Washington ESD unemployment rates 2023 - how did this affect claim processing?

Washington's unemployment rate in 2023 averaged around 4.2%, which was actually pretty normal compared to the pandemic years. The rate started higher in early 2023 (around 4.8%) but dropped to about 3.9% by the end of the year. Tech layoffs were a big factor in the first half of the year.

I filed in late 2023 and it took 8 weeks to get through adjudication. The unemployment rate being 'normal' doesn't mean Washington ESD got their act together unfortunately.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's a service that helps you get through to an actual agent instead of getting hung up on constantly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me get my adjudication issue resolved.

The 2023 unemployment numbers were definitely affected by all the tech layoffs in Seattle. Amazon, Microsoft, Meta all had major cuts. That probably explains why your adjudication is taking so long - they're still dealing with complex cases from those layoffs.

unemployment was like 4% or something in 2023 but washington esd is still slow as hell. doesn't matter what the rate is if they can't process claims properly

I remember reading that Washington state's unemployment rate was actually lower than the national average in 2023. National was around 4.6% while Washington was about 4.2%. But like everyone else said, that doesn't help with Washington ESD's terrible processing times.

Been dealing with Washington ESD since 2022 and honestly 2023 felt like the worst year for getting help. Even though fewer people were filing claims, it was harder to reach anyone on the phone. The automated system kept hanging up on me constantly.

The unemployment rate in 2023 started high because of all the January layoffs (especially in tech) but then dropped pretty steadily throughout the year. By December it was under 4%. However, Washington ESD's problems aren't really about the unemployment rate - they're about their outdated systems and procedures.

I filed in March 2023 when a lot of people were getting laid off and it took 3 months to get my first payment. The adjudication process was a nightmare even though my case was simple - just a regular layoff with no complications.

washington unemployment 2023 was around 4.2% average but peaked at like 4.8% in winter/spring because of tech layoffs then dropped to 3.9% by end of year. doesnt help with esd being slow though

The thing about 2023 unemployment is that even though the overall rate was normal, there were these big waves of layoffs that hit all at once. Like when Amazon laid off 18,000 people nationwide (including tons in Seattle), that created processing bottlenecks at Washington ESD even if the total numbers weren't crazy high.

I work in HR and we had several employees file for unemployment in 2023. Even with normal unemployment rates, Washington ESD was taking 6-8 weeks minimum for adjudication. The system is just fundamentally broken regardless of claim volume.

unemployment rates were fine in 2023 but washington esd is still using pandemic era procedures that slow everything down. they're checking every single claim like it might be fraud

My sister used Claimyr last year when she couldn't get through to Washington ESD about her adjudication. She said it was worth it just to avoid the stress of calling constantly. Got connected to an agent the same day and resolved her issue within a week.

To answer your original question - Washington's unemployment rate in 2023 averaged 4.2% compared to 4.0% in 2022. So slightly higher but still considered normal/healthy. The problem isn't the unemployment rate, it's that Washington ESD never fixed their systems after the pandemic chaos.

been trying to get through to washington esd for my adjudication for 2 months now. the unemployment rate being normal doesn't help when you can't even talk to anyone about your claim

I think people forget that 2023 had some unique challenges even with normal unemployment rates. There were several high-profile company closures and mass layoffs that created complex claims requiring extra review. Plus Washington ESD was still dealing with fraud prevention measures that slow everything down.

washington unemployment 2023 was 4.2% average but ranged from 3.9% to 4.8% depending on the month. tech layoffs in first half of year then recovery in second half. but esd processing is still terrible regardless

The frustrating thing about 2023 was that even with relatively normal unemployment rates, Washington ESD somehow got worse at customer service. I spent literally hundreds of hours trying to reach someone about my claim. Finally had to use one of those callback services to get through.