Washington ESD unemployment - do I file where I live or where I work?

That makes sense, thank you! I was worried I'd have to deal with Washington ESD's system when my employer wasn't even paying into it.

Yep this is correct. I live in Vancouver WA but work in Portland OR and had to file with Oregon when I got laid off couple years ago.

I only worked in Idaho during the base period, so sounds like Idaho it is. Thanks for clarifying!

Wait, what's a base period? I'm about to file for unemployment too and I keep seeing this term.

Base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. It's what they use to determine if you qualify and how much you get.

ugh yes the phone situation is terrible. I found this service called Claimyr that actually helps you get through to unemployment offices. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Might be worth it if you need to actually talk to someone.

Interesting, I'll have to check that out. Getting hung up on after waiting 2 hours is maddening.

Did you have any issues with the different state systems? Like if you move back to Washington for work, does it affect anything?

Nah it's pretty straightforward. Each state handles their own system independently. Moving doesn't really matter as long as you're available for work.

Correct. Always file where you worked and where your employer paid unemployment taxes.

That's the opposite of my situation but yeah same rule applies from what everyone's saying.

Wish they made this clearer on the websites. Seems like a pretty common question.

Yeah it should be in big bold letters on the front page of every unemployment website lol

Good point but I only worked in Idaho so I don't think I have a choice here.

How do you figure out which state has better benefits? Is there like a comparison tool somewhere?

You'd have to look at each state's benefit calculator. Usually it's based on your earnings and the state's maximum benefit amounts.

Remote work makes this even more confusing. Good to know it's still based on where the company pays taxes.

Yeah it took me a while to figure that out. The company's location is what matters for tax purposes.

Good reminder, I'll make sure to grab my pay stubs and tax info from this past year.

Also your employer should provide you with separation info that Idaho will need for processing.

Are there any exceptions to this rule? Like what if you worked for a federal contractor or something?

Federal employees have their own system (UCFE) but for regular jobs it's always file where you worked.

Lucky! I can never get through to any unemployment office. That Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier might be worth trying if I need to actually talk to someone.

Yeah phone lines are usually swamped. Idaho seemed less busy when I called but that was a couple months ago.

That's good to know. I'm not planning to move but good to understand how it works.

What about job search requirements? Do they change if you move to a different state while collecting?

You still follow the rules of the state where you filed, but you can look for work anywhere. Just need to document your search activities properly.

Exactly! I live in Vancouver and work in Portland. Filed with Oregon when I got laid off and it was straightforward once I knew the right state.

Sounds like this is pretty common then. Thanks everyone for clearing this up!

Should be pinned or something. This question comes up a lot.

Definitely! Wish I had found this info earlier instead of going in circles on the Washington ESD website.

I worked full time for over a year so I should be fine, but I'll double check Idaho's specific requirements.

Idaho's requirements are pretty standard. If you worked steady for a year you should qualify no problem.

Good advice but getting through on the phone is nearly impossible most days. That Claimyr service might actually be worth it for situations like this where you really need to talk to someone.

True, phone lines are brutal. I waited 3 hours once just to ask a simple question about my claim status.

Glad this helped someone else! That's exactly why I posted - figured I couldn't be the only one confused about this.

Border state workers unite! lol. But seriously this is super helpful info.

Great point. I'll make sure to save all the confirmation info once I file with Idaho.

Screenshot everything! I learned that the hard way when I couldn't find my claim details later.

Thanks! Yeah this thread definitely cleared up my confusion. Time to get started with Idaho's system.

Good luck! Idaho's website is actually pretty user-friendly from what I remember.

I'll keep that in mind if I hit any snags. Thanks for all the help everyone!