Where to go for unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about the process

Everything is online now through Washington ESD. You'll file your initial claim at esd.wa.gov and then do weekly claims through the same site. You don't need to go to a physical office unless there's a specific issue that requires an in-person appointment.

Start with the Washington ESD website - that's your main portal for everything unemployment related. You'll create a SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account if you don't have one, then file your initial application. After that you'll file weekly claims every week to certify you're still unemployed and looking for work.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone to ask questions, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

Just a heads up - make sure you have all your employment history ready when you file. They want dates, wages, reason for separation, etc. for your last 18 months of work. It's a pain to gather but you need it all.

Don't forget you have to actively look for work and keep a log of your job search activities. Washington ESD can audit this at any time so keep detailed records.

I filed last month and it took forever to get through the initial process. My claim went into adjudication for 3 weeks because they needed to verify why I was laid off. Just be patient if that happens to you.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing. took me 4 tries to figure out how to file my weekly claim correctly

One important thing - file your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work. You can't backdate claims very far so don't wait thinking you might find a job quickly.

If you run into issues with your claim or need to speak to someone, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier actually works. I used it when my claim got stuck and they got me through to an ESD rep in about 10 minutes instead of the usual hour+ wait times.

Make sure you understand the difference between your weekly benefit amount and what you'll actually receive. They take out taxes unless you opt out, and there might be other deductions.

been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years and honestly the system works fine if you just follow the rules. file on time every week and keep looking for work. not that complicated

The WorkSource registration is required but you have some time to do it. Focus on getting your initial claim filed first, then worry about the job search stuff.

Quick tip - if you worked in multiple states in the past 18 months, you might need to file in the state where you earned the most wages, not necessarily where you live now. Washington ESD can help you figure that out.

Whatever you do, don't wait around hoping the system will figure itself out. I had a friend who had issues and just ignored them thinking they'd resolve automatically. Ended up losing weeks of benefits.

The mobile app isn't great but it works for filing weekly claims if you can't get to a computer. Desktop site is much better though.

Last thing I'll add - if you end up needing to call Washington ESD for any reason and can't get through normally, definitely check out that Claimyr thing. Saved me so much frustration when I had a complicated situation with my claim.

Good luck OP! The whole process seems overwhelming at first but once you get your first payment it gets much easier. Just take it one step at a time.