Unemployment Insurance 1 ESD WA GOV 2 Scroll

Unemployment Insurance 1

ESD. WA. GOV 2 Scroll down on this page to log in to e. Services.

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Type your Username and Password and click Sign in 4

Unemployment Information 5 § You should check your e. Services account frequently. If we send you a questionnaire in your e. Services account that needs to be completed and returned, you will only have it available for 10 days. § If you don’t see and respond to a request for information it is likely that you will receive a disqualification notice, and possibly an overpayment notice. You can get more information about the disqualification and overpayment in either the “Decision Status” tab or the “Notices/Letters” tab.

e. Services Password Reset § You may be asked to reset your password in e. Services when you log in to file your weekly claim. § This happens because it has been more than one year since you last logged into your account. § If this happens, go ahead and reset your password by following the prompts. § If you have additional questions about your e. Services password, call e. Services account support at 855 -682 -0785. 6

Two-Step Verification § ESD has implemented two-step verification – also called multi-factor authentication or MFA – to e. Services § Claimants who use the Secure. Access Washington, or SAW, portal to e. Services will see the new options for increasing their account’s security. § Claimants who use e. Services will be sent a code to their email address to verify their identity when they log in using their username and password. They will also be able to add an additional email and/or mobile phone number as an alternative method to receive the code. 7

You can now change your password here: 8

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Job search § With the economy recovering, the job search requirement has now gone back into effect. § This means in order to remain eligible for unemployment benefits, you are required to look for work and keep track of: § At least three approved job search activities each week if you are receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits § For more information, go to esd. wa. gov/unemployment/job-search-requirements. 11

Here are some of the common “Alerts” you may see 12

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If payment status is “Pending”, your claim is being reviewed for eligibility, check the Pending Issues tab for information. 16

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If payment status is “Invalid”, it means you are not monetarily eligible. 18

If payment status is “Excess Earnings”, this means you have earned to much money to be eligible for unemployment benefits for that week. 19

20 If payment status is “Disqualified”, check Decisions Status tab to find out for what reason.

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22 Click on Benefits paid for addition details

Click on Benefits Paid to view details 23

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Name Address 26

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When do you file your weekly claim - 28 § Preferably every Sunday for each previous week that you want to receive benefits. For example, if your claim start date is 1/17 you will submit your first weekly claim on 1/24 or anytime during that week. § You will then need to submit your weekly claim every week, for the previous week. § You will submit your weekly claim after the week is over. § You can submit your weekly claim using e. Services or by calling 800318 -6022. Start of claim Submit your weekly claim during this time

Unemployment Information § When you return to full time work, just stop submitting your weekly claims. There is no need to call us or tell us that you have returned to work. 29

Unemployment Information § You can still receive unemployment if you work part time or if your employer is paying you sick pay, holiday pay, vacation pay, or personal time off. You just need to report the hours and earnings for each week that you do the work or that the pay is attributable to. If you work fewer than 16 hours of part-time work, work search is required. § The amount of your unemployment claim is based on the “base year” for when you filed your claim. 30 § For claims started after Jan. 3, 2021, to March 3, 2021, it will be October 2019 through September 2020. § For claims started April 4, 2021, to July 3, 2021, it will be January 2020 through December 2020. § For claims started July 4, 2021 to Oct. 2, 2021, it will be April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021.

Unemployment Information § If your claim shows “invalid” or “ineligible” it could be because: § Some of your employers are missing. Make sure you inform us of that. § If your hours and earnings reported by your employer are not correct, please let us know. We will ask for documentation and then we will get it corrected. 31

Unemployment Information § The governor, with support from the Legislature suspended job search requirements as a result of COVID-19 § With the economy recovering, the job search requirement went back into effect July 4, 2021 – as of that date, you must look for work and document at least three approved job search activities each week to remain on unemployment benefits § You must begin job search activities the week of July 4 – 10 § You must report those activities starting the week of July 11, and every week you need benefits after that; you must maintain a physical copy of your job search log 32 § Watch esd. wa. gov and look for alerts in your e. Services account. For more information, or to download a job search log, go to esd. wa. gov/unemployment/ job-search-requirements

