Is unemployment public record in Washington ESD system?

Unemployment benefit records are generally confidential in Washington state. The ESD doesn't release individual claim information to the public. Your claim details, benefit amounts, and reasons for filing are protected under state privacy laws.

There are some exceptions though. If there's an appeal hearing or dispute, some information might become part of administrative records. Also, if you're applying for certain government jobs, they might ask about unemployment history directly.

I was actually trying to get information about my old claim from 2023 and couldn't reach anyone at Washington ESD for weeks. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual agent who could help me understand what records they had. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

WHAT ABOUT EMPLOYERS REPORTING STUFF TO ESD THOUGH?? My former boss was really vindictive when I left and I'm scared they'll try to mess with my claim somehow

Just to add - unemployment benefits don't show up on credit reports or most background checks either. I work in HR and we can't see this information when screening candidates.

I filed for benefits last month and was also worried about this. Called ESD multiple times but kept getting busy signals. Eventually got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier - they connected me to an agent who explained all the privacy protections.

Been collecting UI for 8 weeks now and nobody at my new job interviews has ever mentioned it or seemed to know about it. Your unemployment claim is between you and Washington ESD, period.

Quick question - what if you're applying for jobs that require security clearances? Do they look at unemployment history then?

The only time I've seen unemployment info become somewhat public is in news stories about fraud cases, but that's for people who committed crimes, not regular claimants.

my sister works for the state and she says even government employees can't access unemployment records unless it's directly related to their job duties. there are serious penalties for unauthorized access

I was worried about the same thing when I filed. Turns out the bigger issue was actually getting through to ESD to handle problems with my claim. Used Claimyr after seeing it mentioned here and finally got help with my adjudication issue.

Just want to emphasize that unemployment benefits are an insurance program you paid into through your payroll taxes. There's no shame in using benefits you earned, and the privacy protections reflect that.

The Washington ESD website has a privacy policy that spells out exactly what information they share and with whom. Might be worth reading if you want all the legal details.

been through this whole process twice in the last 5 years - once for regular layoff, once for medical leave situation. never had any employer find out or mention it during job searches. your claim info stays private

To directly answer your original question - no, unemployment claims are not public records in Washington state. They're confidential administrative records with strict access controls.

One more thing to add - even if you have to appeal a decision, those hearing records are also confidential. Only becomes public if you choose to take it to court, which almost never happens.

I had the same concerns when I was laid off last year. After doing research and speaking with ESD directly, I can confirm that your unemployment records are absolutely confidential. Washington state has strong privacy laws protecting this information - RCW 50.13.060 specifically prohibits disclosure of individual claim information except to authorized parties. Even if a potential employer somehow tried to access this info, they legally cannot, and ESD faces serious penalties for unauthorized disclosure. The only people who can see your claim details are you, your authorized representative, and ESD staff who need the information to process your claim. Don't let privacy concerns prevent you from accessing benefits you've earned through your payroll contributions.