Is unemployment rising in Washington - should I file now or wait?

File immediately! There's no benefit to waiting when it comes to unemployment claims. Your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you got laid off. Even if unemployment rates are rising, that doesn't change the fact that you need to get your claim in as soon as possible.

I just filed my claim two weeks ago and it took about 20 minutes online. The Washington ESD website seemed to be running normally. I haven't noticed any major delays compared to when my friend filed last year. The real issue is going to be if you need to talk to someone on the phone - that's where you might run into problems if call volume is high.

The phone situation with Washington ESD is ridiculous right now. I've been trying to call for three weeks about my adjudication and can barely get through. If unemployment is rising then yeah, it's probably going to get worse. Someone told me about this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to ESD agents - has anyone tried it? I'm getting desperate.

whether unemployment is rising or not shouldn't matter for your decision. you got laid off, you're eligible, file the claim. end of story.

Just to add some perspective - even if unemployment rates are trending up, the Washington ESD system has handled much higher volumes before. During 2020-2021 they processed millions of claims. The current system should be able to handle normal fluctuations in unemployment without major issues.

I work in HR and we've had to lay off more people in the last month than we did all of last quarter. So yeah, unemployment might be rising in some sectors. But like everyone said, that doesn't change when you should file your claim.

dude just file your claim and stop worrying about unemployment statistics. you're unemployed right now, that's all that matters for your situation

One thing to keep in mind - if unemployment is rising, that might actually mean more job opportunities as companies start hiring again after the layoffs. But that's probably months away. Focus on getting your benefits sorted out first.

I mentioned Claimyr earlier - just wanted to add that they have this demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ) that shows exactly how they help you get through Washington ESD phone lines. Might be worth bookmarking in case you need to call about anything later.

Been unemployed for 6 months now and I can tell you the job market feels tighter than it was earlier this year. More competition for everything. But your unemployment benefits don't change based on how many other people are looking for work.

The Washington ESD website has some labor market data if you really want to see unemployment trends. But honestly for your personal situation it doesn't matter - file your claim today if you haven't already.

I filed my claim yesterday actually and the whole process was pretty smooth. Took maybe 15 minutes online. Haven't tried calling yet but hopefully won't need to.

JUST FILE THE CLAIM. Sorry for caps but seriously, you're wasting time wondering about unemployment statistics when you should be filing. Every day you wait is money you're not getting.

To actually answer your original question - yes, unemployment has been trending slightly upward in Washington over the last few months according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data. But seasonal adjustments make it hard to tell if it's a real trend or just normal fluctuation.

my cousin works for washington esd and she says they're seeing more claims than usual but nothing crazy like during covid. system should handle it fine

I've been tracking unemployment rates for my economics class and Washington has been pretty stable compared to other states. Small uptick recently but nothing dramatic.

Look, even if unemployment is rising, that doesn't mean Washington ESD is going to be overwhelmed. They've upgraded their systems since the pandemic. File your claim and stop overthinking it.

The real question isn't whether unemployment is rising, it's whether you meet the eligibility requirements for your claim. Did you work enough quarters? Were you laid off vs fired for cause? That's what actually matters for your benefits.

Just wanted to mention that if you do run into issues reaching Washington ESD by phone later, that Claimyr service people mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me probably 20+ hours of trying to call myself.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. You're absolutely right that I was overthinking this. I'm going to file my claim today and stop worrying about unemployment trends. I appreciate all the insights and the info about resources like Claimyr in case I need help getting through to ESD later.