How to reset unemployment PIN for Washington ESD account access

You can reset your PIN through the SecureAccess Washington (SAW) portal. Go to the main login page and look for the 'Forgot PIN' link. You'll need your SSN and some personal info to verify your identity.

I had this exact same problem last month. The PIN reset process is kind of confusing because there are actually two different systems - your SAW account PIN and your Washington ESD eServices PIN. Which one are you trying to reset?

Before you go through all that hassle, have you tried calling Washington ESD? I know the wait times are brutal but sometimes they can reset your PIN over the phone faster than doing it online. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an agent when I was having similar issues. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

UGH this happened to me too and it was so frustrating!! I think there's a bug in their system because my PIN worked fine one week and then suddenly stopped working. The reset process took forever.

Actually, let me give you the exact steps for resetting your eServices PIN: 1) Go to esd.wa.gov and click on 'File Weekly Claim' 2) On the login page, click 'Forgot PIN' 3) Enter your SSN and ZIP code 4) Answer the security questions 5) Create a new PIN. Make sure it's 4 digits and not something obvious like 1234.

Why is Washington ESD's system so terrible? Every other state has a better unemployment website. I swear they make it hard on purpose.

If the online reset doesn't work, you might need to call the technical support line instead of the regular claims line. The number is different and usually has shorter wait times.

Just a heads up - when you reset your PIN, it might take up to 24 hours before you can actually use it to file your claim. Don't panic if it doesn't work immediately.

Make sure you're not confusing your PIN with your password. Your PIN is just 4 numbers for filing weekly claims. Your password is for your SAW account and can have letters and symbols.

I had to reset mine three times before it finally worked. Keep trying if the first attempt doesn't go through - their system is glitchy.

Update on the Claimyr thing - I actually used it again last week to get through about a different issue and it worked great. Got connected to a Washington ESD agent in about 30 minutes instead of waiting hours. Really helpful for PIN resets and other account problems.

Pro tip: after you reset your PIN, write it down somewhere safe. I use a password manager app on my phone so I don't forget it again.

If you're really stuck and can't get the PIN reset to work, you can also file your weekly claim by phone. The automated system doesn't require your PIN, just your SSN and some basic info.

Remember that you have to file your weekly claim by the deadline or you'll lose that week's benefits. Don't wait too long trying to fix the PIN issue - use the phone system if you have to.

I've seen some people say you can reset your PIN at a WorkSource office too, but I'm not sure if that's true. Has anyone tried that?

UPDATE: I was able to reset my PIN using the steps from earlier! It took about 2 hours to actually work after I reset it, but I was able to file my weekly claim. Thanks everyone for the help! For anyone else having this issue, definitely try the online reset first before calling.

For future reference, if your PIN stops working suddenly like this, it might be because you entered it wrong too many times and the system locked you out. That's what happened to my cousin - he had to wait 24 hours before he could even try to reset it.

One more thing - make sure you're using the right website. Sometimes people accidentally go to scam sites that look like the real Washington ESD site. Always use esd.wa.gov

This whole thread has been super helpful! I bookmarked it in case I run into PIN issues later. The Washington ESD system can be so frustrating but at least there are ways to fix most problems.

Just wanted to mention that Claimyr thing again since a few people asked about it. I tried it last month when I couldn't get through to fix my adjudication issue and it really did work. Got me connected to an actual Washington ESD person who could help. Sometimes it's worth paying a little to save hours of frustration.

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're still having trouble after trying the online reset, make sure you're not mixing up your old PIN with a temporary one. Sometimes when you reset it, the system gives you a temporary PIN that you have to change to a permanent one on first login. I got confused by this and kept trying to use the temporary one after I had already changed it. Check your email for any confirmation messages from ESD that might have additional instructions.

One more tip that saved me recently - if you've moved since you first filed your unemployment claim, make sure you're using the address that was on file when you originally applied, not your current address. I kept getting locked out during the PIN reset process because I was entering my new ZIP code, but the system was still expecting my old one from when I first set up the account. Once I used the original address info, the reset went through smoothly. Also, if you've changed your phone number, you might need to update that with ESD before the security questions will work properly.