Employment Security Department
#21-061

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Oct. 7, 2021
Email media inquiries:  media@esd.wa.gov

Initial regular claims and total claims for all benefits decreased during the week of September 26

OLYMPIA – During the week of September 26 to October 2, there were 4,814 initial regular unemployment claims, down 2.0 percent from the prior week. Total claims filed by Washingtonians for all unemployment benefit categories numbered 86,615 down 10.8 percent from the prior week.  

• Initial regular claims applications are 69 percent below weekly new claims applications for the same period last year during the pandemic.
• The 4-week moving average for regular initial claims was 4,860, a decrease of 98 from the previous week’s 4-week moving average. During the same time in 2019, it was 5,488.
• Decreases in layoffs in accommodation and food services and retail trade contributed to a decrease of 100 regular initial claims over the previous week.
• Although federal benefit programs, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) as well as the additional $300 per week for most claimants, expired the week ending Sept. 4, 2021, benefits will continue to be paid after Sept. 4, 2021 for individuals whose claims are pending in adjudication or on appeal if they are determined to be eligible for payment. Learn more at esd.wa.gov/covid-19.

In the week ending October 2, the Employment Security Department (ESD) paid out over $35 million for 35,580 individual claims. Since the crisis began in March 2020, ESD has paid more than $21.4 billion in benefits to over 1.2 million Washingtonians.

NOTE: After Oct. 7, ESD will no longer be sending a weekly press release of unemployment data. Information will be available on our website and shared in a release on a monthly basis. ESD will send out the first monthly release for the month of October on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021 at 10a.m. Pacific Time.

Note: You can find detailed claims data anytime on the ESD website. 

Below is a eighty-three week summary of statewide initial claims filed since the start of the COVID-19 crisis:

For complete information of weekly initial claims by industry sector and county for the year to date, also check the weekly unemployment initial claims charts compiled by ESD’s Labor Market & Economic Analysis division. For more information about specific counties, contact one of ESD’s regional local economists.

Data disclaimer and definitions

Per U.S. Department of Labor regulations, weekly unemployment claims data is embargoed and not available for release until the Thursday following the claim week. 

Initial claims include individuals who filed first-time claims as well as additional claims filed by individuals as a result of a new unemployment event. Initial claims include claims that are still being reviewed for eligibility. Counts for initial claims are not indicative of the number of claims that will result in monetary compensation.

Continuing claims equal continued weeks claimed including a total of all weeks for which benefits were claimed, even though such benefits were not paid or payment status is uncertain or unknown, e.g., waiting weeks, partial weeks, weeks for which penalties are being served and weeks for which a monetary or nonmonetary issue is pending. 

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) was an emergency program established by the federal CARES Act that temporarily expanded unemployment insurance eligibility to self-employed workers, freelancers, independent contractors, and part-time workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) was an emergency program established by the federal CARES Act that extended unemployment insurance for those who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits.

Web links

COVID-19 resources

• Washington state Employment Security Department unemployment insurance information for workers and employers
• Governor’s coronavirus website
• Washington state Department of Health public health resources

Labor market web links

• Labor market information website
• Historical data (Excel spreadsheet)
• Historical claims data (Excel spreadsheets)

Find a regional economist