Washington ESD historical unemployment data - what caused the sharp rise after WWI?

That makes sense about the shipbuilding. I hadn't thought about how concentrated those industries were here.

Yeah the Puget Sound shipyards just shut down entire operations overnight when the war contracts ended

Wow, can you imagine dealing with unemployment without any benefits or support system? At least now we have Washington ESD even if it's frustrating sometimes.

honestly the way washington esd phone system works sometimes feels like we're back in the 1920s lol

Speaking of calling Washington ESD, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

12%? That's awful. How did families even survive without any safety net?

Many relied on family, churches, and local charity organizations. Some cities tried to create work programs but it was very limited compared to what we have now.

That's exactly the kind of personal perspective I was hoping to find. Did he ever talk about what kind of work he ended up doing?

he went from being a shipyard supervisor during the war to doing odd jobs and farm work. took him almost 3 years to get steady employment again

I didn't know about that connection. So political fears made the unemployment situation worse?

Absolutely. Employers used anti-communist sentiment to justify firing union organizers and anyone who complained about working conditions.

Good point. Washington's wheat and apple farmers were hit hard when export markets dried up. Many farm workers moved to cities looking for work, which made urban unemployment even worse.

And then the cities couldn't absorb all those workers because the factories were also cutting jobs. It was a perfect storm.

That's where Claimyr comes in handy. They handle the calling for you so you don't waste time on hold. Really helpful for getting through to Washington ESD agents when you need to resolve claim issues.

Never heard of that. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legitimate. They have a video demo that shows exactly how it works. Saved me hours of frustration trying to reach Washington ESD about my adjudication issues.

That's interesting. So even though things got cheaper, people still couldn't afford them because they didn't have jobs?

Exactly. Deflation sounds good in theory but it can be just as damaging as inflation when it leads to mass unemployment.

makes me appreciate washington esd a bit more even when they're being difficult. at least the system exists now

True, but sometimes I think we've overcomplicated things. The bureaucracy can be just as big a barrier as having no system at all.

The National Origins Act of 1924 definitely changed the labor landscape, but by then the immediate post-war crisis had mostly resolved. The immigration restrictions were more about long-term economic and social changes.

Fair point. The timeline is important - the sharp rise happened 1919-1921, while the immigration restrictions came later.

Good question. Most unemployment data from that era comes from census records, union reports, and local surveys. It wasn't nearly as systematic as what Washington ESD tracks today.

So we might not even have accurate numbers for how bad it really was?

Probably not. The official statistics likely underestimated the true scope of unemployment, especially for women and minorities who were often excluded from surveys.

That's a really good point about the psychological aspect. The transition from military service to civilian unemployment must have been especially hard.

And veterans didn't have the kind of support services we have now either. Just got discharged and told to figure it out.

Oh that's perfect! I hadn't connected that strike to the unemployment crisis. Thanks for the tip.

No problem. The strike was about more than just wages - it was about workers feeling like they had no other options as jobs disappeared.

You should try using Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD. It's specifically designed to help people connect with agents without sitting on hold forever. Might help you reach someone who can point you to the right historical resources.

Is that the service you mentioned earlier? I might have to try that because I've been calling for weeks with no luck.

That's true, but the human cost during those 2-3 years was enormous. Families lost everything, people died from poverty-related causes, social fabric was torn apart.

Absolutely. I'm not trying to minimize the suffering, just noting that the economic recovery was relatively quick compared to later recessions.

Excellent point. The efficiency gains from wartime production methods meant permanent job losses in many sectors. It wasn't just about converting back to peacetime production.

So it was an early example of technological unemployment? That's really relevant to modern discussions about automation.

What made the difference between regions that recovered quickly and those that didn't?

Mainly economic diversity. Areas that weren't as dependent on war production had an easier time. Places like Seattle that were heavily invested in shipbuilding took longer to recover.

We definitely have better safety nets now with Washington ESD and unemployment insurance. But we're probably more economically complex too, which creates new types of risks.

The 2008 recession and COVID showed we still have major vulnerabilities. But at least people didn't have to rely on charity and family alone like in the 1920s.

Glad we could help! Economic history is fascinating because it shows how many different forces come together to create these major disruptions.

Same here. This was way more complex than I initially thought. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and family stories.