Washington ESD: Can I receive unemployment if I move to another state during my claim?
I'm currently receiving UI benefits through Washington ESD and my boyfriend got a job offer in Oregon. We're planning to move next month but I'm worried about what happens to my unemployment claim. Do I lose my benefits if I move out of state? I still haven't found work and really need to keep getting payments. My weekly claim amount is $487 and I have about 14 weeks left on my claim. Has anyone dealt with this situation before?
49 comments

Amina Toure
You can absolutely continue receiving Washington ESD benefits even if you move to another state! I moved from Seattle to Phoenix last year while on unemployment and kept getting my payments. You just need to update your address in your eServices account and make sure you're still actively looking for work. The key is that you have to remain available for work.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorThat's such a relief! Do I need to tell Washington ESD before I move or can I just update my address after?
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Amina Toure
I'd recommend updating it as soon as you know your new address. You don't want any mail getting lost, especially if they need to send you important documents.
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Oliver Zimmermann
Wait, doesn't moving affect your job search requirements? I thought you had to be looking for work in Washington specifically.
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Natasha Volkova
No, that's not correct. You can search for work anywhere as long as you're genuinely available and looking. Washington ESD doesn't restrict your job search to just Washington state.
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Oliver Zimmermann
Oh interesting, I didn't know that. Thanks for clarifying!
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Javier Torres
I had to deal with this exact situation when I moved to California. The hardest part was actually getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about the move. I spent HOURS trying to call them and kept getting disconnected. Someone on here recommended using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual agent. It worked amazingly - they connected me to someone at Washington ESD in like 10 minutes instead of me spending all day calling. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorClaimyr sounds too good to be true honestly. How much does it cost?
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Javier Torres
I was skeptical too but it really does work. They don't mention pricing upfront but it was worth it to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD instead of wasting entire days trying to get through.
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Emma Davis
I used Claimyr too when I had issues with my adjudication taking forever. Super easy to use and finally got answers about my claim status.
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CosmicCaptain
MAKE SURE you understand the tax implications!!! Different states have different rules about taxing unemployment benefits. I moved from Washington to Colorado and got hit with unexpected state taxes on my UI payments. Washington doesn't have state income tax but most other states do.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorOh wow I hadn't even thought about taxes. Oregon does have state income tax so I'll need to research this.
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Malik Johnson
Yeah definitely look into this. You might want to have extra taxes withheld from your unemployment payments if you're moving to a state with income tax.
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Natasha Volkova
The most important thing is maintaining your eligibility requirements. You still need to file your weekly claims on time, be available for work, and actively seek employment. Moving doesn't change any of those basic requirements. Just make sure your contact information is current in the system so you don't miss any important communications from Washington ESD.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorGood point about the weekly claims. I assume I still file them at the same time even though I'll be in a different time zone?
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Natasha Volkova
Yes, the filing schedule stays the same. The system runs on Pacific Time since it's Washington ESD.
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Isabella Ferreira
I moved to Texas while collecting and had zero issues. Been getting my payments for 3 months now. The only annoying thing was having to explain to local employers that I'm collecting Washington unemployment when they see my Washington phone number on applications lol
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorHaha I bet that's confusing for employers. Did you change your phone number or keep your Washington one?
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Isabella Ferreira
Kept the Washington number for now since all my unemployment stuff is tied to it. Figured it's easier than trying to update everything.
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Ravi Sharma
One thing to consider - if you're moving for your boyfriend's job, make sure that doesn't create any issues with your claim. Washington ESD might ask why you moved and whether you're still genuinely available for work.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorThat's a good point. Should I be worried about that? I'm definitely still looking for work, just expanding my search to include Oregon now.
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Amina Toure
As long as you're honest about still seeking work and available to accept a job offer, you should be fine. Moving for family reasons is pretty normal.
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Freya Thomsen
Just want to add that you should double-check if Oregon has any reciprocal agreements with Washington for unemployment benefits. Some states have special arrangements that might affect things.
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Natasha Volkova
Interstate benefit agreements don't really apply here since she's keeping her Washington claim. Those agreements are more for when you work in one state but live in another.
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Freya Thomsen
Ah gotcha, thanks for the clarification!
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Omar Zaki
I moved from Spokane to Boise while on unemployment last year. No problems at all. Just kept filing my weekly claims and updating my job search log with positions I was applying for in Idaho. Washington ESD never questioned it.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorThat's reassuring! Did you have to do anything special when you updated your address?
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Omar Zaki
Nope, just logged into eServices and changed it in my profile. Super straightforward.
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AstroAce
Be prepared for potential delays if Washington ESD needs to contact you about anything. Mail forwarding isn't always reliable and if they need verification documents it might take longer to sort out from out of state.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorGood thinking. I'll make sure to set up mail forwarding with USPS and maybe give them a heads up about the move.
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Javier Torres
This is exactly why having a way to actually reach Washington ESD agents is so helpful. Claimyr saved me when I had address change issues.
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Chloe Martin
Don't forget about job search requirements! You still need to make 3 job contacts per week and keep your WorkSourceWA account active even if you're not physically in Washington anymore.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorCan I count job applications in Oregon toward my 3 weekly contacts?
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Chloe Martin
Yes absolutely! The job search requirements don't specify that the jobs have to be in Washington state.
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Diego Rojas
I'm dealing with something similar but my situation is more complicated because I'm thinking about moving to help take care of my elderly parents. Has anyone moved for family caregiving reasons while on unemployment?
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Natasha Volkova
That would fall under good cause for potentially being unavailable for work in some circumstances. You'd want to discuss that specific situation with Washington ESD directly.
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Javier Torres
Definitely a situation where being able to actually talk to an agent would be crucial. The Claimyr service I mentioned earlier would be perfect for getting specific guidance on complicated situations like this.
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Anastasia Sokolov
The main thing is just being honest and following all the same rules you were following before. Moving doesn't automatically disqualify you from benefits as long as you're still available and looking for work.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorThanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much better about the move now.
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Sean O'Donnell
Good luck with the move! Oregon is beautiful, you'll love it there.
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Zara Ahmed
Just make sure you understand Oregon's job market before you move. Depending on your field, it might actually be easier or harder to find work there compared to Washington.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorI work in marketing so hopefully there are opportunities in Portland. That's where we're planning to move.
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Zara Ahmed
Portland has a decent marketing scene, especially with all the tech companies and startups there. You should do fine!
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StarStrider
One last tip - if you end up having any issues or questions after the move, don't waste time trying to call Washington ESD the regular way. The wait times are insane and you'll just get frustrated.
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorYeah several people mentioned using Claimyr to actually get through to agents. Seems like that's the way to go if I need to talk to someone.
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StarStrider
Exactly. I wish I had known about it earlier. Would have saved me so much time and stress trying to get simple questions answered.
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Luca Esposito
Sounds like you've got good advice here. The move shouldn't affect your benefits at all as long as you stay on top of your weekly claims and job search requirements. Good luck!
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Paolo Ricci
AuthorThank you! I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their experiences. This thread has been super helpful.
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Nia Thompson
That's what this community is for! We're all trying to navigate this unemployment system together.
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