One thing to keep in mind is that if you worked in multiple states during your base year, you might need to file an interstate claim. Washington will coordinate with other states to get your wage information, but it can add some processing time. Also, if you had any military service or federal employment during your base year, those wages are handled differently and you'll need to provide your DD-214 or SF-8 forms. The key is to be thorough when listing all your employers during the application process so they don't miss anything.

Just wanted to add that if you're self-employed or had 1099 income during your base year, those earnings typically won't count toward your unemployment benefits unless you specifically opted into the state's unemployment insurance program as an independent contractor. This catches a lot of people off guard - they see good earnings on their tax returns but then wonder why ESD says they don't qualify or have a very low benefit amount. Regular W-2 wages from employers who pay into the unemployment system are what really matter for the calculation.

To answer your LinkedIn question - updating your LinkedIn profile counts as ONE activity for your ENTIRE claim period (not weekly). Same goes for creating/updating resumes or registering on job search websites. For your job search log, include: - Date of activity - Employer name/organization - Address or website - Person contacted (if applicable) - Method of contact - Type of work sought - Results/outcome Keep this log for at least 30 days after your benefit year ends - they can audit you even after you're no longer claiming benefits!

One thing I learned the hard way - if you're working part-time while on UI, make sure you understand how your earnings affect your weekly benefit amount. Washington has a partial benefit formula where they deduct 75% of your gross earnings from your weekly benefit amount (after allowing the first 25% as a "disregard"). So if your weekly benefit amount is $400 and you earn $100 gross that week, they'll reduce your benefit by $75 (75% of $100), leaving you with $325 in UI benefits plus your $100 in wages. Just wanted to mention this since you said you're only working 3-6 hours - depending on your hourly rate, you might still be getting most of your UI benefits. Also, keep track of your total benefit year balance! Working part-time while collecting means you're using up your benefits more slowly, which can be good for stretching them out over a longer period.

Thanks everyone for all the responses! Sounds like the consensus is that selling personal belongings isn't income I need to report, as long as I'm not running a business. I'll keep records just in case but I feel much better about selling some stuff now. Really appreciate all the help!

I went through this same situation a few months ago. I was decluttering my place and sold about $600 worth of furniture, old electronics, and clothes over a couple months on Facebook Marketplace. I kept detailed records with photos and sale prices, but never reported it on my weekly claims since it was all personal property I'd owned for years. Never had any issues with ESD. The key is making sure you're truly selling your own belongings and not buying things to resell - that would cross into business territory. Keep good documentation and you should be fine!

Update: Just had my WorkSource appointment this morning and wanted to share for others in my situation. It was much better than expected! The counselor was actually close to retirement herself and totally understood my challenges. We talked about age-friendly employers in my area and she connected me with their 55+ program coordinator. They're helping me apply for a part-time bookkeeping position with a non-profit that specifically values experienced workers. She also explained exactly how to handle my job search requirements when I start receiving Social Security next month. Thanks everyone for the advice and support!

Congratulations on having such a positive experience, Mateo! Your update gives me hope as someone who's been dreading my own upcoming WorkSource appointment. I'm 63 and was laid off from my HR position three weeks ago after 20 years with the same company. Like you, I've been getting the "overqualified" response from employers, which is really just code for "too old" in my experience. It's encouraging to hear they have dedicated programs for our age group and that some counselors really do understand our unique challenges. I'm definitely going to ask about the 55+ program coordinator when I go in next week. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience - it really helps to know what to expect!

Thanks everyone for explaining this! I was totally lost when I first got my determination letter but this thread cleared up a lot of my confusion. The quarter-based calculation makes more sense now.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm a newcomer here and just filed my first unemployment claim last week. I was completely confused by all the base period terminology and quarterly calculations, but reading through everyone's explanations really cleared things up. It's reassuring to know that the formula is actually pretty straightforward - highest quarter divided by 26 weeks. I was overthinking it and trying to factor in all kinds of complicated percentages I found on various websites. Now I just need to wait for my monetary determination to see what my actual benefit amount will be. Thanks to everyone who took the time to explain this stuff in plain English!