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Bottom line - if you only have self-employment income, you can't get regular unemployment benefits. If you have W2 wages during your base period, you might qualify based on those wages alone. The tricky part is figuring out if you have enough qualifying wages and meeting the availability requirements.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! Sounds like I need to look up my exact W2 wages from last year and possibly talk to Washington ESD directly to see if I qualify.
One more thing - even if you qualify, your weekly benefit amount will only be based on your W2 wages, not your total income including self-employment. So the benefit might be lower than you expect.
Washington ESD should automatically send you information about what happens when your benefits end. If you haven't received anything yet, you might want to call them or use one of those services like Claimyr to make sure there isn't something you need to do on your end.
I'll probably try Claimyr if I don't hear anything in the next week or two. The phone situation with ESD is just impossible otherwise.
I had three ineligible weeks in a row last year and it turned out my former employer had contested my claim and ESD was investigating. They never told me about the investigation until I finally got through to someone on the phone. Definitely try to speak with an agent ASAP.
Update: I ended up using Claimyr after seeing it mentioned here and finally got through to ESD. Turns out my ineligible week was because I reported job search activities that weren't specific enough. The agent helped me understand exactly what they need and fixed the week. Definitely worth it if you're stuck trying to reach them the regular way.
If your claim gets denied for any reason, don't give up! You have the right to appeal the decision. The appeal process has strict deadlines though, so make sure you understand your options and act quickly if needed.
honestly the hardest part for me was just getting started. Once I submitted the application, everything else kind of fell into place. The weekly claims become routine pretty quickly.
You got this! And remember, ESD has customer service if you get stuck, though like others mentioned, actually reaching them can be challenging.
That's where services like Claimyr really come in handy. When you do need to talk to ESD, at least you know there's a way to actually get through to them without the usual runaround.
Monique Byrd
The job search requirement thing is no joke. They randomly audit people and if you can't prove you were looking for work, they'll make you pay back benefits. Keep detailed records of everything you do.
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Danielle Campbell
•What counts as a job search activity? Just applying for jobs or other things too?
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Monique Byrd
•Applying for jobs, networking events, career fairs, updating your resume, even some online career workshops count. Check the Washington ESD website for the full list.
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Jackie Martinez
Bottom line - if you filed correctly and your employer doesn't contest it, you'll start getting paid within 2-3 weeks of filing. First payment might take a little longer but after that it's pretty regular. Don't panic if it doesn't happen immediately.
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Danielle Campbell
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. Feeling much better about the whole process now.
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Jackie Martinez
•Good luck! Feel free to ask if you have more questions as you go through the process.
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