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I went through something similar about 6 months ago. Filed my claim as "discharged" since they made the decision to end my employment early, even though I had given notice. Washington ESD approved it after about 10 days of review. The key thing that helped my case was having documentation showing I gave proper notice and they chose to terminate me immediately. Make sure you mention in your application that you were willing and able to work the full notice period but the employer refused. Good luck!
Upload them right away when you file! I made the mistake of waiting and it just delayed my review process. Washington ESD wants to see all the documentation upfront if possible. Having that paper trail from the start really strengthened my case and probably helped speed up the 10-day approval.
This gives me so much hope! I was worried that giving notice first would automatically disqualify me, but hearing that you got approved in just 10 days makes me feel way better about filing. I'll definitely emphasize that I was ready to work the full two weeks but they chose to terminate me early. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I work in HR and see this situation fairly often. What happened to you is called "accepting resignation with immediate release" and it's actually pretty common in retail and food service. The good news is that Washington ESD typically treats this as a discharge rather than a voluntary quit, since the employer made the final decision about your employment end date. When you file, make sure to emphasize that you were ready, willing, and able to work through your full notice period but the employer chose to release you immediately. This shows you didn't abandon your job - they ended it early. Document everything and file as soon as possible!
This is super helpful to know there's actually a term for this! "Accepting resignation with immediate release" - I had no idea that was a thing. It makes me feel a lot better knowing that HR professionals see this as a discharge rather than a voluntary quit. I'm definitely going to use that exact phrasing when I file my claim this weekend. Having the proper terminology might help Washington ESD understand the situation more clearly. Thanks for the professional insight!
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By the way, I'm pretty sure he'll need to report which union hall he's registered with. I think there's a specific part in the weekly claim for that. It's been a few months since I had to do this but I remember you have to put your local number somewhere.
That's correct - there's a section in the weekly claim that asks if you're a member of a union with a hiring hall. The first time he files, he'll need to enter his union information, but after that, the system remembers it. As long as he indicates he's still a member of that same union when filing after the short job, he'll maintain the job search exemption.
One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure your husband keeps detailed records of his work dates and earnings during that short assignment. I recommend he write down or screenshot his daily hours and pay stubs immediately. When he resumes filing after being laid off again, having exact dates and dollar amounts makes the process so much smoother. Also, if the union dispatcher gives him any paperwork about the temporary assignment or layoff, keep copies of that too. ESD sometimes asks for documentation if there are any questions about work separation, and having everything organized ahead of time can save a lot of headaches later.
This is such great advice! I'm definitely going to have him keep a detailed log of everything. It sounds like documentation is key if there are ever any questions. Better to have too much information than not enough when dealing with ESD. Thanks for thinking of that detail - I wouldn't have considered keeping dispatcher paperwork but that makes total sense.
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does washington have a waiting week or do benefits start right away?
Washington eliminated the waiting week in 2020. Benefits start with your first week of unemployment as long as you file your weekly claim on time.
awesome, thats one less thing to worry about when budgeting
This thread should be pinned somewhere. Best explanation of Washington ESD benefit calculations I've seen. Way clearer than their official website.
Totally agree! I've been lurking here trying to understand my own benefit calculation and this thread has been incredibly helpful. The step-by-step breakdown with actual examples really makes the difference. Government websites are usually so hard to navigate and understand.
I'm new here but this thread really saved me! I've been stressing about my unemployment calculation for weeks and couldn't make sense of the Washington ESD website. The formula everyone explained (highest quarter × 0.0385) is so much clearer than anything I found online. Just did my math and I should get around $420/week which will help a lot while I job hunt. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge!
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Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. I think I have a much better understanding now of how business ownership affects unemployment eligibility.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do next. The entrepreneurial spirit is admirable even when things don't work out.
Definitely. Starting a business takes guts and most people never even try.
I'm in a similar boat - had to close my freelance design business last month after three years. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like since I was taking distributions rather than paying myself a salary, I won't qualify for regular UI benefits. It's frustrating because I did pay self-employment taxes, but apparently that doesn't count toward unemployment insurance. Has anyone found success with other assistance programs for former business owners? I'm looking into everything at this point.
@Aiden Chen I m'really sorry you had to close your business too. It s'such a tough situation when you ve'put years of work into something. Have you looked into whether you might qualify for any SNAP benefits or other basic assistance programs while you re'transitioning back to traditional employment? I know it s'not the same as unemployment insurance, but it might help bridge the gap. Also, since you were doing freelance design work, you probably have a portfolio and client relationships that could help you find contract or permanent positions with agencies or companies. The skills transfer even if the business structure didn t'work out.
I'm really sorry to hear about your design business closing - that must be incredibly difficult after putting three years into it. You're absolutely right that the self-employment tax situation is frustrating since it feels like you were paying into the system, just not the right part of it for unemployment purposes. I've been researching other options myself since realizing I won't qualify for regular UI benefits either. One thing I discovered is that some local workforce development boards have special programs for displaced business owners or entrepreneurs transitioning back to traditional employment. They sometimes offer job search assistance, retraining opportunities, or even temporary financial support that's separate from the regular unemployment system. It might be worth reaching out to WorkSource Washington to see if they have any programs specifically for people in our situation. Also, since you mentioned you were doing freelance design, have you considered reaching out to temp agencies that specialize in creative services? They might have contract opportunities that could provide some income while you're figuring out your next steps.
Nick Kravitz
One last thing - if you're having trouble with your payment method or need to make changes, sometimes it's easier to go through Claimyr to reach an agent rather than trying to figure it out online. The website can be confusing and not all options are clearly labeled.
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Charlie Yang
•Thanks everyone for all the help! I think I'll start with direct deposit and see how it goes.
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Nick Kravitz
•Good choice! Direct deposit is usually the smoothest option. Good luck with everything!
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Emma Bianchi
I've been through this exact same situation! Washington ESD does offer both options, but I'd strongly recommend going with direct deposit if you have a bank account. I started with the KeyBank debit card when I first got approved, but switched to direct deposit after about a month and wish I had done it from the beginning. The direct deposit is much more reliable - I get my payments every Tuesday like clockwork, usually around 2-3 AM. With the KeyBank card, there were a couple times where the card got temporarily frozen for "suspicious activity" (which was just me buying groceries) and I had to call to get it unlocked. Plus with direct deposit, the money just goes straight to your regular account where you can pay bills, transfer to savings, whatever you need. The setup is really easy through your SecureAccess Washington account - just go to payment preferences and enter your routing and account number. Make sure you double-check those numbers though! One wrong digit and your payment will bounce back and you'll have to wait another week.
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Omar Mahmoud
•This is super helpful, thank you! I was leaning towards direct deposit anyway since I already do all my banking online. Quick question - when you switched from the KeyBank card to direct deposit, did you have to do anything special or just change the setting in your account? And did the switch happen immediately or did it take a payment cycle to kick in?
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