How to file weekly unemployment claim - Washington ESD weekly reporting confusion
I'm completely lost on how to file my weekly unemployment claim with Washington ESD. I got approved for benefits last week but now I can't figure out where to actually submit my weekly report. I logged into my account on the secure.esd.wa.gov site but there's so many different sections and I don't want to mess anything up. Do I use the 'File Weekly Claim' button or is there somewhere else I'm supposed to go? Also when exactly do I need to file it by each week? Really don't want to miss any deadlines and lose my benefits.
51 comments
Join the conversation
Diego Mendoza
You need to file your weekly claim every Sunday for the previous week. Look for the 'Weekly Claim' section in your eServices account - it should be pretty obvious once you're logged in. Make sure you answer all the questions honestly about any work you did that week.
0 coins
Chloe Harris
•Thanks! I see it now. Do I need to report work even if I only worked like 2 hours?
0 coins
Diego Mendoza
•Yes, report ANY work no matter how small. Washington ESD will calculate how it affects your benefit amount.
0 coins
Anastasia Popova
The deadline is actually Saturday by midnight, not Sunday. You can file starting Sunday morning for the week that just ended. I learned this the hard way when I filed late and had to call Washington ESD to fix it.
0 coins
Chloe Harris
•Wait so I file on Sunday for the previous week and it's due by Saturday? That's confusing.
0 coins
Anastasia Popova
•Yeah it's weird. You get a whole week to file but most people do it right away on Sunday morning to not forget.
0 coins
Sean Flanagan
•Actually you have until 11:59 PM on Saturday to file for that week. So if you file on Sunday Jan 5th for the week ending Jan 4th, you have until Saturday Jan 11th to submit it.
0 coins
Zara Shah
I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for three days to ask about my weekly claim filing. Their phone system is absolutely terrible - keeps hanging up on me after being on hold for over an hour. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to a real person there?
0 coins
NebulaNomad
•Try calling right at 8am when they open, that's your best bet. But honestly I found this service called Claimyr that calls for you and gets you connected to an actual Washington ESD agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo showing how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of frustration.
0 coins
Zara Shah
•Interesting, never heard of that. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?
0 coins
NebulaNomad
•It's legit. I was skeptical too but they actually got me through to someone at Washington ESD in under 30 minutes when I couldn't get through myself after days of trying.
0 coins
Luca Ferrari
Make sure you're doing your job search activities too! You need to document your job search efforts when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week unless you're on standby.
0 coins
Chloe Harris
•What counts as a job search activity? I've been applying to jobs online but wasn't sure if that's enough.
0 coins
Luca Ferrari
•Online applications definitely count. You can also do networking, attending job fairs, contacting employers directly. Just keep good records of what you did and when.
0 coins
Nia Wilson
•You also need to register with WorkSource if you haven't already. That's required for most people getting UI benefits.
0 coins
Mateo Martinez
ugh the whole weekly claim thing is so stressful. I keep worrying I'm going to answer something wrong and they'll make me pay everything back. Anyone else paranoid about this or just me?
0 coins
Sean Flanagan
•Just be honest when you answer the questions. If you made a mistake you can always call Washington ESD to correct it. They'd rather you be accurate than worry about small errors.
0 coins
Mateo Martinez
•That's reassuring, thanks. I just hear horror stories about overpayments and people having to pay thousands back.
0 coins
Aisha Hussain
Pro tip: keep a little notebook or use your phone to track your weekly activities as you do them. Makes filing the weekly claim super easy when you have everything written down already.
0 coins
Chloe Harris
•Good idea! I'll start doing that this week.
0 coins
Ethan Clark
•I use a simple spreadsheet. Date, company name, position applied for, method (online, in person, etc). Makes it so much easier.
0 coins
StarStrider
The Washington ESD website is honestly terrible. Half the time it's down for maintenance and when it's up it's confusing as hell. How are people supposed to navigate this system?
0 coins
Yuki Sato
•Tell me about it. I got locked out of my account twice trying to file my weekly claim and had to call tech support.
