If you get laid off can you get unemployment benefits from Washington ESD?

Yes, if you're laid off through no fault of your own, you should qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington. You'll need to file your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work. Go to the Washington ESD website and create an account if you don't have one already. You'll need your social security number, employment history for the past 18 months, and banking info for direct deposit.

The key thing is making sure you have all your employment info ready. Washington ESD will ask for details about every job you've had in the past 18 months - employer names, addresses, dates worked, and reason for leaving. If you're laid off, that's considered 'lack of work' which qualifies you for benefits.

Just went through this myself last year. One thing that helped me was using Claimyr to actually get through to a Washington ESD representative when I had questions about my claim. The phone lines are usually swamped and you'll get disconnected constantly, but Claimyr basically calls for you and gets you connected to an actual person. Check out their website claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

ugh the Washington ESD website is such a nightmare to navigate. took me forever to figure out how to file my weekly claims when I was on unemployment

There are specific requirements you'll need to meet while collecting unemployment. In Washington, you need to be actively searching for work and you need to be able and available to work. You'll also need to register with WorkSource Washington and complete job search activities. Don't skip these requirements or you could lose your benefits.

The whole process is so stressful. I remember when I got laid off I was panicking about money and bills and then had to deal with all this bureaucracy on top of it. Just know that if you qualify, it takes a few weeks to get your first payment.

Also make sure you understand the difference between being laid off versus being fired. If you're laid off due to lack of work, downsizing, company closure, etc., you should qualify. If you're fired for misconduct, that's a different story and you might not qualify.

One more tip - if your claim gets stuck in adjudication (which happens sometimes), don't just wait around. Call Washington ESD or use a service to help you get through. I waited 6 weeks thinking it would resolve itself and it didn't.

honestly the whole system is a mess but at least layoffs are pretty straightforward compared to other situations

Just be prepared for the emotional roller coaster. Losing your job is hard enough without having to jump through hoops to get benefits you've paid into. But you'll get through it!

One last thing - if you have any severance pay or vacation payout, that might affect when your benefits start. Washington ESD considers that income, so make sure you report it accurately when you file.

The most important thing is to file as soon as you're eligible. Don't wait thinking you'll find another job quickly. You can always stop claiming if you find work, but you can't backdate benefits if you wait too long to file.

Been there, done that. Layoffs suck but unemployment benefits definitely help bridge the gap while you're job hunting. Just follow the rules and you should be fine.

Good luck with everything! The unemployment system isn't perfect but it's there to help people in situations exactly like yours. You've got this!