Washington ESD unemployment how many jobs per week requirement - confused about the rules

It's 3 job contacts per week for most people on regular unemployment insurance. You need to log them in your WorkSourceWA account and keep records of where you applied. Make sure you're looking for work that's suitable for your skills and experience.

Wait I thought it was 5 job contacts? That's what I've been doing for the past month. Am I doing too much or did the rules change?

The standard is 3 job contacts per week, but there are some exceptions. If you're in certain training programs or have specific circumstances, the requirements might be different. Also, if you're on standby status waiting to be recalled by your employer, you might not need to do job searches at all.

I had trouble reaching Washington ESD to clarify this exact question last month. Spent hours on hold trying to get through to someone who could explain the job search requirements. Finally found claimyr.com which helped me get connected to an actual Washington ESD representative without the endless hold times. The agent confirmed it's 3 job contacts per week and explained how to document them properly. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

make sure ur logging everything in worksource. i made the mistake of not documenting properly and they questioned my claim. had to provide proof of all my job applications going back weeks

Just to clarify the 3 job contacts requirement - they need to be legitimate job applications for work you're qualified to do. You can't just apply to random jobs that don't match your skills or experience. Washington ESD can audit your job search activities and they'll look at whether your applications were reasonable.

Does anyone know if networking events count as job contacts? I went to a job fair last week and talked to several employers but didn't submit formal applications to all of them.

I've been on unemployment for 6 months now and the 3 job contact requirement has been consistent the whole time. What's frustrating is when you apply to jobs and they never respond, but you still have to keep applying to meet the requirement even though the job market is tough right now.

For what it's worth, I actually got a job interview from one of my required job contacts. So sometimes the system does work, even if it feels like busy work most of the time.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN! They make you jump through hoops applying to jobs that don't exist or companies that aren't really hiring. Meanwhile Washington ESD takes forever to process claims and you can't get anyone on the phone when you have questions!

Quick question - do online applications count the same as in-person applications? I've been doing everything online but wondering if I should be doing some in-person too.

I tried that claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked! Got through to Washington ESD in like 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The agent I talked to confirmed the 3 job contacts per week and also helped me understand why my claim was taking so long to process.

Been doing this for 3 months now. Pro tip: save the job posting URLs and take screenshots because sometimes the postings get deleted and you need proof you applied to a real job.

Does anyone know if you have to apply to jobs in Washington state only? Or can you apply to jobs in other states too?

I keep a spreadsheet with all my job applications - company name, position, date applied, how I found the job, etc. Makes it easy to reference when I'm filing my weekly claims.

wait so if i apply to 5 jobs one week can i apply to just 1 the next week? or does it have to be 3 every single week?

The 3 job contact rule is actually pretty reasonable compared to some other states. I have a friend who moved from a state that required 5 contacts per week, so Washington ESD is actually more lenient.

Question about WorkSourceWA - do I have to use their job search portal or can I find jobs elsewhere and just log them in the system?

Last thing - make sure you understand what counts as a 'job contact.' Just browsing job listings doesn't count. You need to actually submit applications, contact employers directly, or attend job fairs/networking events.

One more success story with that claimyr service - I was getting frustrated trying to reach Washington ESD about whether my part-time work would affect my benefits. Used claimyr and got connected to an agent who explained everything clearly. Much better than trying to navigate their phone system on my own.

Just wanted to add my experience - I've been on Washington ESD unemployment for 2 months now and can confirm it's definitely 3 job contacts per week. What really helped me was setting up a routine where I do my job searches on the same days each week (usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday) so I don't fall behind. Also, don't forget that you need to be available for work during normal business hours - that's part of the eligibility requirements too. The WorkSourceWA system can be a bit clunky but once you get used to logging your activities it becomes second nature.