


Ask the community...
Based on what you've described, you should definitely apply. Having your hours cut that dramatically is exactly the kind of situation unemployment is designed to help with. The worst they can do is say no, but you might be surprised and qualify.
If you do run into issues getting through to Washington ESD for questions, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier is actually pretty solid. I used it last month when I needed to clarify something about my claim status and they got me connected in like 2 hours instead of me wasting the whole day calling.
One more thing - if you worked in multiple states during your base year, Washington might need to request wage information from other states. That can delay your benefit calculation by several weeks.
The whole UI system is designed to be confusing on purpose I swear. They don't want people to know exactly what they're entitled to. But at least with services like Claimyr you can get through to actual humans who can explain your specific situation.
I used to think that way too but honestly most Washington ESD agents are pretty helpful once you actually reach them. The problem is just getting through their phone system.
Don't forget that if you're receiving unemployment benefits, you're still eligible for certain other assistance programs like food stamps or Medicaid. The unemployment income counts, but there are specific rules about how it's calculated for those programs.
Final thought - once you know your weekly benefit amount, remember that you can't collect more than 26 weeks of regular unemployment in your benefit year, regardless of how much you paid into the system. So if you're getting a decent amount per week, make sure you're actively job searching to maximize your time.
This has been incredibly helpful everyone. I'm going to gather my pay stubs and W-2s and apply this weekend. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly!
Best of luck! The application process itself is pretty straightforward once you have all your information ready.
And remember, if you run into any issues or have questions, services like Claimyr are there to help you get through to Washington ESD quickly.
One last tip - make sure you apply as soon as you become unemployed. There's a waiting week but benefits are backdated to when you first became eligible, not when you applied.
Maxwell St. Laurent
Just want to add that if you do end up approved for both, make sure you understand the reporting requirements. You'll likely need to report any disability income to Washington ESD and vice versa.
0 coins
Sayid Hassan
•Thanks for pointing that out. I hadn't thought about the ongoing reporting requirements but that's definitely important to know.
0 coins
Maxwell St. Laurent
•Yeah, failing to report income from other sources is one of the quickest ways to get in trouble with unemployment benefits.
0 coins
PaulineW
Thanks everyone for all the responses. This has been really helpful in understanding the complexity of the situation. I think I have a better idea now of what questions to ask when I contact Washington ESD.
0 coins
Annabel Kimball
•Glad this thread was useful! Definitely one of those situations where getting official guidance is worth the effort.
0 coins
Sayid Hassan
•Agreed. I feel much more prepared to have that conversation now thanks to everyone's input.
0 coins