How to make a new claim for unemployment with Washington ESD - step by step help needed

First thing - don't stress too much! The process is pretty straightforward once you know the steps. You'll need to go to esd.wa.gov and create an account if you don't have one already. Make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and information about your last employer including dates of employment and reason for separation. The system will walk you through each step.

ugh the washington esd website is such a pain to navigate, took me forever when i filed my claim last year. make sure you have a stable internet connection cause it times out if you take too long on any page

The key is having all your information ready before you start. You'll need your last employer's name, address, phone number, your start and end dates, and the reason you're no longer working there. If you were laid off, that's 'lack of work' in their system. Also have your bank account info ready if you want direct deposit, which I highly recommend.

Honestly if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD for help with your new claim, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual person. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful when I could actually talk to someone about my questions.

One thing they don't tell you upfront - after you file your initial claim, you have to wait a week before you can file your first weekly claim. That first week is called a 'waiting week' and you won't get paid for it. Then you file weekly claims every Sunday for the previous week.

Make sure you file your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work. There's no benefit to waiting and it could actually hurt you. Washington ESD pays benefits from the date you file, not from when you became unemployed.

does anyone know if you can file a claim on weekends? i need to do this but work during the week and cant access the site

Don't forget about the job search requirements. Even while your initial claim is being processed, you need to be actively looking for work and keeping a log of your job search activities. You'll need to report this when you file your weekly claims.

The Washington ESD system will ask you a bunch of questions about why you're unemployed. Be honest but make sure you understand how to answer. If you were laid off due to lack of work, that's different from being fired for cause. The wrong answer could delay or deny your benefits.

omg this whole system is so confusing why cant they just make it simple, i tried filing last month and got so frustrated i gave up for a week

One more important thing - after you submit your initial claim, Washington ESD will mail you important documents. Make sure your address is correct in the system and check your mail regularly. Some documents have deadlines for responding.

I've been trying to call Washington ESD for two days to get help with my new claim and keep getting hung up on. The phone system is absolutely terrible. Has anyone found a way to actually reach a human being there?

Pro tip: if your claim gets flagged for adjudication (which happens sometimes with new claims), don't panic. It just means they need to review something before approving your benefits. Can take a few weeks but you'll usually get backpay if approved.

washington esd is a joke, took them 6 weeks to process my claim last time even though everything was straightforward

Make sure you understand the difference between your initial claim and your weekly claims. The initial claim establishes your eligibility and benefit amount. Then you have to file weekly claims every week to actually receive payments. Don't skip filing weekly claims even if your initial claim is still being processed.

i messed up my first claim application and had to start over, make sure you double check everything before submitting cause its a pain to fix mistakes

The most important thing is just to get started. I know it seems overwhelming but thousands of people file new unemployment claims with Washington ESD every week. The system is designed to handle it, even if it's not always user-friendly. Take it one step at a time and don't be afraid to ask for help if you get stuck.

Does anyone know if Washington ESD has any video tutorials or guides for filing a new claim? I'm a visual learner and would rather watch someone do it than read instructions.

Quick question - if I worked in another state before moving to Washington, does that affect my new claim here? I'm worried it might complicate things.

Just wanted to follow up and say I successfully filed my new claim this morning! It took about 45 minutes to complete everything but wasn't as bad as I expected. Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement. Now I just wait to see if it gets approved.