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Unemployment Information § Standby is for individuals who are: full-time, returning to a former employer and have been given a specific return to work date. § Individuals can only request up to four weeks of standby. The employer can request an additional four weeks of standby for a total of eight weeks for an individual’s claim. § If you receive a denial or disqualification letter, you should look in the “Decision Status” tab to learn more. Read the letter to find out why. You can also file an appeal and give us any new information or information that you did not provide initially. 34

Federal pandemic unemployment benefits ended § CARES Act and other federal programs that expanded and extended unemployment benefits expired § Week ending Sept. 4 is the last payable week of benefits from these programs: § Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) § Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) § Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) § If you still need benefits after Sept. 4, you might be able to: § File weekly claims if you have an active unemployment claim § Apply for a new claim § Restart a claim 35 § For more information, go to esd. wa. gov/COVID-19

Pandemic Benefits Being Extended § The following are set by U. S. Department of Labor: § § 36 Both PUA and PEUC have been extended to Sept. 4, 2021 PUA can only pay 79 weeks PEUC can only pay 53 weeks The additional $300 per week is scheduled to end Sept. 4, 2021 (regardless of whether your claim shows funds or weeks)

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) § PUA was created due to COVID-19; as threat of COVID-19 lessens, ESD will return to regular policy/laws that govern unemployment benefits § PUA was designed to assist those persons who are either selfemployed or under employed and independent contractors § Anyone who falls under this category is eligible for unemployment benefits due to the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act § Self-employed, under employed and contractors may not be eligible for benefits once American Rescue Plan Act ends § Watch esd. wa. gov for updates or alerts 37

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Documents Required 38 § Starting July 28, we began asking some past and present recipients of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to submit documents about their work history § This is required by the federal Continued Assistance Act § The federal government requires information to prove that you are or were eligible to receive PUA. § If you do not submit the required documents, you could lose benefits and have to repay benefits you’ve already received. § If you are or were receiving PUA and receive a notice in your e. Services account of via mail, answer the questions and submit the required documents. If you didn’t get a notice, there’s no need to do anything. § For more information, go to esd. wa. gov/unemployment/ pua-documents-required

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation 39 § We are now paying the additional $300 per week with the starting date of Dec. 27, 2020 § No application is necessary § Payable as long as you are eligible for at least $1 in benefits § Payable to those that are receiving regular, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Extended Benefits, and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. § This $300 is in addition to your regular benefits § Available until Sept. 4, 2021

Unemployment Waiting Week Waiver § The waiting week will be reinstated starting the week of Sept. 5 -11, 2021. § On May 7, 2021, a new rule went into effect to waive the unpaid waiting week. § Anyone who was not paid for their waiting week for weeks ending Jan. 9, 2021, or later will be reimbursed retroactively after May 7, 2021. § In the week following May 7, anyone whose waiting week was unpaid for Jan. 9, 2021, or later will get backpay for that week, the same way benefits are paid. § If this relates to you, check the alerts in your e. Services account for more info. 40

Text Message Scams § Customers are reporting text message scams § Messages could look like this or different § Messages are not from ESD, do not click on links or call any attached phone numbers § Use these ESD links: 41 § secureaccess. wa. gov § secure. esd. wa. gov Do not click For more information on identifying unemployment scams, go esd. wa. gov/unemployment-scams

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Resources to Help! § For everything – esd. wa. gov § Join our webinars online – esd. wa. gov/uiwebinars § Appropriate phone lines are: § e. Services (SAW) Account Support – 855 -682 -0785 § Unemployment Insurance Claims – 800 -318 -6022 § Identity issues – 800 -246 -9763 43 § Shared. Work – contact you employer/agency rep § Disabled or need an accommodation to apply – 844 -395 -6698 or send email to esdgpuiaccomms@esd. wa. gov § Reemployment Services – www. worksourcewa. com § Need more help? Dial 2 -1 -1 for free, confidential connections to local services, such as food, housing, childcare and more