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Just remember that even if you qualify for $700+ per week, you still need to be actively looking for work. Don't treat unemployment as a vacation because they do check up on your job search activities.
Good luck with your claim! The whole process can be stressful but once you get through the initial setup, the weekly claims are pretty routine. Just make sure to file every week even if you haven't heard about your benefit amount yet.
Just remember that even if you qualify for unemployment, the amount you get depends on your wages during the base period. So if you only worked a few months, your weekly benefit amount might be pretty low.
for those still reading this - the WorkSource requirement is still in effect even if you own a business. you have to register and do the career workshops and stuff. just fyi
Thanks everyone for all the help and advice! This has been one of the most useful forum discussions I've ever been part of. Hope it helps others in similar situations. The main takeaways seem to be: 1) You can potentially qualify but it's complicated 2) Be completely honest about everything 3) Document all income and activities 4) Be prepared for a lengthy review process 5) You still have all the same job search requirements as other claimants.
And don't forget - if you need to talk to Washington ESD during the process, Claimyr can save you hours of phone tag. Worth checking out if you're struggling to get through.
File immediately and be patient with the process. Even straightforward claims can take 2-3 weeks to process. Don't panic if you don't hear back right away.
Maria Gonzalez
The whole base period thing is confusing but it's actually designed to give you the best possible benefit amount by using your highest earning quarter. Could be worse - some states use different formulas that result in lower payments.
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Olivia Martinez
•That's a good way to look at it. At least Washington seems to have decent benefits compared to what I've heard about other places.
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Maria Gonzalez
•Exactly. Plus 26 weeks is pretty standard. Some states only do 12-20 weeks max.
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Natalie Chen
Just wanted to add that if you worked for multiple employers during your base period, Washington ESD will combine all those wages when calculating your benefits. So don't worry if you switched jobs - they'll use the total from all employers.
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Olivia Martinez
•That's helpful. I did switch jobs about 8 months ago so good to know they'll count both.
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Natalie Chen
•Yep, they get wage reports from all employers so they should have everything automatically.
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