Unemployed workers across Washington are watching the calendar with growing unease as their benefits take weeks, sometimes months, to arrive. With rent, groceries, and basic bills piling up, a rising wave of unemployment claims is colliding with a system still struggling to keep pace.
Initial claims are up about 9% compared with this time last year, and weekly filings are roughly 22% higher, according to Camas-Washougal Post-Record reporting on state data. Federal figures from the St. Louis Fed’s FRED show weekly initial claims in February hovering between about 5,900 and 6,600.
Shorter phone hours, faster processing
State officials say they are trying to get ahead of the backlog by changing how the phones are staffed. A Feb. 18 news release from the Employment Security Department details a 90-day pilot program that shortened call center hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays so more staff could focus on processing claims.
That shift, according to the agency, led to a 37% jump in completed tasks and a 3% improvement in how quickly people received their first benefit payment. “We’re pleased with the progress we’re making, especially seeing an increase in customers receiving their benefit payments faster,” Commissioner Cami Feek said in the release. In other words, fewer hours on the phones, a bit more speed behind the scenes.
‘I’m lucky I’m not on the street’
For people waiting on money to survive, even modest efficiency gains can feel painfully slow. Clark County residents told local reporters that their claims lingered for weeks or months without resolution.
Andrew Briggs said his last paycheck came in December and that workers at the agency warned him the process could take “anywhere from four to 16 weeks.” “I’m lucky I’m not on the street somewhere,” he told reporters. Another claimant, Monica Cochran, said she has been recertifying every week since applying in January but had not received a payment at the time of her interviews with the Camas-Washougal Post-Record.
Big-name tech cuts keep claims climbing
The surge in claims is not just about seasonal shifts. A string of high-profile layoffs has put fresh pressure on Washington’s unemployment system. Local coverage shows Amazon filed notices affecting nearly 2,200 employees in the state, while other major employers, including T-Mobile and Microsoft, have also thinned their ranks, according to reporting from Axios Seattle.
How to avoid making a slow system slower
With the phones ringing off the hook and staff juggling competing demands, the Employment Security Department is urging claimants to take a few basic steps that can keep their applications from getting hung up in the system.
The agency recommends gathering employer and earnings information before starting a claim, filing weekly after you first apply, keeping your contact information updated, regularly checking your eServices account for messages, and responding quickly if the department asks for more details. The same guidance includes the updated call center hours and additional resources for applicants, according to the Employment Security Department.
For now, the agency plans to stick with the adjusted call center hours through June 30, 2026, while it gathers more data. Officials describe the change as a short-term, staff-driven move while longer-term fixes are on the table. In the meantime, people stuck in limbo are being urged to stay on top of their eServices accounts and follow the department’s filing checklist to cut down the chances of yet another delay.
