What is the website to apply for unemployment in Washington - confused about where to start

Thank you! Is there a specific section on esd.wa.gov I should look for or does it walk you through everything?

Look for 'Apply for Benefits' on their homepage. It'll guide you through creating your SAW account and filing your initial claim.

Good point, I should gather all that stuff first. Do I need pay stubs or anything like that?

Not usually for the initial application, but having your last few pay stubs handy doesn't hurt in case there are questions about your wages.

Interesting, never heard of that service. Did it actually work for you to get through to Washington ESD?

Yeah it did! I was stuck on some verification issue and couldn't get through the regular phone lines. Used Claimyr and spoke to an ESD rep within a couple hours.

How much does something like that cost though? Seems like it could be expensive.

It was worth it for me since my claim was held up, but you can check their site for current pricing. Sometimes it's better to pay a little to solve the problem quickly.

Wait, what's a waiting week? Does that mean I won't get paid for the first week?

Right, in Washington there's a one-week waiting period before benefits start. So file immediately even if you think you might find work soon.

Oh no, what's adjudication? Should I be worried about that happening to me?

Adjudication is when they need to review your claim for some reason - could be something simple or more complex. Not everyone goes through it.

mine was just because I had multiple jobs in the last year and they needed to verify everything. took 3 weeks but it worked out

How do I file weekly claims? Is that on the same website?

Yes, once your account is set up you'll log into the same SAW system every week to file your weekly claim and report any work or income.

Do they actually check that or is it just something you report?

They can audit your job search activities so definitely keep good records. Use WorkSourceWA.com for some of your searches since that counts.

Good to know, I was wondering about some of those sites that came up in my search results.

Yeah they're basically scams. The state application is free and not that complicated if you take your time.

What happens if you make a mistake on the application?

You can usually correct minor mistakes but it's better to get it right the first time. Major errors could delay your claim or cause overpayment issues later.

That's not as bad as I thought. I was worried it would take hours.

Nope, the Washington ESD application is pretty straightforward. Just be thorough and honest with all your answers.

Thanks for the tip! I'll try Chrome since that usually works best for government sites.

Yeah Chrome or Firefox usually work better than Edge or Safari for Washington state websites.

How do they calculate how much you get in benefits?

It's based on your earnings from the past year, specifically your highest earning quarter. Washington ESD has a calculator on their site if you want to estimate.

Good to know there are options when the phone lines are jammed. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person.

Exactly! The automated system can only help so much. Having a way to actually reach an ESD agent when you need one is invaluable.

Is that WorkSourceWA.com that someone mentioned earlier?

Yep, same site. You'll use it for job searches and they have career resources too. Required registration for unemployment benefits.

Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. I feel much more confident about starting the process now.

You've got this! Just remember to file your weekly claims every week once you get approved and keep looking for work.

I've only worked in Washington so I should be good to file here.

Perfect, then esd.wa.gov is definitely where you want to go. Good luck with your application!

Why would an employer contest it? I was laid off due to budget cuts, not fired for cause.

Sometimes they contest to protect their unemployment tax rate, but if you were laid off legitimately you should be fine. Just keep documentation of your layoff.

I'll definitely check out their FAQ section before calling if I run into issues.

Smart approach. Sometimes you can find the answer faster online than waiting on hold for an hour.

Will do! Going to gather my employment info and file this afternoon. Thanks again everyone!

You're welcome! Hope everything goes smoothly with your application and you find new work soon.

Totally agree! It's nice when people actually give useful information instead of just telling you to 'google it'.

Exactly. We've all been there and sometimes you just need someone to point you in the right direction.