Web training for publishers

This will cover basic functions for Orchard web publishing:

Basic updates

Include the following kinds of activities:

Edit or add text to an existing page within existing page layout
Use standard formatting options in content editor to adjust for consistency (headers, styles, bullets, font treatments, etc.)
Upload, replace, or remove media items
Link to files or other webpages
Preview, save, schedule, and publish pages

Tips and suggestions:

Use italics, bold, and all caps very sparingly, if at all.
Do not underline text – since links are often underlined on hover, it will make text appear like it’s interactive when it isn’t.
Use the options in the text editor as they are – use “Headers” for titles and do not style them with bold or italics. Use “Paragraph” for body text.
If you’re feeling like the page looks bad if you’re following the above rules, it’s possible you have a formatting issue. For instance, you can try adding more white space between sections, taking away some bulleted areas if there are too many, using a horizontal rule to create visual separation, etc. Sometimes publishers resort to bold/italics/underlines/using headers for body text when they feel frustrated that the page looks “off.

A good example of this is here: https://wpc.wa.gov/reports/dol-qra-dashboards - the page is very hard to scan with so many different text sizes and styles. There is no real logic to when italics or bold or underline is used, and headers are being used for paragraph text. I know it may be counter intuitive, but keeping text plain and using more white space or other low impact styling choices can improve readability and user engagement.

The CARES Act and other federal programs expanded and extended unemployment benefits for many claimants. Those programs expired the week ending Sept. 4, 2021.

The week ending Sept. 4 is the last payable week for:

Also expiring the week ending Sept. 4: additional $300 per week for all eligible claimants.
By federal law, all claimants were getting $300 in addition to their usual weekly benefit amount for a limited time, except those receiving Training Benefits.

For those with claims pending in adjudication or appeal after Sept. 4:
Benefits will be available. If we find that claimants are eligible, we will pay benefits for weeks claimed before Sept. 4.

(Updated Sept. 6, 2021)

Expired federal benefit programs

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)

When did the benefit extensions expire?

All federal programs that expanded and extended unemployment benefits expired the week ending Sept. 4, 2021.

What should I do now that the federal benefit programs have ended?

1. Continue filing weekly claims for weeks you want to get benefits.
2. Watch for updates via mail, email, social media and messages in eServices.
3. Respond to any of our requests for information. Even if you have stopped claiming or found a job, we still might need to contact you.
4. Please try not to call our Unemployment Claims Center with general questions. Call volume remains very high. Find the latest information on this page and the COVID-19 page.

What should I do if I’ve used up all my benefits?

If you have used up your benefits and your benefit year has ended, you might be eligible for a new claim. The easiest way to apply is online via eServices. If you can’t apply online, you can call the Unemployment Claims Center.

Get help with your job search
WorkSource can help you find your next job or career. Go to WorkSourceWA.com to get started. Under Resources, use the WorkSource locator to find an office near you and see what services are available virtually and in-person.

What should I do if I’ve used up all my benefits?2

I already submitted documents when I applied for PUA. Do I need to submit more?

You need to submit more only if you received a notice from us asking for more information. If we ask you for more documents, it means that the ones you submitted before were not adequate. You must submit them even though the PUA program ended.

The federal CARES Act asked PUA applicants to submit documents that verified their 2019 wages. We used that information to potentially increase your weekly benefit amount. Then, the Continued Assistance Act updated the eligibility rules about PUA. It requires those who received PUA payments on Dec. 27, 2020, or after, to prove their work history in 2019 or 2020.

In some cases, the documents people submitted to verify their wages was enough to prove their work history. In other cases, we might need more proof. If so, we’ll ask for it. See the list of required documents on the PUA documents required web page.

What happens if I don’t submit the documents when asked for them?

If you don’t submit the required documents, federal law says that you will have to repay all PUA benefits you received for weeks you claimed Jan. 2, 2021, and later. We don’t want that to happen! Please follow all instructions you receive by letter or in your eServices account. Submit your documents by the deadline!

