Washington State Unemployment Offices

If you have been recently unemployed and money is becoming tight, it is a good idea to apply for unemployment benefits. If you have been laid off due to your employer’s lack of work, you will likely qualify for unemployment checks. The amount you can get varies, but I am sure you know that when you have no cash coming in regularly, any amount helps drastically.
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If you are wondering where and how to apply for unemployment, you should visit one of your local state offices, or, http://www.esd.wa.gov/. Personally I recommend going to the website first, but if you would prefer to go to an office, read on.

The state of Washington does not have an entire office dedicated to unemployment. Instead, they have a number of general information offices, and they have a call in center. If you are looking to apply for benefits, file your weekly claims, or ask a question about benefits, you can call 800-318-6022.
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You can also visit one of the many WorkSource offices. WorkSource can help you with unemployment, and help you find a new job. Note that in order to apply for unemployment benefits in Washington State you MUST call the TeleCenter at 800-318-6022.
For Kitsap county, visit
1300 Sylvan Way
Bremerton, WA 98310.
For Clallam county, visit
228 W 1st St., Suite A
Port Angeles, WA 98362-2639
For Jefferson county, visit
207 W. Patison
Shold Business Park
Port Hadlock, Wa 98339
For Greys Harbor county, visit
511 W. Heron
P.O. Box 1136
Aberdeen, WA 98520
For Lewis county, visit
151 NE Hampe Way
Chehalis WA 98532
For Pacific county, visit
2601 North Pacific Hwy
P.O. Box 876
Long Beach, WA 98631
For Mason county, visit
2505 Olympic Hwy N
Suite 420
Shelton, WA. 98584
For Thurston county, visit
1570 Irving St SW
P.O. Box 9765
Tumwater WA, 98512

If your county is not listed here, visit https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/StaticContent.aspx?Context=WSDirectorySeeker. Once there, click on your county on the map and it will give you the office’s address, phone number, and other contact information.

If you are having trouble finding your location, visiting http://www.mapquest.com/ can help tons. MapQuest is a completely free, comprehensive database of directions. From the homepage you can type in your home address and the address you want to reach. You will then receive turn by turn directions to your exact destination, all free of charge! It is a phenomenal resource and you should use it whenever you need to.

I highly recommend visiting http://www.esd.wa.gov/index.php before you do anything else. The website is loaded with very helpful info, including the benefits you will receive when you are on unemployment, how to apply, etc. It also lists quite a few helpful tips on how to get approved, such as what you need to do before applying. You can also learn how much you will be receiving weekly from unemployment benefits. In my opinion using this website is much easier than going to a WorkSource office, especially since you cannot actually apply at the offices.

You can apply online by going directly to: https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/uia/icintro/intropage.aspx?lang=en-us and filling out the required information. This is the fastest and easiest way to apply besides calling the TeleCenter directly at 800-318-6022.

If you don’t want to waste your time, do some research first. Look around the Employment Security Department website and see if you will qualify or not. If you were laid off by your employer in a mass lay off you are pretty much a shoo-in for benefits. However, if you quit or were fired for incompetence, you will most likely not qualify, but you may, so you should still apply.

Unemployment Benefits in Washington State

With the economy in its current condition, more and more people have begun to file for unemployment. Most of these people have had jobs all their life and have never had to file for unemployment benefits before. Therefore, these people have absolutely no idea how to apply, where to apply, how much they will receive, and other important details. Not having a job is a bad enough experience, but to make it as easy as possible, I recommend you read this article and use the resources listed. Unemployment is not easy, but it doesn’t have to be as hard as most people make it.
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The number one question that people ask is “am I eligible for unemployment benefits?” Basically, to qualify for unemployment benefits, you must have at least 680 hours of Covered Employment in your Base Year. If you were laid off by your employer because the employer did not have enough work to do, you are almost guaranteed for unemployment benefits. If you quit or were fired, it is up to the discretion of state officials as to whether or not you will receive benefits. In most cases both you and your old employer will have to submit paperwork to the state. In order to qualify, you must be able bodied and able to do work. You must also continue to look for employment every week. If you are not able to work, there are separate benefits that you can apply for.
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Most people have no idea as to how much money they will actually receive from unemployment benefits. The actually amount you will receive varies widely from case to case. However, the absolute minimum you can receive weekly is $129, and the most you can receive weekly is $541. The amount you receive will vary depending on your old job, the members of your family, your current savings, etc. You will be told the exact amount you will receive each week when you apply and are accepted for unemployment benefits.

Money can get tight when you are unemployed, so you need to know exactly when you will be receiving your checks. When you are accepted for unemployment benefits, you will receive a check every week. The actual day your check arrives will vary due to mail service. Keep in mind that to receive your checks you must submit a claim EVERY WEEK. You must consistently look for work and prove to the state that you are making progress.

If you are reading this article, you obviously have access to the internet. If you are interested in applying for unemployment benefits, you will find that http://www.esd.wa.gov/index.php is very useful in gathering information. To actually apply, you should visit: https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/uia/icintro/intropage.aspx?lang=en-us

http://www.esd.wa.gov/index.php is a great source of information not only for filing for unemployment, but also for finding new jobs. The site is offered in English and Spanish, and sections of it are available in 6 different languages. If you need more information concerning unemployment, or you would like to submit your resume to potential employers be sure to check out this site.

If you follow these instructions and do some research of your own you can make the process of unemployment much easier. Just keep in mind that you must file a claim every single week in order to receive your check. This is required because unemployment benefits are intended to be a temporary solution. You must prove to the state that you are actively searching for a job.