How to prove unemployment for Washington ESD - what documentation do they need?

The separation notice from your employer is the primary document Washington ESD uses to verify unemployment. Make sure it includes your last day of work, reason for separation, and employer contact info. If you don't have one, Washington ESD will contact your employer directly during the adjudication process.

I went through this last year when I got laid off. Besides the separation notice, keep your final pay stub and any documentation about severance or vacation payout. Washington ESD might ask for these during adjudication to verify your earnings and separation date.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to clarify what documents they need, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent by phone. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

Construction layoffs are pretty straightforward for Washington ESD since they're common. Your separation notice should be enough proof, but if your employer contests the claim or there's confusion about whether you quit vs got laid off, they might ask for additional documentation.

ugh the whole process is so confusing! I got laid off too and they keep asking for more and more paperwork. First it was just the separation notice now they want bank statements?? Like why do they need my bank info to prove I'm unemployed

Keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit to Washington ESD. I learned this the hard way when they lost my separation notice and I had to resubmit everything. Take screenshots of your uploads and save confirmation numbers.

For construction workers specifically, make sure your separation notice clearly states 'lack of work' or 'layoff' as the reason. If it says anything vague like 'end of project' Washington ESD might need clarification about whether more work was available.

The Washington ESD verification process has gotten stricter lately because of all the fraud during COVID. Even legitimate claims are taking longer to process while they verify everything. Just be patient and responsive if they ask for additional docs.

If you get stuck in adjudication limbo, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does help. I used it last month when my claim was stuck for 5 weeks with no explanation. Got through to an actual Washington ESD person who cleared up the issue same day.

Don't forget about the job search requirements while you're waiting for verification! You need to log 3 job search activities per week starting with your first weekly claim. Keep detailed records in case Washington ESD audits your search log.

Just want to add that if you worked for multiple employers in the past 18 months, Washington ESD will verify unemployment with ALL of them, not just your most recent job. Make sure you have accurate information for every employer on your application.

The separation notice is definitely the key document. I've been through this process twice and both times that was all they needed. As long as it's clear you were laid off and not terminated for cause, you should be fine.

One more tip - if your employer gave you any written notice about the layoff (email, memo, etc.) before your actual last day, keep that too. It helps establish the timeline and shows the layoff was legitimate business decision, not performance related.

Been dealing with Washington ESD for 15 years and the process hasn't changed much. Separation notice covers 90% of cases. The other 10% are usually people who quit, got fired, or have complicated work situations. Yours sounds straightforward.