How to find unemployment PIN for Washington ESD weekly claims
I've been trying to file my weekly claim but can't remember where I put my PIN number. I know I set one up when I first applied for benefits but that was like 6 weeks ago and I can't find it anywhere. I've looked through all my emails from Washington ESD and checked my documents but nothing. Does anyone know how to recover or reset your PIN? I'm worried I'm going to miss my filing deadline.
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Zainab Omar
You can reset your PIN by logging into your SecureAccess Washington account and going to the unemployment services section. There should be a 'Forgot PIN' option somewhere on the weekly claim filing page.
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Miguel Ortiz
•I tried that but when I click on weekly claims it just asks for the PIN immediately. I don't see any forgot PIN link.
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Zainab Omar
•Try looking on the main unemployment dashboard page before you click into weekly claims. Sometimes the reset option is buried in the account settings.
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Connor Murphy
Had this exact problem last month! You need to call Washington ESD directly to reset it. The automated system can't help with PIN issues, you need to talk to a real person.
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Miguel Ortiz
•How did you get through? I've been trying to call for days and either get busy signals or sit on hold forever.
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Connor Murphy
•It took me literally 47 tries over 3 days. I started calling right at 8am when they open and just kept redialing. Finally got through around 10:30am on a Wednesday.
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Yara Sayegh
Before you spend hours on the phone, try this: go to the main esd.wa.gov page and look for the 'Contact Us' section. Sometimes they have a secure message option where you can request a PIN reset without calling.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Good idea, I'll check that out. How long do they usually take to respond to messages?
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Yara Sayegh
•In my experience, anywhere from 3-10 business days. Not ideal if you need to file this week.
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NebulaNova
I was having the same calling nightmare trying to reach Washington ESD about my PIN reset. Someone here mentioned claimyr.com and honestly it was a lifesaver. They got me connected to an actual ESD agent in like 20 minutes instead of the hours I was spending on hold. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Never heard of that before. Is it legit? I'm desperate at this point but don't want to get scammed.
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NebulaNova
•Yeah it's real, they basically handle the calling and waiting for you. I was skeptical too but it actually worked. The agent I talked to was able to reset my PIN right away.
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Keisha Williams
•How much does something like that cost? Seems too good to be true.
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Paolo Conti
IMPORTANT: Make sure you're not confusing your PIN with your password. The PIN is specifically for weekly claim filing and is usually 4 digits. Your account password is different and longer.
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Miguel Ortiz
•No I definitely need the PIN. I can log into my account fine but can't file my weekly claim without the 4-digit PIN.
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Amina Diallo
•Wait, I've been using my password this whole time. Are you saying there's supposed to be a separate PIN just for weekly claims?
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Zainab Omar
For anyone reading this thread later - when you do get your PIN reset, WRITE IT DOWN and keep it somewhere safe. I learned this the hard way after going through this same situation twice.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Definitely will do that. This has been such a hassle.
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Oliver Schulz
•I keep mine in my phone's notes app with a reminder title so I can find it easily.
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Connor Murphy
Update on the calling situation - I noticed Washington ESD call volume seems lighter on Tuesdays and Thursdays around 2-3pm. That's when I had better luck getting through when I needed help with other issues.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thanks for the tip! I'll try calling tomorrow afternoon.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Tuesday afternoons worked for me too. Avoided the Monday rush and Friday deadline panic.
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Yara Sayegh
Another option - if you have a local WorkSource office nearby, sometimes they can help with basic Washington ESD account issues. Not all locations do this but worth calling to ask.
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Miguel Ortiz
•I didn't know WorkSource could help with PIN issues. I'll look up locations near me.
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Yara Sayegh
•They might not be able to reset it directly but they can sometimes help you navigate the online system or make the call with you.
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AstroAdventurer
been there done that with the PIN drama. Washington ESD really needs to fix their system - why can't we just use our regular password for everything?
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Miguel Ortiz
•Right? It's so confusing having multiple passwords and PINs for the same account.
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Javier Mendoza
•I think it's a security thing but yeah it's annoying as hell
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Emma Wilson
Quick question - when you do file your weekly claim, make sure you're filing for the right week. The system shows which week you're supposed to file for. Don't want you to reset your PIN and then file for the wrong dates.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Good point. I'm supposed to file for last week ending 1/18 right? That's what shows when I try to log in.
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Emma Wilson
•Yeah that sounds right. Just double check the dates before you submit.
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Malik Davis
Had to laugh reading this because I went through the exact same thing 2 months ago. Spent 3 days trying to call Washington ESD and getting nowhere. Finally tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got connected to an agent who reset my PIN in about 5 minutes. Wish I'd known about it sooner.
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Miguel Ortiz
•That's the second person who mentioned Claimyr. I'm definitely going to check it out.
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Isabella Santos
•Same here, used it last week for a different issue. Actually works like they say it does.
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Ravi Gupta
Pro tip: if you do get through to Washington ESD directly, ask them to email you a confirmation of your PIN reset. Sometimes the system takes a few hours to update and you don't want to be stuck again.
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Miguel Ortiz
•That's really smart. I definitely don't want to go through this again.
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GalacticGuru
•Yeah I learned that one the hard way too. Got my PIN reset over the phone but couldn't use it for like 6 hours.
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Freya Pedersen
This whole thread is making me nervous about my own PIN. I haven't filed in a couple weeks due to work and now I'm worried I forgot mine too. Time to go dig through my papers...
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Miguel Ortiz
•Better to check now than find out when you need to file! Learn from my mistake.
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Omar Fawaz
•Same boat here. Going to write mine down in multiple places after reading this.
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Chloe Anderson
Final update - I ended up using Claimyr and got my PIN reset this morning! The whole process took maybe 25 minutes total and now I can file my weekly claim. Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions. This forum is a lifesaver.
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NebulaNova
•Awesome! Glad it worked out for you. That's exactly how it went for me too.
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Diego Vargas
•Great outcome! Now don't lose that PIN again lol
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Miguel Ortiz
•Trust me, I've got it written down in 3 different places now. Never going through this stress again!
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Oliver Alexander
This thread is so helpful! I've been dealing with the same PIN issue for the past week. Just tried the Claimyr service that multiple people mentioned and it actually worked - got connected to a Washington ESD agent in about 15 minutes and they reset my PIN on the spot. Definitely worth trying if you're stuck in phone hell like I was. The demo video someone linked really helped me understand how it works too.
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