I went through this exact situation about a year ago and wanted to share what worked for me. I had two employers in my base year - quit one retail job for a manufacturing position that paid 20% more, then got laid off from manufacturing due to company downsizing. The key thing that helped my case was having documentation ready. I made sure to get a layoff letter from the manufacturing company and kept my offer letter from when they hired me (showing the higher wage). When ESD did their adjudication, having that paperwork made everything go much smoother. My timeline was about 3.5 weeks for adjudication, and I did get approved for benefits based on wages from both employers since they determined I had good cause to quit the retail job. The weekly benefit amount was calculated using all my base year wages, which was a relief. Two practical tips while you wait: 1. Set up a simple spreadsheet to track your job search activities - date, company, position, method of contact. Makes the weekly claims much easier. 2. If you need to contact ESD during this process, try calling right when they open at 8am. I had better luck getting through then vs later in the day. Your situation sounds very similar to mine, so I'm optimistic you'll get approved. The waiting is stressful but try to stay patient with the process!

I'm new to this unemployment process and reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm currently waiting for my eligibility determination after being laid off from my main job, but I also had a part-time position earlier in my base year that I left to focus on the full-time role. From what I'm understanding from all your stories, it sounds like ESD will review each job separation individually during adjudication, which makes sense but also sounds pretty stressful to wait through. The advice about keeping detailed documentation and continuing to file weekly claims even during the waiting period seems crucial - I definitely don't want to mess that up! One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned yet - does anyone know if the length of time you worked at each job affects how they calculate benefits? I was only at my part-time job for about 3 months before leaving for the full-time position, so I'm wondering if that shorter duration might impact things. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here. It's really helpful to hear real stories from people who've actually been through this process rather than just trying to decipher the official ESD website!

Just wanted to add that you should also consider filing a complaint with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) if your supervisor's behavior involves workplace safety issues or violates labor laws. Even if it doesn't directly help with unemployment eligibility, having an official complaint on record can strengthen your case that the work environment was genuinely problematic. Plus, L&I might be able to address the underlying issues at your workplace so other employees don't have to go through what you're experiencing.

I went through a similar situation a few years ago and ended up getting approved for benefits after quitting due to constructive discharge. The key things that helped my case were: 1) I documented specific incidents with dates and details, 2) I tried to resolve the issues internally first by speaking with management, and 3) I was able to show that the work environment had become genuinely unsafe/unbearable. Washington ESD looks for patterns of unreasonable behavior from your employer, not just isolated bad days. From what you've described - the constant yelling, impossible deadlines, and punitive task assignments - it sounds like you might have a valid case. But definitely start that documentation process now and try the internal complaint route first. Even if your company doesn't have HR, sending an email to the owner/upper management about the issues creates a paper trail showing you attempted to resolve things before quitting.

Just stay organized with your job search and document everything. The weekly claims and job search logs become routine after a few weeks.

Thanks for sharing all this detailed info everyone! As someone who just got laid off myself, this thread has been incredibly helpful. The 26-week maximum is clear now, and I really appreciate all the practical advice about job search requirements and planning ahead. It sounds like the key is to be proactive from day one rather than waiting until benefits are running low. I'm definitely going to start my job search aggressively and make sure I stay on top of all the weekly filing requirements. Good luck to everyone else who's going through this right now!

Thanks everyone for all the info. This has answered pretty much every question I had about working while on unemployment. Time to sign up for some delivery apps!

Another thing to keep in mind - make sure you understand the difference between gross and net pay when tracking your gig earnings. The apps will show you what you earned before their fees, but for unemployment reporting purposes you want to report what you actually received. So if DoorDash shows $50 in earnings but takes a $5 service fee, you'd report $45. Keep screenshots of your weekly earnings summaries from each app to make filing your claims easier.

Thanks everyone for all this helpful info! I feel much more confident about filing now. It sounds like seasonal work ending definitely qualifies for unemployment benefits, which is a huge relief. I'm going to gather all my employment documents and file online this week. Really appreciate all the detailed advice about the job search requirements and wage calculations - this community is awesome!

I was in a similar situation after my seasonal job at a pumpkin patch ended last fall! The good news is that seasonal layoffs absolutely qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington. The application process was pretty straightforward - just make sure you have all your employment dates and wage information ready. One thing I wish I had known earlier is that you need to start your job search activities right away, even if you're hoping to get called back for next season. Washington ESD requires those 3 weekly job search activities regardless of whether your layoff is seasonal or permanent. Also, don't let the waiting week discourage you - file as soon as possible to get your benefit year started. The sooner you apply, the sooner you'll start receiving payments after that first unpaid week.