Is it bad to collect unemployment benefits in Washington state?

You absolutely should not feel guilty about collecting unemployment! You've been paying into this system through payroll taxes your entire working career. It's literally insurance that you've already paid for. Washington ESD exists specifically to help people like you who lost their job through no fault of their own.

I felt the same way when I first filed my claim. But then I realized - I'd worked for 8 years straight, paid my taxes, and got laid off due to company restructuring. There's nothing shameful about using a safety net that exists for exactly this situation. The whole point of unemployment insurance is to help people get back on their feet.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to file your claim, I actually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an agent. You can check them 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.

There's nothing bad about collecting unemployment at all. In fact, it's good for the economy because it keeps money circulating while you look for work. You're not sitting around doing nothing - you still have to meet job search requirements and report your activities to Washington ESD every week.

Look, I get the guilt thing but you need to get over it fast. I wasted 2 weeks feeling bad about filing and that was 2 weeks of benefits I could have been collecting. File your claim TODAY. You can do it online through secure.esd.wa.gov and it only takes like 20 minutes.

I had the same guilt when I got laid off from my restaurant job. But then my mom reminded me that unemployment isn't charity - it's a government program funded by employer taxes specifically to help workers who lose their jobs. Every employer pays into this system knowing their employees might need it someday.

The stigma around unemployment is so dumb. Like, do you feel guilty about using car insurance when you get in an accident? Of course not! This is the same thing - it's insurance you paid for through your work.

I was unemployed for 4 months last year and collecting benefits literally saved my life. I was able to keep my apartment, pay for groceries, and focus on finding a good job instead of taking the first crappy offer out of desperation. That's exactly what the system is designed to do.

Just want to add - when you do file with Washington ESD, make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if you haven't heard anything about your initial claim being approved. I made the mistake of not filing for 3 weeks because I thought I had to wait for approval first.

Honestly the hardest part about unemployment isn't the money - it's dealing with Washington ESD's phone system when you need help. I spent hours trying to get through to ask about my claim status. Eventually used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got connected in like 10 minutes.

One thing to remember is that collecting unemployment actually helps other people too. The money you receive gets spent on rent, groceries, gas, etc. which supports local businesses and keeps people employed. It's not just about you - it's part of how the economy works.

The guilt is totally normal but you need to push through it. I felt the same way but then I realized - if I don't collect unemployment, that money just sits in the system unused. At least if I collect it, I'm using it to pay rent to my landlord, buy groceries from local stores, put gas in my car. It's better for everyone if the money circulates.

I'm going to be blunt - you're being silly. You paid into this system for 3 years. Your employer paid into it for 3 years. It exists specifically for people who get laid off through no fault of their own. Use it and stop feeling guilty about using a program that was designed for exactly your situation.

Just to add some perspective - the maximum weekly benefit in Washington is $999 per week. That's not exactly living the high life. It's enough to cover basic expenses while you look for work, which is exactly what it's supposed to do. Nobody is getting rich off unemployment benefits.

I wish I'd known about services like Claimyr when I was dealing with Washington ESD last year. Spent literally days trying to get through on the phone to resolve an issue with my claim. Could have saved myself so much stress.

Look, I've been working and paying taxes for 15 years. I've used unemployment twice - once when I got laid off and once when my company went out of business. Both times I felt a little weird about it at first, but then I realized this is literally what I've been paying for all these years. Don't feel guilty about using a service you've been paying for.

The thing that helped me get over the guilt was realizing that refusing to collect unemployment doesn't help anyone. It doesn't create jobs, it doesn't help other unemployed people, it doesn't improve the economy. All it does is make your own situation worse for no reason.

Just want to say thanks for asking this question. I'm in a similar situation and was feeling the same guilt. Reading all these responses has really helped me realize I should file my claim too. We shouldn't feel bad about using a system we've been paying into our whole careers.