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Whatever you decide, make sure you understand the job search requirements before you quit. You'll need to be actively looking for work and able/available to accept suitable employment. Can't just quit and take a vacation while collecting benefits.
thanks for this thread everyone. ive been dealing with a toxic workplace too and didnt know quitting could still make you eligible for unemployment in some cases. definitely going to document everything going forward
OP, based on what you've described (layoff, 2 years employment, no issues), you should definitely be approved. The process just takes time and Washington ESD doesn't give much feedback while they're processing. Hang in there!
Just remember that even during the appeal process, you still need to be actively looking for work and keeping track of your job search activities. They'll ask about that during the hearing.
To answer your original question directly - no, you can't just reapply if you get denied. You must appeal the denial first. If you win the appeal, your original claim gets approved. If you lose, you'd need to have new qualifying wages from a different job to file a new claim.
For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD by phone, I'll mention one more time that Claimyr really was a game-changer for me. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to sort things out, especially if your claim gets stuck or you have questions about your eligibility.
Final thought for the original poster - don't stress too much about qualifying. Based on what you've described (2 years employment, layoff due to position elimination), you should definitely qualify. The hardest part is usually just navigating the application process itself.
Rita Jacobs
One thing that helped me was using Claimyr when I needed to verify my benefit calculation with Washington ESD. Instead of spending all day trying to get through, I was able to speak with an agent quickly and get my questions answered about how they calculated my weekly amount.
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Vanessa Figueroa
•I might have to try that. I still have questions about whether they're using the right wage information for my calculation.
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Rita Jacobs
•It's definitely worth it when you need answers about your specific situation. The agents can pull up your wage records and explain exactly how they got your benefit amount.
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Khalid Howes
For anyone still confused, here's the simple version: Washington ESD takes your highest-earning quarter from your base period, divides by 26, and that's your weekly benefit (up to the $999 max). Base period is roughly 12-18 months ago, not your recent work.
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Vanessa Figueroa
•Thank you! This is exactly the clear explanation I was looking for.
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Ben Cooper
•This should be pinned at the top of every unemployment forum. So much clearer than the Washington ESD website.
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