Employment Security improves website in expectation of a million new claims this weekend

The state Employment Security Department has made significant changes to its website to help workers find the information they need including:

• A simplified website design for easier navigation to the pages people need most right now.
• A new guide to help self-employed, independent contractors and othersaffected by COVID-19 apply for regular unemployment benefits, expanded benefits (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance) and submit weekly claims.
• A new checklist to get ready to apply for expanded unemployment benefits (pdf) (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance).

Unemployment benefits: Nearly $1.4B in unemployment benefits paid out to Washingtonians from the Washington’s Employment Security Department with almost $900 million this week alone, the Employment Security Department announced Thursday.