Case Study: Washington State Employment Security Department makes unemployment letters clearer with Anthro-Tech

Washington State Employment Security Department simplifies 750 unemployment letters with Anthro-Tech

The Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) faced a challenge in meeting a state mandate to use clear language in its communications. Customers found its unemployment benefits decision letters, particularly the "letter drop-ins" explaining decisions, to be confusing. ESD partnered with vendor Anthro-Tech to simplify this language and improve accessibility.

Anthro-Tech conducted a content audit and a comprehensive customer survey to identify key issues with the letters, such as excessive jargon and unclear explanations. Using this research, Anthro-Tech provided ESD with practical plain language guidelines and recommendations for rewriting the content. This resulted in an immediate improvement; ESD began rewriting 90 letters with better structure, less jargon, and a more understandable tone, making it simpler for claimants to comprehend decisions. The project earned Anthro-Tech and ESD a ClearMark Award from the Center for Plain Language.

Washington State Employment Security Department