Washington ESD unemployment benefits how to apply - confused about the process

You apply online through the Washington ESD website at esd.wa.gov. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the last 18 months including employer names, addresses, and dates worked. The process takes about 30-45 minutes if you have everything ready.

Make sure you apply as soon as possible because there's a waiting week and you can't get benefits for the week you file. I made that mistake and lost a week of payments.

The Washington ESD online system walks you through everything step by step. After you submit your initial application, you'll need to file weekly claims every week to get paid. Each weekly claim asks about any work you did and money you earned that week. You also have to do job search activities - right now it's 3 job search activities per week.

I went through this whole process last year and the hardest part was actually getting through to someone at Washington ESD when I had questions. The phone lines are always busy. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual person. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on.

One thing to know is that after you apply, your claim might go into adjudication if there are any questions about your separation from work. This can delay your first payment for several weeks while they investigate.

ugh the whole system is such a pain. took me 6 weeks to get my first payment last time because of some stupid paperwork issue

Quick tip - when you're creating your account, make sure you remember your username and password. I've seen people get locked out and then have to wait weeks to get back in because customer service is so backed up.

Also be prepared for the fact that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them when you file your tax return next year.

The weekly benefit amount depends on how much you earned in your base period. Washington ESD will calculate it automatically based on your work history.

Make sure you're available for work and actively seeking work. That's a requirement to keep getting benefits. If you're not able to work for any reason, you need to report that.

One more thing - if you do any work while collecting unemployment, even just a few hours, you have to report it on your weekly claim. The system will calculate how it affects your benefit amount.

I'd recommend applying as soon as possible and then calling Washington ESD if you have specific questions about your situation. Though like others said, getting through can be tough.

Don't stress too much about the application itself - it's pretty straightforward. The waiting and uncertainty after you apply is the hard part.

Just remember that even if your claim gets delayed for some reason, you'll usually get backpay for eligible weeks once it's resolved. Don't panic if the first payment takes a while.

my advice is to screenshot everything and keep records of all your job search activities. you never know when they might audit your claim

One last tip - if you get confused about anything during the application process, there are help resources on the Washington ESD website including videos and FAQs. Check those before you submit if something doesn't make sense.

Good luck with your application! Most people get through the process fine, it's just intimidating the first time.

If you do run into issues and need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, definitely consider using Claimyr. I recommended it earlier but seriously, it saved me so much frustration when I was dealing with my claim.

I used something similar to Claimyr when I had issues with my weekly claims getting stuck. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human to sort things out.

The whole system works better than it used to but there are still hiccups. Just be patient and persistent if you run into problems.