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If you ever need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, I had good luck with Claimyr too. Much easier than trying to call directly.
Good luck! Come back and let us know how it goes. Always happy to help someone navigate this maze of a system.
Just remember - filing for unemployment isn't something to be ashamed of. You paid into this system through your taxes and you deserve these benefits when you need them. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about using a safety net that's there for exactly this situation.
Military discharge status can affect eligibility too. Dishonorable discharge might disqualify you from UI benefits, but most other discharge types are fine.
Bottom line - Washington ESD has a lot of potential disqualification reasons, but most people who lose their job through no fault of their own will qualify. The key is being honest about your situation and following all the requirements.
Good luck! Remember to document everything about your hostile work environment situation. The more evidence you have, the better your chances of avoiding a disqualification.
The whole tax situation with unemployment benefits is designed to catch people off guard. They should automatically withhold taxes unless you specifically opt out, not the other way around.
If anyone is really struggling with the tax bill from unemployment benefits, look into the IRS Fresh Start program. They have options for people who can't pay their full tax liability right away.
Harold Oh
I'm still confused about the base period calculation. If I file in March 2025, which quarters do they look at?
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Harold Oh
•So they don't look at Q4 2024 even though it's more recent?
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Heather Tyson
•Right, because they need completed quarters. Q4 2024 would be the fifth quarter back, and they only use that if you don't qualify using the standard base period.
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Amun-Ra Azra
The whole system would be so much easier if they just had better customer service. Trying to get answers about benefit calculations is like pulling teeth.
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Summer Green
•That's why services like Claimyr exist. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person who can look at your specific situation instead of trying to figure it out from generic website information.
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Amun-Ra Azra
•I might have to try that. I've been going in circles trying to understand my benefit calculation.
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