Washington ESD unemployment benefits during economic downturn - how does Fed policy affect claims?

That makes sense. I've noticed fewer job postings in my field lately, which makes the weekly job search log harder to complete.

Same here, the job market feels really tight right now compared to when I filed my first claim last year.

Good to know the benefits won't change. I was worried about that affecting my weekly claim amounts.

Yeah, your weekly benefit amount is locked in when you file your initial claim with Washington ESD.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to ESD agents without waiting on hold forever. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That sounds too good to be true, but I'm desperate. How does it actually work?

It's legit - they basically monitor the phone lines and call you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours of hold time.

Right, that's what I was thinking too. More people like me getting laid off due to supply issues.

Exactly. Supply shocks usually mean companies can't produce as much, so they need fewer workers temporarily.

That's reassuring. I was worried my claim might get cut short if economic conditions changed.

No, your benefit duration is set when you file. In Washington you get up to 26 weeks typically, regardless of what the Fed does.

Well, Congress could change unemployment programs, but that's separate from Fed monetary policy.

So if they're doing that now, does it mean more manufacturing jobs might open up soon?

Possibly, but it takes time for monetary policy to work through the economy. Could be 6-12 months before you see significant job growth.

That's a long time to wait when you're on unemployment benefits.

As long as you meet the work search requirements and file your weekly claims on time, your benefits should continue regardless of Fed policy.

OK good. I've been doing my 3 job searches per week like Washington ESD requires.

True, I guess I was conflating different types of government intervention.

Yeah, Washington ESD operates independently of Fed policy for the most part.

Hang in there. Have you tried using WorkSourceWA for additional job search resources?

Yeah, I'm registered there. Still struggling to find anything in my field.

Same boat here. The economic theory doesn't match the reality of job hunting right now.

It's when something disrupts the supply of goods or services, like supply chain problems, natural disasters, or commodity price spikes. This usually leads to higher prices and unemployment.

Oh, so like when gas prices went up and shipping costs increased?

Exactly. That's a classic supply shock that can hurt the economy and increase unemployment.

I had better luck using Claimyr to reach them. They handle the calling and waiting so you don't have to sit on hold forever.

Is that expensive? I'm on a tight budget obviously.

It's worth it when you need to talk to ESD about important claim issues. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ to see how it works.

That's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks for clarifying.

Right, your benefit amount and duration are set by Washington state law, not federal economic policy.

Good to know. I was worried about potential benefit cuts if the economy changed.

Your benefits are an insurance program you paid into while working, so they're pretty stable regardless of current economic conditions.

Fair enough! Just keep filing your weekly claims and doing your job searches. The rest is background noise.

exactly, thanks

That's a good point. Manufacturing might recover faster than service industries depending on the policy approach.

Interesting. I'll keep that in mind when I'm doing my job searches.

So true. I've been waiting 3 weeks for adjudication on my claim and can't reach anyone.

Have you tried Claimyr? They specialize in getting through to ESD agents when the regular phone lines are jammed.

I'll check it out. At this point I'm willing to try anything.

That's a long time to wait when you're relying on unemployment benefits.

True, but at least Washington ESD benefits can last up to 26 weeks, which gives you some runway.

Yeah, you're right. I guess I was hoping for a more direct connection between Fed policy and my job prospects.

The connection exists, it's just indirect and takes time to materialize.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind if I need to call about my claim.

The agents can give you much better specific advice than we can speculate about here.

Perfect, that's exactly what I was wondering. Thanks for the clear answer!

Yeah, this thread got pretty deep into economic theory but that's the practical takeaway.