Unemployment

Updates:

Applying for Help:
Many Washingtonians are losing income due to the coronavirus. Visit the Washington State Employment Security Department to apply for help. The state Employment Security Department recommends workers take the following four steps to help ensure their unemployment benefits are filed correctly and start quickly:

  1. Sign up for the agency’s COVID-19 action alerts. 
  2. Download and review the ESD eligibility checker. This will help workers determine if they are currently eligible for benefits.
  3. Download and read the application checklist to make sure that you have what you need. 
  4. A SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account is needed to file an unemployment claim. ESD recently posted a video that explains the process to be followed in order to apply for benefits. After reviewing the video, please sign up for a SAW account.

Updates from Governor Inslee on applying for unemployment:

  • Workers’ Comp clarification: any essential worker who believes they have a work-based claim should apply –LNI will take it into consideration. Three criteria are used to review any claim:
  1. Was there a high risk or greater likelihood of exposure or contracting the disease due to the worker’s occupation?
  2. If not for their job, would the worker have been exposed or contracted the condition?
  3. Can the worker identify a specific source or event during their employment that resulted in exposure to COVID-19?
  • High-risk workers can protect themselves from covid-19 without jeopardizing their employment status or losing income.