What is the unemployment percentage right now in Washington state - does it affect my claim?

Thanks, that makes sense. I was worried it might affect my benefit calculation somehow.

Yeah the rate is mostly just a statistic. Your claim is processed based on your work history and eligibility, not what percentage of people are unemployed statewide.

I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status but can never get through! The phone lines are always busy.

Yeah the phone system is really frustrating. I actually found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and their site is claimyr.com. Saved me hours of calling.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. How does it work?

where do you find the official numbers? I keep seeing different stats online

Check the Washington State Employment Security Department website or the BLS.gov site for official data. Local news sometimes reports outdated numbers.

Adjudication can take time especially if there are any issues with your claim. Have you checked your SecureAccess Washington account for any pending items?

yeah checked everything, no issues showing. just says 'adjudication in progress' forever

That's exactly when Claimyr helped me - I was stuck in adjudication for weeks and couldn't reach anyone at Washington ESD. Used their service and got connected to an agent who explained what was holding up my claim.

Good point, I hadn't thought about how it affects the job market itself.

Yeah lower unemployment usually means employers are competing more for workers so wages might be higher too

That's encouraging at least. I'm hoping to find something soon.

Just make sure you're documenting your job search activities for Washington ESD. They require proof you're looking for work.

Yeah those were crazy times. At least now we're not dealing with all those extra pandemic programs that caused so much confusion.

except the regular system still sucks and takes forever to process anything

True, but I've heard good things about that Claimyr service for getting through to agents when you need help. Might be worth trying if you're really stuck.

That is good news. Makes me feel more optimistic about finding work.

Definitely a positive trend compared to a few years ago.

Thanks for the clarification. I was getting confused about whether it affected my claim directly.

Nope, your benefit amount is calculated from your wages in your base period, typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed.

The unemployment rate only counts people actively looking for work, not those who've given up searching or are underemployed. So it doesn't tell the whole story.

yeah that's a good point, there's a difference between being employed and being employed in a good job that pays the bills

You're right, I should focus on what I can control with my own claim.

Exactly. Keep doing your job searches, file weekly, and follow up if there are any issues with your claim status.

And if you do need to follow up but can't get through to Washington ESD by phone, definitely check out Claimyr. Made a huge difference for me when I was stuck in the system.