How to file a weekly claim for unemployment - Washington ESD system confusing me

Once you log into SecureAccess Washington, look for the section that says 'File Weekly Claim' or 'Claim Status'. It should be pretty obvious on the main page after you log in. You'll need to answer questions about your availability to work, any earnings from that week, and job search activities. For job search, you need to do at least 3 job search activities per week starting immediately unless you're on standby status.

The weekly claim filing window is usually Sunday through Saturday for the previous week. Make sure you file during the right time period or you might miss your chance to claim that week's benefits.

I've been dealing with this same confusion! The Washington ESD system is not user-friendly at all. I spent 2 hours trying to figure out how to file my first weekly claim. What helped me was calling the customer service line, but good luck getting through - I tried calling like 50 times before someone picked up.

weekly claims are due every week on the same day you first filed. so if you filed on a tuesday, you need to file every tuesday. make sure you answer all the questions honestly especially about looking for work

THE WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE!!! I've been unemployed for 6 months and filing weekly claims is still a nightmare every single week. The website crashes constantly, the questions are confusing, and if you make ONE tiny mistake they act like you're trying to commit fraud. This whole system needs to be completely rebuilt.

Here's a step by step for filing weekly claims: 1) Log into SecureAccess Washington 2) Click 'File Weekly Claim' 3) Answer questions about your availability 4) Report any work or earnings 5) List your job search activities 6) Submit before Saturday night. The key things Washington ESD looks for are that you're available to work, actively seeking employment, and reporting everything accurately.

Make sure you're not working more than part-time hours while claiming. If you work more than 32 hours in a week or earn too much, it can affect your benefits. Washington ESD is pretty strict about this stuff.

i remember being so confused about this too when i first started filing. the worst part is if you miss filing a weekly claim you basically lose that week's money forever. learned that the hard way when i went on vacation and forgot to file.

The job search requirement is 3 activities per week minimum. This includes applying for jobs, attending interviews, going to WorkSource events, or doing career counseling. Washington ESD randomly audits people so keep everything documented - dates, company names, contact info, etc.

Pro tip: file your weekly claim on Sunday or Monday if possible. Later in the week the system gets overloaded and you might have trouble accessing it. I learned this after missing a claim because the website was down on Saturday night.

If you're having trouble with the weekly claim process, you might want to check if you qualify for any workshops through WorkSource. They have sessions specifically about navigating the unemployment system and job search requirements.

Just wanted to add that if you're on standby status with your employer, the job search requirements might be different. You should check with Washington ESD to see what applies to your specific situation.

The most important thing is to be completely honest on your weekly claims. Don't try to hide income or work hours. Washington ESD cross-references with employers and tax records, so they'll find out eventually and then you'll owe overpayments plus penalties.

I wish someone had told me when I started that you need to keep filing weekly claims even if your payment is delayed or under review. I stopped filing when my claim went into adjudication and missed out on weeks of benefits.

One thing that helped me was setting up automatic reminders on my phone for filing day. I set three reminders - Sunday morning, Wednesday afternoon, and Friday evening as backup. This way I never forget to file my weekly claim.

For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD for questions about weekly claims, I had success with that Claimyr service. They basically call on your behalf and get you connected to an actual person. Saved me hours of busy signals and frustration.

Just remember that each weekly claim covers the previous week, not the current week. So if you're filing on Sunday the 15th, you're claiming benefits for the week ending Saturday the 14th. This confused me for the first few weeks.

The weekly claim questions are pretty straightforward once you get used to them: Were you available for work? Did you look for work? Did you work or earn any money? Did you refuse any job offers? Just answer honestly and you'll be fine.

If you ever need to change information on a weekly claim you already submitted, you can't edit it online. You have to call Washington ESD to make corrections, which is why it's important to double-check everything before hitting submit.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about filing my weekly claims now. This community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the Washington ESD website on my own.

I went through this same confusion when I first started filing! One thing that really helped me was printing out the weekly claim confirmation page each time I submitted. That way I had a record of exactly what I reported and when I filed. Also, if you're ever unsure about how to answer a specific question, there are usually little help icons next to each question that explain what they're looking for. Don't rush through it - take your time to read everything carefully since you can't edit once you submit.