The Washington State Employment Security Department said Sunday that it 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. Tens of thousands of people have already filed successfully, and thousands continue to do so every hour, the department said.

Due to the demand, the sign up and online application systems are experiencing performance issues, the department said, although more people are getting through as technical adjustments are made.

If customers are having difficulty applying for or filing weekly claims, the department said there are a few things to remember:

• 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: 866
• E-services is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The busiest times tend to be in the morning. The department recommends trying during off hours.
• If you are having difficulty filing your application, visit the help page https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment/help

“We apologize for the frustration this is causing and ask for Washingtonians’ patience as we roll out these programs,” the department said in a statement. “We know people don’t want to have to wait further to get these benefits and are doing everything we can to improve the performance and access.”