OLYMPIA – “We are grateful that Congress has extended, expanded and updated the unemployment benefits on which so many Washingtonians and their families rely. The threat of these benefits going away at the end of December was terrifying, and this brings much needed hope and relief for the New Year.
“We will work around the clock and as hard as we can to implement this new legislation as quickly as possible as we know that these benefits provide a critical lifeline to hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians. However, it’s important for people to know that the law made critical changes to the programs and there are many complexities to navigate and resolve. Like all states, we must receive guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor to administer the law and put the provisions of the Act in place.
“We will provide updates through direct claimant communication, the COVID-19 page on esd.wa.gov, outreach to the media and our social media channels in the coming days and weeks as we learn more. Current claimants should continue to submit weekly claims as usual and look out for more updates from us.”