Washington ESD weekly claim questions and answers - need help with common issues

The work search question is asking if you actively looked for work that week. You need to be able and available for work each week you claim. This means you should be applying for jobs, networking, or doing other approved work search activities. You don't need interviews every week, but you need to show you're making effort.

For earnings, you report GROSS earnings (before taxes) for any work done during that week, even if you haven't been paid yet. If you worked Monday through Wednesday of the claim week, report those earnings even if the paycheck comes later.

I had similar confusion and ended up calling Washington ESD but could never get through. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent who explained all the weekly claim questions. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

The 'able and available' question trips people up too. You have to answer yes unless you were actually unable to work that week due to illness or had restrictions that prevented you from accepting suitable work.

ugh these questions are so confusing!! i answered wrong a few weeks ago and now my claim is under review or something. anyone know how long that takes???

Pro tip: Screenshot your weekly claim confirmation page every time you file. I learned this the hard way when Washington ESD said I missed a week that I know I filed.

The question about refusing work is important too. If you turn down a job offer, you might have to explain why or risk losing benefits. The work has to be 'suitable' based on your skills and experience.

I messed up the earnings question for like 3 weeks before I figured it out. Had to call and explain - luckily the agent was understanding and helped me correct it without penalties.

Does anyone know if you have to report volunteer work? I've been volunteering at a food bank but not getting paid obviously.

The system glitched on me last week and wouldn't let me file my claim until Monday. Will that cause problems? I always file on Sunday normally.

Quick question - if I start a part-time job, do I keep filing weekly claims? Or do I stop unemployment completely?

Washington ESD really needs to make these questions clearer. Half the problems people have are just from confusion about what they're asking.

I've been keeping a spreadsheet with all my weekly claim info - dates filed, confirmation numbers, any earnings reported. Helps me track everything and catch any mistakes.

Does the work search requirement change based on your industry? I'm in tech and there aren't always tons of openings in my specific field.

Pro tip: read each question carefully every time you file. I got in the habit of just clicking through quickly and made mistakes because some questions are worded differently than you expect.

If anyone's still having trouble reaching Washington ESD about weekly claim questions, I used Claimyr again last week and got connected right away. Really helps when you need specific answers about your situation.

Remember that your weekly claims are basically a certification that you're following all the unemployment rules for that week. Take them seriously because any mistakes can cause delays or overpayments later.

One more tip - if you ever need to correct a previous weekly claim, contact Washington ESD as soon as possible. It's easier to fix mistakes early than deal with overpayment issues later.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful answers! This cleared up a lot of confusion I had about the weekly claim process.

Another thing that helped me was printing out the WA State work search log template from their website and filling it out weekly. It makes tracking your job search activities much easier when you need to provide documentation. Also, if you're doing gig work like DoorDash or Uber, make sure you understand how to report those earnings correctly - they count as self-employment income and there are specific rules about when and how to report them on your weekly claims.