What counts as valid work search activity for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Yes, online applications definitely count as work search activities for Washington ESD. You need to document the employer name, position applied for, date, and method of contact. Job fairs and networking events count too. Make sure you're logging everything in your WorkSourceWA account AND keeping your own records just in case.

I've been doing this for months now. Here's what counts: job applications, attending job fairs, networking events, creating/updating professional profiles (LinkedIn, etc), informational interviews, and career workshops. You can also count time spent on WorkSourceWA doing their career assessments or skills training.

Be careful though - Washington ESD can audit your work search activities at any time. I got selected for review last year and had to provide detailed documentation for weeks of activities. Make sure you're not just doing the bare minimum.

I had trouble reaching Washington ESD to clarify some work search questions and was getting frustrated with the phone system always being busy. Someone on here mentioned Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helps you get through to actual agents. Watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ) and decided to try it. Got connected to someone within 20 minutes who answered all my work search questions.

Here's the complete list from Washington ESD website: 1) Applying for jobs 2) Attending job fairs 3) Networking activities 4) Creating/updating professional profiles 5) Attending workshops or training 6) Informational interviews 7) Career counseling sessions 8) Volunteering (if it leads to job opportunities) 9) Starting a business (with approved self-employment plan). Each activity must be documented with specific details.

ugh the work search requirements are so stressful. I spend more time documenting my job search than actually searching for jobs sometimes. Does anyone else feel like this?

Don't forget that if you're on standby with your employer, you might have different work search requirements. I was confused about this for weeks until I called and found out I only needed to do 1 activity per week instead of 3.

I got dinged on my work search log because I wasn't being specific enough in my descriptions. Don't just write 'applied to job at Microsoft' - write 'Applied for Software Engineer position at Microsoft via company website, position ID 12345' or whatever. The more detail the better.

Question about the WorkSourceWA requirement - do I have to use their job search tools or can I just log my activities there? I prefer using other job sites but want to make sure I'm compliant.

Has anyone tried counting informational interviews? I've been setting up coffee meetings with people in my industry to learn about their companies. Seems like it should count but I'm not sure how to document it properly.

I got confused about this too and was worried about getting my benefits cut off. Used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD and they explained everything clearly. Much better than trying to interpret the website on my own.

Word of warning - don't try to game the system by doing fake activities. Washington ESD does verify things and if they catch you lying about work search activities, you could lose your benefits entirely and have to pay back what you've received.

Another thing - if you have a scheduled interview or start date with an employer, make sure to report that on your weekly claim. It can affect your work search requirements for that week.

Does attending online webinars or virtual job fairs count the same as in-person events? Everything's been online lately and I want to make sure I'm meeting requirements.

I keep a spreadsheet with all my work search activities including screenshots and confirmation emails. Might be overkill but if I ever get audited I'll be ready. Takes maybe 5 extra minutes per activity but gives me peace of mind.

One more tip - if you're working part-time while on unemployment, those work search activities still count toward your requirement. Don't skip doing them just because you're working some hours.

If anyone else is struggling to reach Washington ESD about work search questions, I had success with Claimyr recently. They helped me get connected when I needed clarification about whether my industry-specific certification course counted as a work search activity.

Just want to add that the 3 activities per week is the minimum. If you're in a competitive field or have been unemployed for a while, doing more activities can only help your chances of finding work and shows Washington ESD you're serious about your job search.

Thanks everyone for all this helpful information! I feel much more confident about my work search requirements now. I'm going to start keeping better records and being more specific in my documentation. One question though - if I attend a virtual career workshop that lasts 3 hours, does that count as one activity or can I count it differently since it's longer than a typical job application? Also, do I need to complete the full 3 activities before I can file my weekly claim, or can I file and then complete them by the end of the week?

I've been on unemployment for about 2 months and this thread has answered so many questions I didn't even know I had! The documentation requirements seemed really overwhelming at first, but reading everyone's experiences shows it's totally manageable with the right approach. I've started using a simple Google Sheet to track everything with columns for date, activity type, company/organization, contact info, and notes about follow-up needed. It takes maybe 2 minutes per activity to log but gives me so much peace of mind. One thing I learned the hard way - make sure to save confirmation emails from online applications! I applied to probably 20+ jobs in my first few weeks but didn't save the confirmations, so I had to go back through my email and browser history to reconstruct my records. Now I immediately screenshot or save every confirmation. Also want to echo what others said about Claimyr - used it once when I had an urgent question about reporting part-time work and got through to someone in about 30 minutes versus the hours I'd been trying on the regular line.

Wow, this thread is amazing! I've been on unemployment for about 6 weeks and have been so anxious about whether I'm doing the work search requirements correctly. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences and tips has been incredibly reassuring and educational. I especially appreciate the emphasis on specific documentation - I realize I've been way too vague in my WorkSourceWA entries. The spreadsheet backup idea is brilliant, and I'm definitely going to start implementing that this week. One quick question - I've been participating in online coding bootcamp prep courses to update my skills for tech positions. These aren't through WorkSourceWA but are directly related to improving my qualifications for jobs I'm applying to. Would these count as work search activities? They're usually 2-3 hour sessions and I can get certificates of completion. Also, thank you to everyone who mentioned Claimyr - I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about a specific question and this might be exactly what I need!