When do you file unemployment each week with Washington ESD?
I'm new to filing unemployment and can't figure out when I'm supposed to submit my weekly claim. I know Washington ESD requires weekly filing but what day of the week should I be doing this? And is there a specific time deadline? I don't want to miss anything and mess up my benefits.
39 comments


Jamal Carter
You can file your weekly claim starting Sunday after midnight through Friday at 5pm Pacific time. Most people file on Sunday morning to get it out of the way for the week.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Thanks! So as long as I file sometime between Sunday and Friday afternoon I'm good?
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Jamal Carter
•Exactly. Just don't wait until Friday evening because the system cuts off at 5pm sharp.
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AstroAdventurer
I always file mine Sunday mornings with my coffee. Been doing it that way for months and never had issues.
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Zoe Papadakis
•That sounds like a good routine to get into!
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Mei Liu
Whatever you do don't be like me and forget to file one week. I missed the deadline once and it was such a pain trying to get through to Washington ESD to fix it. Spent hours calling and kept getting disconnected.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD, I found this service called Claimyr that actually gets you connected to agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Mei Liu
•Really? I've never heard of that. Does it actually work?
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Yeah, used it twice when I had adjudication issues. They handle all the calling and waiting, then connect you when they get an agent on the line.
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Amara Chukwu
The key thing to remember is that your weekly claim covers the week ENDING on Saturday. So when you file on Sunday, you're reporting for the previous week that just ended.
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Zoe Papadakis
•That makes sense. So if I worked any hours during that week I need to report them?
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Amara Chukwu
•Correct. Report ALL hours worked and gross earnings, even if it's just a few hours. Washington ESD will calculate if you still qualify for partial benefits.
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Giovanni Conti
I usually file Wednesday or Thursday. Doesn't really matter as long as you get it done before Friday 5pm.
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
•Same here, I do mine Thursday evenings usually.
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NeonNova
Make sure you have your job search activities ready when you file. Washington ESD requires you to document your job search efforts for each week.
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Zoe Papadakis
•How many job search activities do I need per week?
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NeonNova
•It's usually 3 job search activities per week, but check your specific requirements in your Washington ESD account since it can vary based on your situation.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Got it, I'll check my account to be sure.
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Dylan Campbell
Pro tip: if the website is running slow (which happens sometimes on Sunday mornings), try filing later in the day. The system gets overloaded when everyone files at once.
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Sofia Hernandez
•Yes! I learned this the hard way. Sunday around noon or afternoon is usually better than first thing in the morning.
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
Does anyone know what happens if you file late? Like if you miss the Friday 5pm deadline?
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Jamal Carter
•You can still file late but you might not get paid for that week. You'd need to call Washington ESD to explain why you filed late and see if they'll still process it.
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Ava Thompson
•This is where something like Claimyr really helps. When I filed late once, I used their service to get through to an agent quickly instead of spending all day trying to call.
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Miguel Ramos
I set a reminder on my phone for every Sunday at 9am to file my weekly claim. Haven't missed one since I started doing that.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Smart idea! I'm going to set up a reminder too.
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Zainab Ibrahim
•I do the same thing but for Tuesday mornings. Whatever day works for your schedule, just be consistent.
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StarSailor
Just remember the filing window is Sunday 12:01am through Friday 5:00pm Pacific time. I always double check the time zone because I travel for work sometimes.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Good point about the time zone. I'll make sure to remember that if I'm ever traveling.
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Connor O'Brien
The Washington ESD website usually sends you an email reminder too, but don't rely on it completely. Sometimes those emails end up in spam folders.
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Yara Sabbagh
•Yeah I've had that happen. Always good to have your own system for remembering.
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Zoe Papadakis
•I'll check my spam folder to make sure I'm getting those emails.
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Keisha Johnson
One thing that confused me at first - you file for the previous week, not the upcoming week. So when you file on Sunday, you're reporting what happened Monday through Saturday of the week that just ended.
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Zoe Papadakis
•That is confusing! Thanks for clarifying that.
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Paolo Rizzo
•Yeah it takes a little getting used to but you'll get the hang of it after a few weeks.
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QuantumQuest
If you're ever having trouble with the weekly filing system or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about it, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier is legit. I used it when I had questions about reporting part-time work and they got me through to an agent in like 15 minutes instead of the usual hours of calling.
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Amina Sy
•Did you have to pay extra for that service?
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QuantumQuest
•There's a fee but honestly it was worth it to actually talk to someone instead of wasting my whole day trying to get through. Check out their demo video to see how it works.
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Oliver Fischer
Bottom line - file between Sunday and Friday, report your previous week's activities honestly, and you'll be fine. It becomes routine after a few weeks.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Thanks everyone! This has been really helpful. I feel much more confident about filing my weekly claims now.
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