits - Washington ESD weekly claim process?
I just got approved for unemployment after waiting 3 weeks for adjudication to finish. Now Washington ESD is telling me I need to 'certify' every week but I'm totally lost on what this actually means. The letter says I have to file my weekly claim by Sunday but doesn't explain HOW to do it. Do I use the same website where I applied originally? What questions do they ask? I'm scared of messing something up and losing my benefits. Can someone walk me through the certification process step by step?
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Aaron Boston
Certification is just filing your weekly claim to show you're still unemployed and looking for work. You go to eServices on the Washington ESD website every week and answer questions about any work you did, money you earned, and job search activities. It's pretty straightforward once you do it the first time.
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Sofia Peña
•Thanks! Do I need to report every single job I applied to or just the number of applications?
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Aaron Boston
•You need to keep a detailed job search log with specific employers, dates, and contact info. They can audit this anytime so don't just make up numbers.
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Sophia Carter
The weekly certification deadline is really important - if you miss it you could lose that week's payment entirely. I learned this the hard way when I forgot one Sunday and had to call Washington ESD to get it fixed.
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Sofia Peña
•How late can you file? Like if I remember on Monday morning am I screwed?
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Sophia Carter
•You have until midnight Sunday but honestly don't risk it. I try to do mine every Saturday morning just to be safe.
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Chloe Zhang
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about certification, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a real person at unemployment offices. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you get stuck and need to talk to someone about the weekly claim process.
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Brandon Parker
•Is this legit? I'm always suspicious of third-party services for government stuff.
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Chloe Zhang
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked when I needed to talk to someone about my job search requirements. Way better than spending hours on hold getting nowhere.
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Adriana Cohn
Here's what the weekly certification questions typically ask: Did you work? How much did you earn? Were you able and available for work? Did you refuse any job offers? How many employers did you contact? Answer everything honestly because they cross-reference with employer reports.
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Sofia Peña
•What counts as 'able and available'? I have a doctor's appointment one day next week.
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Adriana Cohn
•One appointment is fine, you're still generally available. If you're sick for multiple days or have scheduling restrictions that might be different.
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Jace Caspullo
•I put 'no' for able/available once when I had the flu and they made me explain it in detail. Better to be honest than get caught lying later.
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Melody Miles
make sure u do the job search stuff every week!! washington esd requires 3 job contacts minimum and they check. i got audited last year and had to provide proof of everything
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Sofia Peña
•What kind of proof do they want? Screenshots of applications?
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Melody Miles
•company names, contact person, date, method of contact (online, in person, phone), position applied for. keep detailed records or you'll be sorry
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Aaron Boston
The certification system is pretty user-friendly once you get used to it. Login to your Washington ESD account, click on 'File Weekly Claim' and it walks you through each question. Takes maybe 5-10 minutes if you have your job search info ready.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•What if the website is down? This happened to me once on Sunday night and I panicked.
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Aaron Boston
•They usually extend the deadline if there are system issues, but call them ASAP Monday morning to report the problem and get it sorted out.
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Brandon Parker
IMPORTANT: If you work ANY hours during the week, even just a few, you MUST report it on your weekly claim. Even if it's cash work, temp work, or just one day. Washington ESD will find out eventually and hit you with an overpayment if you don't report it.
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Sofia Peña
•How do they find out about cash work though?
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Brandon Parker
•Employers report wages, they cross-check with other agencies, and sometimes they do random audits. Not worth the risk of fraud charges.
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Eva St. Cyr
•This! I know someone who got hit with a $4000 overpayment for not reporting part-time work. They're very thorough.
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Kristian Bishop
Does anyone know if you can backdate weekly claims if you forgot to file? I missed two weeks when I was dealing with a family emergency and now I'm worried I lost those payments forever.
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Adriana Cohn
•You might be able to get those weeks back if you have a good reason for not filing, but you'll need to call Washington ESD and explain the situation. They handle it case by case.
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Chloe Zhang
•This is exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr could help you actually get through to someone at Washington ESD to sort it out. Their phone lines are impossible otherwise.
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Kaitlyn Otto
The job search requirement is 3 contacts per week minimum, but I usually do 4-5 just to be safe. Keep a spreadsheet with company name, position, date applied, and how you applied (online, email, in-person). Makes weekly certification much easier.
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Sofia Peña
•Do networking events count toward the job search requirement?
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Kaitlyn Otto
•Yes, networking events, job fairs, and informational interviews all count. Just document who you talked to and when.
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Axel Far
•Career counseling appointments at WorkSource also count toward your weekly requirements if you need help hitting the minimum.
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Sophia Carter
One thing that tripped me up initially - the certification week runs Sunday to Saturday, not Monday to Sunday like I assumed. So when you file on Sunday, you're reporting for the week that just ended.
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Sofia Peña
•That's confusing! So if I file this Sunday, I'm reporting for last Sunday through yesterday?
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Sophia Carter
•Exactly. The system will show you the specific dates you're certifying for when you log in.
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Jasmine Hernandez
ugh the washington esd website is SO slow on sundays because everyone is trying to certify at the same time. i learned to do mine friday or saturday instead to avoid the rush
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Luis Johnson
•Wait, you can file early? I thought it had to be done after the week ended.
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Jasmine Hernandez
•no you still have to wait until after the week ends on saturday. i just meant filing sunday morning instead of sunday night when everyone else is scrambling
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Ellie Kim
Pro tip: set up direct deposit if you haven't already. Paper checks take forever and can get lost in the mail. Direct deposit usually hits your account 1-2 business days after you certify.
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Sofia Peña
•How do I set up direct deposit? Is it in the same eServices portal?
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Ellie Kim
•Yes, there's a payment method section in your account settings. You'll need your bank routing and account numbers.
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Fiona Sand
I've been certifying for 8 months now and the process becomes second nature. Just be consistent about doing it every week at the same time so you don't forget. Missing even one week can mess up your payment schedule.
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Sofia Peña
•Do you get some kind of confirmation after you submit your weekly claim?
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Fiona Sand
•Yes, you get a confirmation number and can print or save a copy for your records. I always screenshot mine just in case.
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Mohammad Khaled
•The confirmation email usually comes within an hour too, so you know it went through properly.
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Alina Rosenthal
What happens if you make a mistake on your weekly certification? I accidentally put the wrong dollar amount for some freelance work I did and I'm worried I'll get in trouble.
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Adriana Cohn
•Call Washington ESD as soon as possible to correct it. It's better to fix mistakes immediately than let them compound. Honest mistakes are usually not a big deal if you report them quickly.
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Chloe Zhang
•Getting through to Washington ESD can be really tough though. I'd definitely recommend trying Claimyr if you can't reach them through normal channels - this kind of correction is time-sensitive.
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Finnegan Gunn
The whole certification process stressed me out at first too, but honestly after the first couple weeks it becomes routine. Just answer the questions honestly, keep good job search records, and file on time every week. You'll be fine!
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Sofia Peña
•Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. I feel much more confident about filing my first weekly claim now.
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Miguel Harvey
•We've all been there! The Washington ESD system can be intimidating but once you get the hang of it, it's not bad at all.
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Ashley Simian
One last thing - if you're on standby status with your employer, the weekly certification questions are slightly different. You'll need to report your standby status and any callback expectations each week.
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Sofia Peña
•I'm not on standby but good to know for the future. How is standby different from regular unemployment?
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Ashley Simian
•Standby means you expect to return to your job within a specific timeframe, usually less than 10 weeks. Different rules apply for job search requirements and availability.
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