Washington ESD unemployment benefits if I relocate - can I still collect?
I'm thinking about moving to Oregon for family reasons but I'm currently collecting unemployment benefits in Washington. Can I still receive my Washington ESD unemployment if I relocate to another state? I'm about 8 weeks into my claim and really don't want to mess anything up. Has anyone dealt with this situation before?
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Freya Pedersen
Yes, you can continue collecting Washington unemployment benefits even if you move to another state. The key is that you need to notify Washington ESD about your address change and make sure you're still meeting all the requirements like job searching and being available for work.
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GalacticGuru
•Do I need to search for jobs in Washington or can I look for work in Oregon where I'll be living?
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Freya Pedersen
•You can search for work in your new state, but you need to make sure you're available to accept suitable work. The job search requirements stay the same - 3 job contacts per week minimum.
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Omar Fawaz
I moved from Washington to California last year while on unemployment and had no issues. Just update your address in your eServices account and keep filing your weekly claims as normal.
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GalacticGuru
•That's reassuring! Did you have to do anything special or just the address change?
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Omar Fawaz
•Just the address change. I was worried about it too but Washington ESD makes it pretty straightforward.
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Chloe Anderson
Be careful about the 'available for work' requirement though. If you're moving for personal reasons rather than work-related reasons, Washington ESD might question whether you're truly available for work in Washington. You should probably call them to discuss your specific situation.
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GalacticGuru
•I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks but can never get through. The phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected.
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Diego Vargas
•I had the same problem trying to reach Washington ESD about my move. Found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me through to an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.
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Anastasia Fedorov
Wait, I'm confused. If you move to Oregon don't you have to file for Oregon unemployment instead?? I thought you had to file in the state where you live.
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Freya Pedersen
•No, you file unemployment in the state where you worked and earned wages, not where you currently live. Since they worked in Washington, they continue with Washington ESD even after moving.
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Anastasia Fedorov
•Oh wow I had no idea! That's actually really helpful to know.
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StarStrider
Just make sure you keep detailed records of your job search activities in Oregon. Washington ESD can audit your job search log at any time and you need to show you're actively looking for work.
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GalacticGuru
•Good point about the job search log. I've been keeping track but I'll make sure to be extra detailed.
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Sean Doyle
I moved from Washington to Idaho while collecting UI and it was fine. The only thing that changed was my mailing address for any paperwork. Everything else stayed the same.
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GalacticGuru
•That's exactly what I was hoping to hear! Did you have to prove you were still looking for work in your new state?
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Sean Doyle
•Yeah, I had to show I was job searching in Idaho but that was it. As long as you're available for work and actively searching, location doesn't matter much.
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Zara Rashid
Be prepared for potential delays or issues though. When I moved states the system flagged my claim for review and I had to wait 3 weeks for them to verify everything. It all worked out but there was definitely a hiccup.
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GalacticGuru
•Oh no, that's exactly what I was worried about. Did you have to provide any special documentation?
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Zara Rashid
•They asked for proof of my new address and verification that I was still available for work. Nothing too crazy but it did delay my payments for a few weeks.
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Luca Romano
The Washington ESD website has information about this but it's not super clear. I think you're supposed to report the move when you file your weekly claim by updating your contact info.
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GalacticGuru
•I'll definitely check the website. Is there a specific section that talks about moving out of state?
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Luca Romano
•I think it's under the 'Manage Your Claim' section but honestly their website is pretty confusing to navigate.
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Nia Jackson
Whatever you do, don't stop filing your weekly claims! Even if you're not sure about the move situation, keep filing and report the address change. It's better to keep the claim active than to have it close.
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GalacticGuru
•Absolutely, I'll keep filing no matter what. I can't afford to lose my benefits right now.
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Mateo Hernandez
I work for a company that deals with unemployment issues and I can tell you that interstate moves are pretty common. As long as you notify Washington ESD and continue meeting eligibility requirements, you should be fine.
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GalacticGuru
•That's really helpful to know from someone who works in the field. Are there any red flags I should avoid?
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Mateo Hernandez
•Just make sure you can honestly answer 'yes' to being available for work. If you're moving for school or to care for someone full-time, that could be an issue.
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CosmicCruiser
ugh the whole system is so confusing. I moved from Washington to Texas and had to deal with so much bureaucracy. It worked out eventually but man what a headache.
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GalacticGuru
•What kind of bureaucracy did you have to deal with? I'm trying to prepare myself for any potential issues.
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CosmicCruiser
•Mostly just lots of paperwork and phone calls to verify my new address and job search activities. Nothing insurmountable but definitely time-consuming.
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Aisha Khan
The key thing is being honest and transparent with Washington ESD about your move. Don't try to hide it or delay reporting it because that could cause bigger problems later.
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GalacticGuru
•Good advice. I'll definitely report it as soon as I know my exact move date.
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Ethan Taylor
I had a friend who moved to Nevada while on unemployment and she said the hardest part was actually getting through to Washington ESD to report the move. The phone system is terrible.
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GalacticGuru
•Yeah, I've been trying to call for other issues and it's nearly impossible to get through.
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Yuki Ito
•That's when I used Claimyr too. After spending days trying to call Washington ESD, Claimyr got me connected in like 30 minutes. Worth every penny when you need to talk to someone about important stuff like address changes.
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Carmen Lopez
Make sure you understand the difference between moving temporarily vs permanently. If it's just a temporary move, you might not need to change your address at all.
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GalacticGuru
•It's a permanent move unfortunately. I'll be living in Oregon indefinitely.
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Carmen Lopez
•Then definitely update your address with Washington ESD. Permanent moves need to be reported.
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Andre Dupont
One thing to keep in mind is that if you find work in Oregon, you'll still need to report those wages to Washington ESD since that's where your claim is. Don't report them to Oregon by mistake.
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GalacticGuru
•That's a really good point I hadn't thought of. So all wage reporting goes through Washington even if I'm working in Oregon?
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Andre Dupont
•Exactly. Your unemployment claim stays with Washington ESD regardless of where you live or work while collecting benefits.
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QuantumQuasar
I moved from Washington to Arizona last year and the whole process was actually pretty smooth. Just updated my address online and kept filing my weekly claims as usual.
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GalacticGuru
•That's encouraging! Did you have to do anything different for job searching in Arizona?
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QuantumQuasar
•Nope, just kept track of my job search activities like normal. Washington ESD doesn't care which state you're searching in as long as you're actively looking.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
The most important thing is don't let this stress you out too much. Thousands of people move while collecting unemployment and it's a pretty routine thing for Washington ESD to handle.
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GalacticGuru
•Thanks for the reassurance! I was really worried about messing up my claim.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•As long as you're honest and keep filing your claims, you should be fine. The system is designed to handle these situations.
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Jamal Wilson
Just remember that when you do get through to Washington ESD to report your move, have all your information ready - new address, phone number, when the move is happening, etc. It'll make the call go much smoother.
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GalacticGuru
•Good tip! I'll make sure to have everything organized before I try to call.
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Mei Lin
•And if you can't get through on the phone, try using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I've heard good things about it from other people in similar situations.
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Katherine Hunter
I went through this exact situation when I moved from Washington to Colorado while collecting unemployment. The good news is it's totally doable! You just need to update your address in your eServices account and continue filing your weekly claims. The key things to remember: 1) You're still filing with Washington ESD since that's where you worked, 2) You can search for jobs in Oregon, 3) Keep detailed records of your job search activities, and 4) Make sure you can honestly say you're available for work. I had zero issues with my benefits continuing after the move. The only hiccup was it took me forever to get through to ESD to ask questions, but the actual process was straightforward.
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