When to apply for ESD unemployment with job ending at month-end? Now or after closure?

You should apply for unemployment as soon as your last day of work is complete. Don't apply before your last day because you're still technically employed. The ESD system will ask for your last day worked, and providing a future date can complicate your claim. Create your SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account now if you don't have one already, but wait to submit the actual unemployment application until after your final day.

When my company closed last year, HR actually gave us all paperwork explaining the process. Does your company have an HR department that might have resources? Also, I found that calling ESD directly was nearly impossible - busy signals for days. I eventually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent within about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Definitely worth it when you need to speak to someone quickly about your claim.

The previous advice is correct - wait until after your last day of work. But I wanted to add that you should gather all your employment information now so you're ready: company name, address, phone number, dates of employment, and your estimated wages. You'll need this for your application. Also, the waiting week still applies in most cases, even for business closures. That means your first week after applying is unpaid, but you MUST file a weekly claim for it or you'll delay your benefits.

i waited 2 long when my job closed and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! definetly apply THE DAY after ur last day. not 2 days later, not a week later. THE NEXT DAY!!! and make sure u do the weekly claims EVERY WEEK even if ur not getting paid yet or ur still waiting for approval

The ESD system is DESIGNED to be confusing and frustrating! They hope you'll give up and not claim what you're entitled to. When my workplace closed in January, they told us we couldn't apply until our final paychecks cleared TWO WEEKS LATER - which was COMPLETELY FALSE and cost everyone benefits! Apply the day after your last working day, period. And document EVERYTHING in case they try to claim you did something wrong. The whole system is rigged against workers.

Just wondering - what industry are you in? My brother-in-law's workplace closed last month and he got some special retraining benefits because it was manufacturing. Might be worth asking if there are any Trade Act benefits or other special programs for your industry!

make sure u have like 3 job search activities every week!!! my friend didnt do that and they stopped her benefits and she had to appeal and it was a whole thing

One more important tip - when you do apply, set up your account to receive alerts by both email AND text message. The ESD system sometimes sends important notices that require quick action, and if you miss them, it can delay or stop your benefits. I learned this the hard way when they needed additional information and I didn't see the alert for almost two weeks!