I'm new to this community but wanted to add my perspective after successfully navigating this process! I worked as a "freelance" data analyst for a consulting firm for 11 months, but they required me to work their standard business hours, use their proprietary analysis software, attend mandatory client presentations, and even complete their internal training modules. Despite getting 1099s, the working relationship was clearly more like employment. When my contract ended, I filed for unemployment benefits and Washington ESD took about 6 weeks to review my case. They ultimately ruled I was misclassified and approved my claim! The key was documenting their control over my work methods - I submitted emails showing required hours, training completion certificates, and meeting schedules that proved I wasn't operating as a true independent contractor. Don't let the 1099 classification discourage you from filing if your client controlled when, where, and how you worked. Washington ESD really does look at the substance of the working relationship rather than just the paperwork. The financial relief during job searching made the wait completely worth it!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience as someone who just went through this process! I was working as a "freelance" video editor for a media company for about 8 months, but they controlled nearly every aspect of my work - required me to be in their office during specific hours, use their Adobe Premiere licenses and file servers, attend weekly creative reviews, and even had me sign timesheets. When they ended my contract last month, I was really unsure about filing for unemployment since I'd only ever gotten 1099s from them. But after reading Washington's worker classification guidelines and seeing all these success stories, I decided to apply anyway. It took Washington ESD about 8 weeks to make their determination, but they ruled that I was misclassified as a contractor when I should have been an employee! The documentation that really helped was showing their control over my schedule (emails requiring office hours), their equipment requirements, and evidence of the mandatory meetings and reviews. I ended up getting approved for benefits plus backpay for the entire review period. My advice to anyone in a similar situation is definitely file - the 1099s don't tell the whole story if your working relationship looked and felt like employment. Washington ESD really does investigate thoroughly and fairly!

this whole thread is so helpful!! im in almost teh exact same situation but with a coworker not a trainer. saving all this advice for myself too. good luck OP hope it works out for u

I'm going through something similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I wanted to add - if you do end up quitting and filing for unemployment, be prepared for the fact that your former employer might contest your claim even if they know they were in the wrong. Some companies automatically contest every unemployment claim regardless of the circumstances just to try to keep their unemployment insurance rates low. Also, when you talk to your doctor about the anxiety/panic attacks, ask them to specifically document how your work environment is contributing to these symptoms. The more detailed the medical documentation, the stronger your case will be. My therapist wrote a letter stating that my workplace stress was "significantly exacerbating" my anxiety disorder, and I think that language really helped during my appeals process. Hang in there - toxic workplaces are awful and you deserve better than what you're dealing with.

OP, I just wanted to say good luck with your appeal. This stuff is stressful but you seem to have done things correctly. Hope it works out in your favor.

I went through something very similar last year with a $3,400 overpayment notice from 2020-2021. Like you, I was terrified and confused because I thought I had reported everything correctly. I appealed it and gathered all my documentation - pay stubs, weekly claim certifications, bank statements showing when I deposited paychecks, everything. Turned out ESD had made an error in how they calculated my benefit year earnings base period. The whole overpayment got reversed after my hearing. Don't give up hope - these errors happen more often than you'd think, especially for claims from that chaotic pandemic period. Document everything you can remember about your work schedule and earnings reporting, and definitely appeal before the deadline. You've got this!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm new to unemployment benefits and was really overwhelmed by all the job search requirements. Reading everyone's experiences has made me feel so much more confident about what I need to do. I especially appreciate learning that each individual application counts as a separate contact - I was worried that applying to multiple jobs at the same company might only count as one contact. One thing I'm still curious about - does anyone know if follow-up calls or emails after submitting an application count as additional job search activities? Like if I apply online and then call a week later to check on my application status, would that be two separate contacts or just one? I want to make sure I'm maximizing my legitimate activities while still being professional with employers. Also, the tip about using a spreadsheet to track everything is gold! I'm definitely setting that up today. Better to be over-prepared than scrambling if I get audited.

An AI answer to the question "Does receipt of a company's job denial email count as a job search activity?" led me to this site, suggesting the answer is here. Ctrl+F for the word 'denial' does not find it on this page. Also, esd.wa.gov doesn't state either way. If a job seeker receives a job denial email from a company, does it count as an authorized weekly job search activity?

I'm about 10 weeks into my claim after being laid off from a UX design role, and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! Like many others here, I completely missed the SEAP opportunity (never even knew it existed until reading this), but I've been successfully building my freelance design business while meeting the regular unemployment requirements. A few practical tips I've learned for balancing business development with job search requirements: 1. I treat industry meetups and design conferences as networking for BOTH potential clients AND potential employment - they count toward job search activities while building my business network 2. I schedule most client calls during lunch hours or after 5pm to avoid conflicts with potential interviews 3. I'm upfront with potential clients that I'm currently between positions but actively building my practice - most people respect the hustle The hardest part honestly has been the mental shift from "looking for a job" to "building a business" while still having to apply for positions I don't really want. But reading everyone's experiences here has been so encouraging! @Elijah Knight - I'd love to hear how your SEAP application turned out! And for those considering the SCORE training independently, I actually did their free business mentoring program and it was surprisingly helpful even without the paid course. Might be worth exploring as a lower-cost starting point. This thread should honestly be pinned - it's become the most comprehensive resource I've found on navigating unemployment while pursuing entrepreneurship in Washington!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been lurking and learning from this amazing thread! I'm about 4 weeks into my unemployment claim after being laid off from a digital marketing role, and I'm working on starting a social media consulting business. Like many others here, I didn't get the SEAP notification and honestly didn't even know it existed until finding this discussion. But reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful for figuring out how to build a business while on regular unemployment. One thing I've found useful is using LinkedIn strategically - I can do "job searching" activities like connecting with potential employers while simultaneously building my professional network for consulting opportunities. It's amazing how much overlap there is between legitimate job search activities and business development when you think creatively about it. I'm definitely planning to look into the SCORE mentoring program that @GalacticGladiator mentioned, especially since the free version sounds like a great starting point. Even without SEAP, it seems like there are still plenty of resources available for those of us determined to make this entrepreneurship thing work. Thanks to everyone who's shared their stories - this thread has honestly been more helpful than anything I've found on the official ESD website! Would love to hear updates from @Elijah Knight and others as your journeys progress.