Just remember that even though Washington ESD pays the benefits, the money ultimately comes from a system that employers pay into. It's not charity or welfare - it's insurance that was paid for on your behalf throughout your employment.

I went through this exact situation two years ago when my retail company closed all their Washington locations. The process was actually pretty smooth - filed online the day after my last shift and got approved within about 10 days. Just make sure you have your Social Security number, employment dates, and employer contact info ready when you file. The key thing to remember is that Washington ESD handles everything once you submit your claim - your employer has already paid their part through the unemployment insurance taxes they've been contributing all along. Don't stress too much about it, business closures are one of the most straightforward unemployment cases.

Just went through this exact same situation moving from Oregon to WA in January! Here's what worked for me: I started online like everyone's saying, but the key is calling within 24-48 hours of filing your initial claim. Don't wait weeks like I did initially. When you call, specifically ask them to "initiate a combined wage claim with Oregon" and have your Oregon employer details ready (company name, dates worked, approximate quarterly wages). The agent I spoke with said they see this WA/OR situation constantly and it's a pretty straightforward process once they manually trigger the interstate request. My Oregon wages came back in about 10 days and increased my weekly benefit amount significantly. Good luck!

Pro tip from someone who just went through this exact process in February: Call ESD early in the morning (right when they open at 8am) or late in the afternoon around 4pm. Those seem to be the best times to actually get through. Also, when you do get connected, ask the agent to give you a confirmation number for the interstate wage request - this way you can reference it if you need to call back. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me from initial filing to getting my first payment with the Oregon wages included. The waiting is frustrating but it's worth it because my benefit amount was almost double what it would have been with just WA wages!

Just want to echo what everyone else has said - this is such a common problem! I went through the exact same frustration a couple months back. The ESD email links are completely broken and their website integration with WorkSource is terrible. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here: if you're doing a phone/virtual appointment, make sure you test your phone or computer setup beforehand. My first appointment got marked as a no-show because I couldn't get the virtual meeting link to work properly and by the time I figured it out, the appointment window had passed. Had to reschedule and it delayed everything. Also, during the actual appointment, they'll walk you through setting up your WorkSource profile properly and show you how to use their job search tools. It's actually not as useless as I expected - some of the resources are genuinely helpful for finding jobs in WA state. Just make sure to take notes because there's a lot of information and you'll want to remember it for your ongoing job search requirements. Good luck everyone dealing with this mess of a system!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Got the ESD email yesterday about scheduling a WorkSource appointment and have been clicking that broken link for hours. So relieved to find this thread and learn that I need to go to WorkSourceWA.com instead - no wonder I couldn't find anything on the ESD site! Quick question for those who've been through this: do I need to bring any specific documents to the appointment, or is it more of an informational session? My deadline is next week and I want to make sure I'm fully prepared. Thanks so much for all the helpful info everyone has shared here!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! Sounds like I should just go ahead and file a new claim online and not overthink it. Appreciate all the advice about keeping good records and being thorough with employment history.

Just wanted to add that when you file your new claim, make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and banking info for direct deposit ready. The application will ask for all of that upfront. Also, if you worked in multiple states since your last claim, you might need to file an interstate claim instead - the system will guide you through that if it applies. Good luck with your new application!

Thanks everyone for all the detailed responses! This has cleared up a lot of confusion for me. I feel much more prepared to handle the tax side when I officially start my business.

This has been such an informative thread! I'm in a similar situation - currently on unemployment but planning to start freelancing more seriously next year. One thing I'm still unclear on: when you transition from being an unemployment claimant to being an employer who pays these taxes, is there any overlap period I need to worry about? Like if I'm still collecting benefits while building up my client base, then eventually hire someone - do I need to notify ESD about the change in my status somehow?