Washington ESD claim approved but worried about high minimum wage affecting my job search

i think youre overthinking it tbh, the job market is just tough right now regardless of minimum wage

From an economic perspective, there are studies suggesting minimum wage increases can reduce entry-level hiring in some sectors, but Washington's economy has generally remained strong. Your job search success will depend more on your skills and the specific industry you're targeting than the minimum wage level.

I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about this exact concern and can never get through on the phone. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with an actual agent to discuss job search strategies. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WASHINGTON'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD BE!! When you force businesses to pay $16+ an hour they just hire fewer people or replace workers with technology. It's basic economics but politicians don't care about actual unemployed people.

I work in HR and can tell you that most employers in Washington have adjusted their hiring practices around the minimum wage requirements. What matters more is showing up prepared for interviews and having the right skills. Make sure your WorkSourceWA profile is updated and you're applying to positions that match your experience level.

Been on unemployment twice in the past 3 years and honestly the minimum wage thing never seemed to matter for my job search. There are always businesses hiring, you just have to be persistent and willing to start somewhere.

my cousin lives in a state with lower minimum wage and she was unemployed for 8 months so idk if wage levels really matter that much

One thing to consider is that Washington's higher minimum wage also means unemployment benefits are calculated at higher levels, so you might have more time to find a position that's a good fit rather than taking the first low-paying job available.

Update: I used that Claimyr service I mentioned and was able to speak with a Washington ESD representative who explained that they're actually seeing good job placement rates for people completing their WorkSourceWA requirements. The agent said not to worry too much about minimum wage effects on hiring.

I think the bigger issue is that a lot of jobs now require experience or certifications that people on unemployment might not have, minimum wage aside.

whatever the connection is between wages and unemployment, at least washington pays decent UI benefits compared to other states

As someone who owns a small business in Washington, I can say the minimum wage does factor into hiring decisions, but it's not the main barrier. Worker reliability and skills matter much more than the wage requirements.

I was worrying about the same thing when I was on unemployment last year but ended up finding work within 6 weeks. The key was applying to lots of places and following up consistently.

honestly just focus on meeting your weekly claim requirements and applying to jobs that interest you. overthinking the economics isn't going to help you find work faster

Final thought on this topic: Washington's unemployment system is actually designed to support job seekers through the WorkSourceWA platform and benefit structure. The minimum wage is just one factor in a complex economy, and your individual job search efforts will matter much more than wage policy debates.