How to draw unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about the process

You'll need to file your initial claim through the Washington ESD website at esd.wa.gov. Make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months ready. The process is mostly online now and takes about 30-45 minutes to complete your initial application.

Just went through this myself 2 months ago. After you file online you'll get a determination letter in about 2-3 weeks if everything goes smoothly. Then you have to file weekly claims every week to actually get paid. Don't forget to do your job search activities or they'll cut you off.

If you run into any issues getting through to Washington ESD by phone (which happens a lot), I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on.

MAKE SURE you file your weekly claims EVERY WEEK even if your initial claim is still pending! I made that mistake and it delayed my whole case by like a month. The system is really picky about this stuff.

unemployment is such a headache, took me forever to figure out all the paperwork and stuff. good luck with it

One more important thing - make sure you're available for work and actively seeking employment. Washington ESD will ask about this on your weekly claims. If you have any restrictions on when you can work or what jobs you'll accept, be honest about it but know it might affect your eligibility.

Oh and don't be surprised if your claim goes into adjudication - that's when they review everything to make sure you qualify. Mine took 3 weeks to get through adjudication but I eventually got all my back pay.

been trying to call washington esd for weeks about my claim and can never get through, phones are always busy or they hang up on me after hours of waiting

The whole system is a nightmare honestly. I've been waiting 6 weeks for my adjudication to clear and still haven't gotten a penny. Washington ESD acts like they're doing us a favor when this is supposed to be insurance we paid into.

For the original poster - here's the step by step process: 1) File initial claim at esd.wa.gov 2) Wait for determination letter 3) File weekly claims every week 4) Complete job search activities 5) Keep detailed records of everything. The key is being consistent with your weekly filings and job search log.

just a heads up that if you worked part time or had multiple jobs you might need to provide extra documentation. washington esd was really picky about my work history

Does anyone know if there's a waiting period before you can start collecting benefits? I heard some states make you wait a week.

Make sure you understand the difference between being laid off vs fired vs quitting. Only certain separation reasons qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington.

the job search requirement is 3 activities per week but make sure you're doing quality searches not just throwing applications everywhere. washington esd can audit your job search log

Another tip - if you end up needing to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your claim status or any issues, Claimyr has been a lifesaver for actually getting through. Way better than spending all day trying to call yourself.

been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years and it gets easier once you know the routine. first time is always confusing but the system works if you follow all the rules

Don't forget you'll need to report any income you earn while collecting benefits, even small amounts from odd jobs or freelance work. Washington ESD will find out eventually and you don't want to deal with an overpayment situation.

if your claim gets denied for any reason dont give up! you can appeal the decision. lots of people get approved on appeal even if they were initially denied

The most important thing is to be patient and persistent. Washington ESD processes thousands of claims and sometimes things get delayed, but if you stay on top of your weekly filings and job search requirements you'll eventually get your benefits.

just remember to keep copies of everything - your initial application, determination letters, weekly claim confirmations, job search logs. if anything goes wrong youll need documentation