How to claim weekly unemployment benefits - Washington ESD process?

Yes, you use the same SAW login. Go to esd.wa.gov and click 'File Weekly Claim' on the main page. You'll need to answer questions about any work you did that week, wages earned, and if you were available for work. The deadline is usually Saturday night but I always file by Friday to be safe.

The weekly claim is pretty straightforward once you do it a few times. Just answer honestly about any work or income. Even if you worked one day, report it - they'll adjust your benefit amount accordingly. Don't try to hide anything because they cross-check with employers.

I had trouble reaching Washington ESD when I had questions about my weekly claims. Kept getting busy signals and disconnected calls. Finally used Claimyr.com to get through to an actual agent. They have this system that calls you back when an agent is available instead of waiting on hold forever. Really helpful when you need to clarify something about your claim status.

Make sure you're filing for the correct week! The system shows the week ending date, not the week starting date. I screwed this up my first time and filed for the wrong week. Had to call and straighten it out.

ugh the whole system is so confusing why cant they just make it simple like other states do

Another question - if I do gig work like DoorDash for a few hours, do I need to report that as work? It's not very much money but I don't want to get in trouble.

The weekly claim questions are pretty standard. They ask if you were able and available for work, if you looked for work, if you worked or earned money, if you refused any job offers, stuff like that. Takes maybe 5 minutes if you have your info ready.

I've been filing weekly claims for 3 months now and it's become second nature. The key is to set a reminder for yourself - I file every Wednesday morning with my coffee. Don't wait until the last minute because the system sometimes has issues on weekends.

One thing that confused me at first - you can't file your weekly claim until the week is over. So for the week ending Saturday January 18th, you can't file until after midnight on Saturday night. I kept trying to file on Friday and getting error messages.

Pro tip: screenshot your confirmation page after filing. I had an issue once where Washington ESD claimed I didn't file a week and having that screenshot saved me from losing benefits.

Does anyone know what happens if you miss filing for like 2 weeks? I was in the hospital and completely forgot about my weekly claims.

The questions about job search are confusing. Do I need to apply for jobs every single week? What if there aren't any suitable jobs posted?

I always file mine on Sunday morning right after the week ends. Get it done early and don't have to worry about forgetting. Plus the system is usually less busy on Sunday mornings.

Make sure you understand what counts as 'suitable work' for your claim. They can't force you to take a job that pays way less than your previous work or is outside your skill set, but the standards get looser the longer you're on unemployment.

The most important thing is to be consistent and honest. File every week, report all income, keep good records. I've been doing this for months with no issues by just following the rules.

If you ever have issues with your weekly claim not going through or getting error messages, try using a different browser or clearing your cache. The Washington ESD website can be finicky sometimes.

One more tip - if you're working part-time while on unemployment, you can usually earn up to a certain amount before it affects your benefits. Check your benefit calculation to see what that threshold is for your claim.

I wish Washington ESD would send email reminders about filing weekly claims. It's easy to forget when you're dealing with job hunting stress and everything else.

For anyone still having trouble reaching Washington ESD with questions about weekly claims or anything else, I can't recommend Claimyr enough. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through on the phone. The callback system actually works and you get to talk to real agents who can answer your questions properly.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about filing my weekly claims now. Going to set up a reminder and file my first one this Sunday. Really appreciate this community!

Just wanted to add that you should also keep track of your weekly benefit amount and make sure it's consistent from week to week. If you notice any sudden changes in your payment amount, that could indicate an issue with how you answered the weekly questions or a problem with your claim that needs attention. I caught an error once where they were deducting taxes differently than expected, and addressing it early saved me from a bigger headache later. Also, make sure your direct deposit information is correct in your account - nothing worse than filing on time but having payment issues because of outdated banking info!