Washington ESD historical unemployment data - what was unemployment by 1933?

The Washington ESD wasn't established until 1945, so you won't find data from them for 1933. However, national unemployment peaked around 25% in 1933. Washington state likely had similar or higher rates due to the timber and fishing industries being hit hard.

You might want to check the Washington State Archives or the Bureau of Labor Statistics historical data. They sometimes have records that predate Washington ESD.

For what it's worth, if you're having trouble reaching government agencies for historical data, I recently discovered claimyr.com which helps people get through to Washington ESD agents by phone. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be useful if you need to speak with someone at Washington ESD about their historical records.

I think you're looking at this wrong. The unemployment insurance system we know today didn't exist in 1933. People just didn't have the safety net that Washington ESD provides now.

my grandpa used to tell stories about 1933 and how there were no jobs anywhere, he said maybe 1 in 4 people had work but thats just from his memory not official data

Have you tried contacting a Washington ESD historian or their public information office? They might have institutional knowledge about pre-ESD unemployment data.

Washington state unemployment in 1933 was probably closer to 30-35% honestly. The timber industry collapsed and fishing was way down. Way worse than what we see today even with Washington ESD helping people.

This is fascinating research! I'm curious what you're comparing it to with current Washington ESD data. Are you looking at claim volumes or actual unemployment rates?

You know what might help? If you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD about their historical records, I used Claimyr recently and it was super helpful for getting through their phone system. Much easier than trying to call Washington ESD directly.

The University of Washington library might have historical labor statistics. They often have records that predate Washington ESD by decades.

Just want to point out that unemployment insurance as we know it through Washington ESD didn't exist until the late 1930s. So any 1933 data would be from different sources entirely.

Have you considered reaching out to the Washington State Labor Council? They might have historical records or know where to find them.

The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco sometimes has historical data for the Pacific Northwest region. Might be worth checking their archives too.

I remember reading that Washington state had some of the highest unemployment rates in the country during 1933 because of how dependent the economy was on natural resources.

Whatever you find for 1933, it's going to make today's Washington ESD system look like a miracle. People back then had no safety net at all.

I know someone who works at Washington ESD and they mentioned they occasionally get historical research requests. You might try their public records request process.

For what it's worth, I've had good luck using Claimyr when I needed to reach Washington ESD for questions about my claim. If you do decide to call them directly about historical data, it might save you some time.

This whole thread has been really educational. I had no idea how different things were before Washington ESD existed. Good luck with your research!

One more thought - the Washington State Historical Society might have labor statistics from the 1930s. They often have records that other places don't.

Just to summarize what others have said - you're looking at probably 25-35% unemployment in Washington state during 1933, with no Washington ESD system to help people. Pretty sobering comparison to today.