How to collect unemployment benefits through Washington ESD - need step by step help

First step is to file your initial claim on the Washington ESD website at esd.wa.gov. You'll need your Social Security number, employment history for the last 18 months, and your most recent pay stub. The system will walk you through creating your claim and determining your weekly benefit amount based on your earnings.

After you file your initial claim, you'll need to file weekly claims every week to actually receive payments. This is super important - even if your claim is still being processed, keep filing those weekly claims. You'll also need to register with WorkSource and do job search activities.

Just went through this whole process myself last month. One thing that really helped when I had questions was using Claimyr.com to actually get through to a Washington ESD agent. The regular phone lines are impossible - I was spending hours on hold getting nowhere. Claimyr calls for you and gets you connected to an actual person who can answer your specific questions about your claim.

ugh the whole system is such a pain. i filed 2 weeks ago and still havent gotten anything. keeps saying my claim is under review or something

Don't forget about the waiting week! Your first week of unemployment is a waiting week where you file but don't get paid. It's annoying but that's how it works in Washington.

Make sure you have all your documentation ready when you file. They'll ask for your employer information, dates of employment, reason for separation, and wages. If you don't have exact dates or wage amounts, get as close as possible - you can always correct it later if needed.

IMPORTANT: Answer all questions honestly on your application. If you quit your job instead of being laid off, you might not be eligible. If you were fired for misconduct, that could disqualify you too. But if you were laid off due to lack of work, you should be fine.

The whole process took me about 30 minutes to file my initial claim online. The hardest part was gathering all my employment information beforehand. Once you submit it, you'll get a confirmation and then wait for them to process it.

Also remember you have to be able and available to work. If you're sick, on vacation, or otherwise unavailable, you can't claim benefits for those weeks. And if you do any work at all, even part-time, you have to report it on your weekly claim.

been trying to get through to someone at Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status. the phone system is absolutely terrible - either busy signal or they hang up on you after 2 hours on hold

One thing they don't tell you upfront - you might have to pay taxes on your unemployment benefits. They'll withhold federal taxes if you ask them to, but you might still owe state taxes at the end of the year.

The job search requirement is 3 contacts per week minimum. Keep detailed records - employer name, contact method, date, and what happened. You might need to provide this information if they audit your claim later.

FYI the WorkSource registration is mandatory. You can do it online at WorkSourceWA.com. They have job search tools and sometimes require you to attend workshops or meet with a counselor depending on how long you're unemployed.

honestly the hardest part is just getting started. once you file that initial claim and start doing the weekly claims, it becomes routine. the website is confusing at first but you get used to it

Something to keep in mind - if you have any issues with your claim or disagree with a decision, you have appeal rights. Don't just accept a denial or disqualification without understanding your options to appeal.

Pro tip: file your weekly claims on the same day each week so you don't forget. I do mine every Sunday morning and it takes maybe 5 minutes once you get the hang of it.

Had a friend who forgot to file weekly claims for 3 weeks and lost those benefits permanently. Washington ESD doesn't pay retroactively if you just forget to file, so stay on top of it.

Another thing - if you're thinking about going back to school while unemployed, check if you're eligible for the Training Benefits program. It allows you to attend approved training while still receiving unemployment benefits.

Bottom line - file your initial claim ASAP, register with WorkSource, file weekly claims religiously, do your job search activities, and keep detailed records of everything. It's not that complicated once you get into the routine.

One last thing - if you run into issues getting through to Washington ESD by phone, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much time and frustration trying to get answers about my claim.