0 coins
Carmen Ruiz
•At least the new system is better than the old one. Used to be even worse if you can believe that.
0 coins
Andre Lefebvre
Don't forget you can file your weekly claim from your phone too. The mobile site works pretty well actually, sometimes better than the desktop version.
0 coins
Chloe Harris
•Oh really? That would be convenient. Same login and everything?
0 coins
Andre Lefebvre
•Yep, same login. Just go to secure.esd.wa.gov on your phone browser and it should automatically switch to the mobile version.
0 coins
Zoe Alexopoulos
I missed filing my weekly claim one time and panicked. Turns out you can still file it late, you just don't get paid for that week until the next payment cycle. So don't stress too much if you miss a deadline.
0 coins
Jamal Anderson
•Good to know! I was worried that missing one week would mess up my whole claim.
0 coins
Sean Flanagan
•Right, Washington ESD is pretty forgiving about late filings as long as you don't make it a habit.
0 coins
Mei Wong
Question about reporting work - if I do some freelance work and earn $100 that week, do I report the gross amount or what I actually take home after taxes?
0 coins
Diego Mendoza
•Report the gross amount before any deductions. Washington ESD wants to know your total earnings.
0 coins
Mei Wong
•Thanks, that's what I thought but wanted to make sure.
0 coins
QuantumQuasar
Has anyone had issues with their weekly claim getting stuck in processing? Mine has been pending for 3 weeks now and I can't get through to anyone at Washington ESD to find out what's wrong.
0 coins
Liam McGuire
•That happened to me and it turned out there was an adjudication issue they needed to review. Eventually got resolved but took forever to get someone on the phone to explain it.
0 coins
NebulaNomad
•This is exactly the kind of situation where that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really helps. When you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD about specific claim issues, they can get you through way faster than trying to call yourself.
0 coins
QuantumQuasar
•At this point I'm willing to try anything. Three weeks without benefits is really hurting.
0 coins
Amara Eze
Make sure you keep confirmation numbers or screenshots after you file each weekly claim. I had a situation where Washington ESD said they never received one of my claims and having the confirmation saved me a lot of hassle.
0 coins
Chloe Harris
•Smart thinking. I'll start doing that right away.
0 coins
Giovanni Greco
•I email myself a screenshot every time I file. Better safe than sorry with Washington ESD.
0 coins
Fatima Al-Farsi
The whole system is set up to make you fail. They make it as complicated as possible and then penalize you for any mistakes. It's like they don't want people to actually get benefits.
0 coins
Dylan Wright
•I feel the same way sometimes. The amount of hoops you have to jump through is ridiculous.
0 coins
Sean Flanagan
•I understand the frustration but the requirements exist for good reasons. Just take it one step at a time and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
0 coins
Sofia Torres
If you're having trouble with the online system, you can also file your weekly claim by phone. The automated system works pretty well once you get used to it.
0 coins
Chloe Harris
•What's the phone number for that?
0 coins
Sofia Torres
•It's the same main Washington ESD number but there's an option for filing weekly claims. Much faster than trying to get through to a person.
0 coins
GalacticGuardian
Just wanted to update - I finally got through to Washington ESD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Turns out my weekly claims were being held up because I needed to verify my identity. The agent walked me through the whole process and got it sorted out. Definitely worth checking out if you're stuck like I was.
0 coins
Chloe Harris
•That's great news! Good to know there are options when the regular phone system doesn't work.
0 coins
Dmitry Smirnov
•How long did it take them to get you connected?
0 coins
GalacticGuardian
•About 20 minutes total. Way better than the hours I wasted trying to call myself.
0 coins
Miguel Silva
One thing that really helped me when I first started filing weekly claims was setting a Sunday morning reminder on my phone. I do it every Sunday at 9am right after I have my coffee - makes it part of my routine so I never forget. The questions are pretty straightforward once you get used to them. Just remember to be completely honest about any work you did, even small amounts, and keep track of your job search activities throughout the week. Don't stress too much about making small mistakes - Washington ESD would rather you ask for clarification than guess. You've got this!
0 coins