 The Washington State Employment Security Department launched a massive update of its computer systems with the goal of ensuring people can successfully file for expanded unemployment benefits enabled by the Federal CARES Act. Every hour, thousands of people are applying for unemployment benefits which has caused system performance issues. While ESD works to address system performance issues they are reminding customers who are having difficulty applying or filing weekly claims the following:
- You don’t have to apply on Sunday – it is not first-come-first served, and there is no risk to funds running out. You can apply anytime.
- Payments are retroactive to your eligibility date. This means that, once you have successfully applied and backdated your start date, your first payment will be for all weeks for which you are eligible.
- Weekly claims can be filed Sunday through Saturday every week. They can also be filed over the automated phone system at: 800-318-6022
- E-services is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The busiest times tend to be in the morning. We recommend trying during off hours.
- If you are having difficulty filing your application, please visit our help page https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment/help
For more information please read ESD’s news release.
 Approximately 1.2 million surgical masks were delivered to Snohomish County’s Department of Emergency Management (DEM). DEM’s Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) is working to distribute the personal protective equipment (PPE).
FEMA continues to expedite movement of commercially pre-sourced and commercially procured critical supplies from the global market to medical distributors in various locations across the U.S. through Project Airbridge. Airbridge was created to reduce the time it takes for U.S. medical supply distributors to receive PPE and other critical supplies. FEMA covers the cost to fly supplies into the U.S. from overseas factories, reducing shipment time from weeks to days.
 People who feel sick with COVID-19 symptoms like fever, cough, and shortness of breath are at their most contagious. However, people can spread the virus for 1–3 days before they get symptoms. During this time, they feel well, and if they are not taking precautions like social distancing and effective hand washing, they can spread the virus to others.
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is reminding the community that protecting others starts with good personal health habits, and encourages the following:
- Stay home when you’re sick
- Stay home as much as possible when you feel healthy
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue
- Wash your hands!
- Disinfect the things you touch
- Consider wearing a fabric mask
For more information please read DOH’s blog post.
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