Washington ESD unemployment trends - is unemployment up or down in 2025?

Where do I find those Washington ESD statistics? I looked on their website but couldn't locate the monthly reports.

Check the Labor Market Info section on the Washington ESD site. They usually post unemployment rates by county and industry.

Same here! My weekly claims have been processing slower than usual. Feels like the system is overloaded.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD, I discovered this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and the site is claimyr.com. Saved me hours of trying to call.

Good point. I was thinking more about UI claims specifically since that affects how busy Washington ESD is.

Yeah the people filing new claims vs continuing claims makes a difference too. New claims going up could mean layoffs, continuing claims staying high could mean job market is tough.

what industry are you in? maybe its different by sector

Healthcare. We can't find enough CNAs and medical assistants, but we're getting tons of applications for office positions.

That tracks with what I'm seeing. Service jobs are available but people want remote office work that pays better.

Ugh, sorry to hear that. The tech layoffs have been brutal. Is she having trouble with her Washington ESD claim?

She's still waiting for her first payment. Been three weeks since she filed and it's still in adjudication.

Tell her about Claimyr if she needs to talk to someone at Washington ESD. It's way better than sitting on hold for hours.

Fair point. I guess I meant compared to last year around this time.

Year over year, I think it's slightly higher but not dramatically. The seasonal adjustments make it hard to tell though.

Are you having to do the job search requirements even though you're on standby? I'm confused about that rule.

Nope, standby means you don't have to do job searches as long as your employer expects to call you back within a reasonable time.

Just make sure you're reporting your standby status correctly on your weekly claims. Washington ESD is pretty strict about that.

I don't think they change the requirements based on unemployment rates. It's been 3 job search activities per week for a while now.

Remember that job search activities include more than just applications. You can do networking, attending job fairs, even online career workshops.

Oh really? I didn't know workshops counted. That would help a lot.

Probably depends on whether there are any eligibility questions. Simple layoffs get processed faster than situations that need investigation.

Yeah, if there's any question about why you lost your job or your work history, it goes to adjudication and takes forever.

Agreed! Even just knowing how many claims are in adjudication would be helpful.

They probably don't want to discourage people from filing if the numbers look bad.

Sorry to hear that. Have you looked into extended benefits or other programs?

Washington doesn't have extended benefits right now. The trigger rate isn't high enough.

You might qualify for other assistance programs though. Check with DSHS or local community resources.

That's a really good point. The unemployment rate only counts people actively looking for work.

And people who've exhausted benefits might stop looking as actively, so they wouldn't be counted.

I've been using Claimyr when I need to reach them. It's a service that helps you get through to an actual person instead of waiting on hold forever.

Is that legit? I'm always suspicious of third-party services for government stuff.

Yeah it's legitimate. They don't ask for personal info, just help you navigate the phone system. Check out their demo video if you're curious.

That makes sense. Even a small increase in claims could overwhelm the system if they don't have enough staff.

Plus they're still dealing with all the fraud cleanup from the pandemic. That probably takes resources away from regular claims processing.

Exactly. And keep up with your weekly claims even if payments are delayed. You can't backdate those.

And document everything! Save emails, keep records of your job search activities, screenshot your claim status.

Good advice. The system isn't perfect but it's there to help people who need it.