How to file for unemployment in Washington
The online claim is usually the fastest way. Here is what to have ready, when your claim starts and what comes after you file.
All about unemployment in Washington
Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.
Filing, step by step
Apply online in eServices, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (fastest). You can also apply by phone at 1-800-318-6022 during Claims Center hours. You can use a free computer or phone at any WorkSource center.
When to file and when your claim starts
Apply within 2 weeks after you lose your job; if you wait longer, ESD may ask you for more information. Your claim takes effect on Sunday of the week you first apply. When you apply online you can backdate a claim by 2 weeks; for more than 2 weeks ESD asks for more information.
What to have ready
- Your full name as shown on your ID (use the exact name on your Social Security card), birth date and Social Security number
- Your Washington driver's license or ID, if you have one, and your mailing address, phone and email
- If you are not a U.S. citizen: your work authorization (immigration document) information
- Bank account and routing numbers if you want direct deposit
- The legal names and mailing addresses of all employers in the last 18 months, including part-time and temporary jobs, and the dates you worked for each
- Military: any member copy 2 through 8 of your DD-214. Federal workers: Standard Form 8 (SF-8); an SF-50 helps but is not required
- Your union's name and local phone number, if you get work through a union
Certify (claim your weeks)
How often: Weekly. File a weekly claim for each week (Sunday to Saturday) after the week ends, online in eServices or by phone at 1-800-318-6022. Report all work and earnings, holiday pay and vacation pay used on days you claim. Keep filing weekly claims while you wait for a decision or an appeal.
Your first payment
ESD says applications take about 4 to 5 weeks on average to process (6 to 7 weeks if you quit or were fired). Once you are found eligible, payments usually go out within 3 to 5 days after ESD reviews your weekly claim. The first week you are eligible is an unpaid waiting week.
Register for work
Within 1 week after ESD notifies you of your benefit rights, create an account at WorkSourceWA.com, complete your personal profile and your career profile (or upload a resume), and make your profile visible to employers. If you live outside Washington, register with a local employment center.
Law: RCW 50.20.010(1)(a)-(b)
Official source: Source page
What applies in every state
- File with the unemployment program of the state where you worked. If you worked in another state or in several states, the agency in the state where you live now can tell you how to file with other states.
- It generally takes two to three weeks after you file to get your first payment. Some states require a one-week waiting period, so the second week you claim is the first week paid.
Free help
Call 1-800-318-6022. Legal aid and other free help in Washington → Official sources →
More questions about unemployment in Washington
Is there a waiting week in Washington?
Yes. The first week you file a claim and meet all weekly requirements is your unpaid waiting week. If you do not meet the requirements that week, the next eligible week becomes your waiting week.