State Of Washington Employment Security Department

Washington State Department of Employment Security (ESD) is a state government entity that serves as the primary workforce development and employment services agency for Washington State. The department is registered in SAM.gov since July 2004 and maintains an active registration expiring in September 2026. As a child entity under the state government structure, ESD operates as the state workforce agency and receives substantial federal grant funding to administer critical employment and labor market programs that support workers, employers, and economic development across the state.

ESD provides a comprehensive range of employment and workforce development services through multiple federal grant programs administered by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, Veterans Employment and Training Service, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The department manages significant formula grants including the WIOA Adult Program ($43.2 million), WIOA Dislocated Worker Program ($31.2 million), WIOA Youth Activities Program ($40.7 million), Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Programs ($31.2 million and $697,572), and Jobs for Veterans State Grants ($2.76 million for 2025-2027 and additional prior awards). ESD also administers labor market information programs through cooperative agreements with the Bureau of Labor Statistics for collecting employment statistics (Current Employment Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages). Additionally, the department manages specialized programs including Trade Adjustment Assistance, Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment, Unemployment Insurance administration and integrity efforts, Work Opportunity Tax Credit administration, H-2A/H-2B labor certification services, and the Reentry Employment Opportunities program serving justice-involved individuals. ESD has received project grants for disaster recovery dislocated worker services, sector apprenticeship hub development through the Apprenticeship Building America program, career connect initiatives, and pandemic-related unemployment compensation program administration. The department serves as both a direct service provider and grant administrator, working with local workforce development boards, community-based organizations, educational institutions, and other state agencies as subrecipients to deliver services to diverse populations including dislocated workers, veterans, low-income youth, justice-involved individuals, and other job seekers facing barriers to employment.