If you didn’t receive a notice from us, you don’t need to do anything.

Why didn’t ESD tell me about the documents needed when I first applied for PUA?

If we had known about this requirement when we first launched PUA benefits, we would have notified you then. The U.S. Department of Labor updated the requirements later in the federal Continued Assistance Act. We must comply with federal law.

We started telling affected PUA claimants about the new requirement as soon as our computer system was programmed for the change.

How long do I have to submit the required documents?

The notice we send you will include the due date. Those who applied for PUA before Jan. 31, 2021, have 90 days to submit the required documents. Those who applied for PUA on or after that date have 21 days to submit the documents.

In both situations, you can request an extra 14 days. You can request the extension in eServices or by mail. You will need to tell us why you need more time. We will decide if you have a good reason as defined by law for extending your due date.

Can I get more time to submit these documents?

Maybe. You can request an extra 14 days. You will need to tell us why you need more time. We will decide if you have a good reason as defined by law for extending your due date. You can request the extension in eServices or by mail, if you received a paper questionnaire. You can request it only once.

What happens after I submit my documents?

If we approve your benefits, you won’t hear from us. If we deny your benefits, we will send you a letter. You can appeal our decision if you disagree with it.

Should I keep filing my weekly claims before and after I submit my documents?

Yes. Keep filing your weekly claims on time for all weeks you want to receive benefits. We will pay you for weeks you claim and are eligible. We may deny benefits for weeks you claim late or if you don’t provide adequate documentation.

I received a notice saying that I needed to apply for a new claim, and I did. Do I still need to respond to the request to submit PUA required documents?

Yes! If you received the notice saying you need to submit required documents, then you must respond! If you don’t submit the required documents, federal law says that you will have to repay all PUA benefits you received for weeks you claimed Jan. 2, 2021, and later.

I have been exposed to COVID-19

What if I am asked by a medical professional or public health official to quarantine as a result of COVID-19, but I am not sick?

All eligibility decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis. If you are following guidance issued by a medical professional or public health official to isolate or quarantine yourself as a result of exposure to COVID-19 and you are not receiving paid sick leave from your employer, you may be eligible to receive regular unemployment benefits.

What should I do if I contract COVID-19 on the job?

See information from the Dept. of Labor and Industries information on Workers’ Compensation. If you plan to apply for unemployment benefits, review COVID-19 information on our website.

What is a request to isolate or quarantine?

A request to isolate or quarantine is:

A letter documenting a voluntary request or involuntary order to isolate or quarantine from a medical professional, local health official, or the Secretary of Health.
A note from your medical provider or medical records office recommending isolation or quarantine.
A self-determination that Department of Health’s quarantine guidance applies to you.
An order from Gov. Inslee to "Stay Home, Stay Healthy."

Do I qualify for unemployment benefits if I become seriously ill and I am forced to quit my job as a result of COVID-19?

If you are too ill to be able and available for work or to work remotely, you do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits. As with any illness, you could be eligible for Paid Family and Medical Leave if your healthcare provider certifies your illness meets the definition of “serious health condition” and you have the qualifying hours. Once you recover and are again able and available for work, you may qualify for unemployment benefits.

After following the instructions from the potential new claim (PNC) alert you received, you filed a new claim in our benefit system. We used this new claim information and checked it against the number of hours you worked in the base year used for calculating benefits.

When we reviewed the new claim, we looked to see:

If you worked 680 hours in the new base year; AND
If since the separation date from your employer on your prior claim, you returned to work and earned six times the new weekly benefit with bona fide employment.

At that point, if you didn’t meet these two qualifications, you received a statement stating you had a zero-benefit amount.

Then the system moved you back to your previous claim and continued your PEUC benefits. You received a second statement a short time later stating the weekly benefit amount on your previous claim.

All of this is necessary because federal law required us to check, and you to attest, when we received new information about wages earned which may have made you eligible for standard Unemployment Insurance benefits.

And as an important reminder, please keep filing your weekly claims.