Just to clarify something important: when you reopen your claim, you'll be asked if you've worked since last filing. Say YES and provide accurate information about your temp job including wages earned. This ensures your claim remains valid and prevents potential overpayment issues later.

Good luck with the temp job! One thing I learned the hard way - make sure to keep all your pay stubs from the temp work. When you reopen your claim, ESD sometimes asks for documentation of your employment and wages. It's way easier if you have everything organized ahead of time rather than scrambling to get records from the temp agency later.

Overall RESEA isn't as scary as it sounds. Go in with a positive attitude and be prepared to discuss your job search strategy. They really do want to help you find work.

I went through RESEA about 6 months ago and it was actually pretty straightforward. The counselor spent about 45 minutes reviewing my job search activities and helped me refine my resume. One tip - if you've been using online job boards, write down the specific job titles and company names because they'll ask for details. They also helped me set up some job alerts I didn't know about before. Don't stress too much about it - they're genuinely trying to help you get back to work, not catch you doing something wrong.

Hope everything works out for you! Filing for unemployment after getting fired is never fun but at least the system is there to help when you need it.

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago - got terminated after 7 weeks during my probation period for "not meeting performance standards." I was so worried I wouldn't qualify for benefits, but I filed anyway and got approved within about 3 weeks. The key thing that helped me was being completely honest on my application about why I was terminated. I didn't try to sugarcoat it or make excuses - just stated that my employer felt my performance wasn't meeting their expectations during the probation period. Washington ESD was totally understanding and my employer didn't even contest the claim. The whole process was way less scary than I thought it would be. Definitely file ASAP like others have said - you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Bottom line for OP: you probably qualify based on what you described. File online as soon as you're unemployed, and don't worry too much about the complex qualification rules until you actually get a determination from Washington ESD.

Just to add one more helpful tip - if you're still working part-time when you file, you can still potentially collect partial unemployment benefits as long as your weekly earnings are below a certain threshold. Washington ESD will reduce your weekly benefit amount based on what you earn, but you don't have to be completely unemployed to qualify. This might be relevant if you're worried about getting laid off from one of your part-time jobs but still have hours at another.

Thanks everyone for all the info in this thread. Really cleared up a lot of confusion about self-employment and unemployment benefits. Definitely bookmarking this for future reference.

I went through this exact same situation with my freelance writing business earlier this year. The reality is tough - Washington state unemployment is strictly for W-2 employees who've had payroll taxes withheld. Even though we pay self-employment taxes, that doesn't count toward UI eligibility. I ended up having to pivot quickly to contract work that eventually led to a full-time position. It's frustrating but understanding the rules helped me focus my energy on finding actual solutions rather than chasing benefits I couldn't qualify for.