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Just wanted to follow up on my earlier comment about Claimyr - I used them again this week to ask about my benefit calculation after getting a confusing notice from Washington ESD. The agent was able to walk me through exactly how they calculated my weekly amount and explain why it changed from my initial determination. Really saved me a lot of stress and confusion.
Bottom line is your weekly benefit amount depends on your work history and wages during your base period. For someone making $18/hour working 35-40 hours, you're probably looking at somewhere between $350-450 per week depending on how consistent your hours were and how long you worked at that wage. Not great but enough to keep you afloat while job searching.
Just went through this process myself. Filed a new claim after my benefit year ended, but I had worked part-time during my previous claim. The new weekly benefit amount was calculated based on those wages, so it was lower than my original claim. Something to keep in mind.
The bottom line is that you CAN refile after benefits run out, but only if you meet the wage requirements for a new claim. If you don't have sufficient wages from covered employment during your benefit year, you'll need to look at other options or find work to build up eligibility for a future claim.
This has been really helpful everyone. Sounds like I need to wait until my benefit year ends next month, then see if I have enough wages to qualify for a new claim. If not, I'll look into training programs and other assistance.
Just to add another perspective - I successfully got unemployment as someone who thought I was a contractor. Turned out the company had been misclassifying multiple workers. It took filing an appeal and providing evidence, but Washington ESD eventually agreed I should have been an employee. Don't assume you don't qualify without looking into it.
One thing to remember is that even if you get denied initially, you can still appeal. The worst that happens is they confirm you don't qualify, but if there's any chance you were misclassified, it's worth trying. Just make sure you have your facts straight before filing.
Good point. I think I'm going to gather up whatever documentation I have and at least try filing a claim. If nothing else, it'll give me a definitive answer.
Smart approach. And if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD for clarification during the process, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work well for getting through their phone system.
Alfredo Lugo
Final thought - document everything! Keep records of every phone call, every letter, every payment. If there are any disputes later, you'll be glad you have the paper trail.
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Ali Anderson
•Great advice! I'm going to start a folder right now to keep track of everything related to this overpayment situation.
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Ali Anderson
Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice and encouragement. I feel much better about tackling this now that I know what my options are. I'm going to try to get through to Washington ESD this week and see about setting up a payment plan or possibly appealing if I think I have grounds. Will update you all on how it goes!
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A Man D Mortal
•You've got this! And remember, Claimyr is there if you need help getting through to someone at ESD.
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Zadie Patel
•Good luck! The hardest part is just getting started. Once you're talking to them, you'll find there are more options than you thought.
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