What information do you need to apply for unemployment benefits through Washington ESD?

18 months? That's a lot of jobs to remember. Do I need exact addresses for every employer or just company names?

Exact addresses are required. If you can't remember, try looking up the companies online or check old W-2 forms if you have them.

Good point about the bank info. I definitely want direct deposit set up from the start.

Make sure your bank account is active and the routing number is correct. I made a mistake with mine and it delayed my first payment by 2 weeks.

Oh wow, that's really frustrating. How long do you have before it times out?

I think it's about 20-30 minutes of inactivity. But even when you're actively typing, if you take too long overall it can kick you out.

This happened to me too! I started keeping a Word document with all my employment info so I could copy and paste quickly.

That sounds useful. I was wondering how I'd get help if I got stuck during the application process.

Is that service free or do they charge? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status.

They charge a small fee but it's worth it considering how impossible it is to get through otherwise. Much cheaper than taking time off work to keep trying to call.

I'm a US citizen so that doesn't apply to me, but good to know for others reading this.

Yes, the military stuff is important. I forgot about my National Guard service and had to call to add it later.

I was definitely laid off - they eliminated my whole department. I have the termination letter that says 'reduction in force' so I should be good there.

That's perfect. Keep that letter safe, you might need it later if there are any questions about your claim.

I did get two weeks severance. Does that mean I have to wait two weeks before I can start collecting unemployment?

Yes, you'll have a waiting period equal to the severance amount. So if you got two weeks severance, you won't be eligible for unemployment until after those two weeks are up.

How do I figure out which quarter was my highest? Do I need to add up every paystub?

Quarters are Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, Oct-Dec. Add up your gross pay for each quarter and find the highest one. Your W-2 might have quarterly breakdowns too.

Or you can estimate and let Washington ESD verify with your employer. They'll correct it if needed.

I have a 401k but I'm not withdrawing from it. Do I need to report that?

No, 401k accounts don't count. They're asking about pension benefits you're actually receiving or eligible to receive immediately.

What kind of things would they consider unusual?

Things like having multiple jobs, being self-employed recently, or if your employer contests your claim. They just want to make sure everything is accurate.

I was laid off last Friday, so I'm applying today. That should be soon enough, right?

Perfect timing! Just remember there's usually a one-week waiting period before you can collect your first payment.

I've only worked in Washington for the past 3 years, so I should be fine filing here.

That makes it much easier. Multi-state claims can get complicated fast.

That's good advice. I'll make sure to review everything twice before hitting submit.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when I needed to make changes to my claim. Worked way better than trying to call directly.

Do I need to do that before I apply for unemployment or can I wait until after?

You can wait until after, but don't wait too long. You'll need to start doing job searches pretty quickly to keep your benefits.

I don't have any of those, but good to know. This is way more complicated than I thought it would be.

It seems overwhelming at first but once you gather all the info it goes pretty quickly. The actual application only takes about 30 minutes if you're prepared.

That's really good advice. I'll definitely save everything to a folder on my computer.

And back it up! I lost all my unemployment paperwork when my computer crashed and it was a nightmare trying to reconstruct everything.

I'll definitely check those out before I start. Thanks for the tip!

The videos are good but they're a bit outdated. The website interface has changed since they made them.

Good to know. I was hoping to get money next week but I guess I need to plan for it taking longer.

Yeah, plan for the worst and hope for the best. Some people get their first payment in 10 days, others wait a month. It depends on your situation.

Good luck! Feel free to come back and ask if you run into any issues during the application process.

You've got this! The hardest part is just getting started. Once you have all your info together, the rest is pretty straightforward.