How to notify Washington ESD unemployment of new job - proper procedure?
I just accepted a job offer that starts next Monday and I need to know the correct way to notify Washington ESD about my new employment. I've been receiving UI benefits for about 2 months and don't want to mess anything up or create an overpayment situation. Do I report it on my weekly claim this Sunday? Or is there a separate form I need to fill out? Also, should I stop filing weekly claims immediately or continue until my first paycheck? Really don't want to get in trouble with Washington ESD over this.
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Olivia Kay
You report the new job on your weekly claim filing. There's a specific question about starting work - make sure you answer it honestly with your start date. Keep filing weekly claims until you're actually working and earning wages.
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Henry Delgado
•Thanks! So I should file this Sunday and report that I'm starting work Monday? Will that automatically stop my benefits?
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Olivia Kay
•Exactly. When you report starting work, Washington ESD will process that information and your benefits will stop accordingly. Just be accurate with dates.
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Joshua Hellan
Congratulations on the job! Make sure you also report any orientation or training days even if they're unpaid. Washington ESD considers that as being unavailable for other work.
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Henry Delgado
•Good point, I do have a training day on Friday before my official start date. I'll make sure to mention that too.
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Jibriel Kohn
If you can't get through to Washington ESD to verify this info, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) last month to actually talk to someone about reporting income changes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way easier than spending hours on hold.
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Edison Estevez
•Is that service legit? I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status.
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Jibriel Kohn
•Yeah it worked for me. They basically get you through to an actual person instead of dealing with the phone maze.
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
DONT FORGET to keep track of your last day of unemployment! If you get laid off later you'll need that date for any future claims. Also save all your job search logs just in case.
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Henry Delgado
•Good advice, I'll make a note of my last benefit week. Hopefully won't need it again but better safe than sorry.
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James Johnson
Make sure you understand the difference between your start date and when you'll actually receive wages. If there's a delay in your first paycheck, you might still be eligible for partial benefits during that gap period.
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Henry Delgado
•Interesting, I didn't think about that. My first paycheck won't be for 3 weeks because of their pay schedule.
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James Johnson
•Definitely mention that when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD can provide partial benefits if you're working but haven't been paid yet, depending on your situation.
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Sophia Rodriguez
congrats!! i just went through this same thing last month. just be super honest on your weekly filing about everything - start date, training, etc. washington esd is pretty good about processing it correctly if you give them accurate info
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Henry Delgado
•Thanks! Did you have any issues or was it pretty straightforward?
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Sophia Rodriguez
•super easy, just filed like normal and checked the box about starting work. benefits stopped automatically after that week
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Olivia Kay
One more thing - if your new job doesn't work out within the first few weeks, you may be able to reopen your claim without filing a completely new application. Just something to keep in mind.
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Mia Green
•How long do you have to reopen a claim? Is there a time limit?
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Olivia Kay
•Generally within your benefit year, but there are specific rules about voluntary quit vs. layoff situations. Best to call Washington ESD if that happens.
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Joshua Hellan
Also make sure your employer knows you were on unemployment. Some employers like to verify that everything was handled properly for their records, especially for background checks later.
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Henry Delgado
•Should I mention it during orientation or just if they ask?
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Joshua Hellan
•I'd only mention it if they specifically ask about your employment history or background. Most employers don't need to know unless it's relevant.
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Jibriel Kohn
Just remembered another tip - screenshot or print your final weekly claim submission for your records. Helps if there are any questions later about when you reported the job change.
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Henry Delgado
•Great idea, I'll definitely do that this Sunday when I file.
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Emma Bianchi
Make sure you're not working any hours before your official start date, even volunteer work. Had a friend who did some consulting work during his last week of benefits and it created a whole mess with Washington ESD.
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Henry Delgado
•Wow, good to know. I was thinking about doing some freelance work this week but I'll hold off until after I start the new job.
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
•Smart move. Any income has to be reported and can affect your benefits, even small amounts.
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Edison Estevez
This thread is so helpful! I've been dreading this process but it sounds more straightforward than I thought. Thanks everyone!
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Henry Delgado
•Same here, I was really worried about messing something up but the process seems pretty clear now.
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James Johnson
One last reminder - if you have any unemployment taxes withheld from your benefits, don't forget about that when you file your taxes next year. The 1099-G form from Washington ESD will show all payments and withholdings.
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Henry Delgado
•Good point, I did elect to have taxes withheld so I'll need to watch for that form.
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Lucas Kowalski
•The 1099-G usually comes out in January, just FYI for planning purposes.
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Mia Green
Has anyone had issues with Washington ESD saying they were overpaid after reporting a new job? I'm paranoid about getting one of those notices later.
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Olivia Kay
•As long as you report everything accurately and on time, overpayments are rare. They usually happen when people don't report work or report it incorrectly.
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Mia Green
•That's reassuring, thanks. I just hear horror stories about people having to pay back thousands.
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Olivia Martinez
If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about this process, I had good luck with Claimyr recently. Much better than trying to call the regular number and getting busy signals all day.
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Charlie Yang
•How much does that cost? I've been thinking about trying it but wasn't sure if it's worth the expense.
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Olivia Martinez
•Honestly it was worth it for me just to get definitive answers instead of guessing. Check out their demo video to see if it's right for your situation.
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Grace Patel
update us after you file this weekend! would love to hear how it goes since i might be in the same situation soon 🤞
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Henry Delgado
•Will do! I'll file Sunday and let everyone know how the process works out.
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
This whole thread should be stickied somewhere. So much better than trying to navigate the Washington ESD website for this info.
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ApolloJackson
•Agreed! The website is so confusing for basic stuff like this.
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Sophia Rodriguez
•yeah the washington esd site has gotten better but still hard to find simple answers sometimes
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Isabella Russo
Quick question - if the job is temporary (like a 3-month contract), do you report it the same way? Or is there something different for temp work?
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Olivia Kay
•Report it the same way. When the temp job ends, you can potentially reopen your claim if you're still within your benefit year and eligible.
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Isabella Russo
•Perfect, thanks! That makes sense.
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Rajiv Kumar
Congrats on the new job! Just remember that Washington ESD processes things pretty quickly these days, so don't expect to receive any more benefit payments after you report starting work.
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Henry Delgado
•Good to know, I wasn't planning on it but it's helpful to have realistic expectations about the timeline.
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Aria Washington
Make sure you also update your job search requirements if you're still required to do work search activities. Once you start working full-time, those requirements should stop automatically.
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Henry Delgado
•Oh right, I forgot about the job search log. Good catch, I won't need to keep tracking that after I start working.
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Liam O'Reilly
•Yeah, the work search requirement stops when you're working full-time. One less thing to worry about!
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Chloe Delgado
This has been super helpful to read through. I'm not starting a job yet but good to know the process for when I do. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
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Henry Delgado
•Glad it helped! This community is great for getting real answers about Washington ESD stuff.
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Ava Harris
•Definitely! Way more helpful than calling and sitting on hold for hours.
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Ravi Patel
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure to keep your login credentials and account info handy even after you stop filing. If you need to access your payment history, 1099-G forms, or reopen your claim later, you'll want to be able to get back into your Washington ESD account easily. I made the mistake of forgetting my login info after I got a job and it was a hassle to reset everything when I needed it months later.
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