I'm also dealing with Washington unemployment after losing my job recently, and this discussion has been incredibly helpful! Just want to add one more thing that might help others - if you're using direct deposit for your benefits, make sure to keep that bank account active and don't change banks without updating your info with ESD first. I almost made that mistake when switching to a credit union. Also, for anyone stressed about the 26-week limit, remember that those weeks don't have to be consecutive. If you pick up some part-time or gig work here and there, those weeks where you don't collect benefits don't count against your total. This actually gives you more flexibility in your job search than it might seem at first. The benefit year being 52 weeks means you have time to be strategic about when you use your benefit weeks, especially if you find temporary work opportunities that might lead to something permanent.

For gig work like delivery driving, it's based on your earnings rather than hours worked. In Washington, if you earn more than your weekly benefit amount, you won't receive unemployment that week. But if you earn less, they'll reduce your benefits dollar-for-dollar after the first $5. So if your weekly benefit is $400 and you earn $100 from gig work, you'd get $295 in unemployment ($400 - $100 + $5 disregard). The important thing is to report ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim, even if it's just $20 from a delivery app. Being honest about income protects you from overpayment issues later. Those partial benefit weeks still count toward your 26-week limit though, unlike weeks where you earn enough to get $0 in benefits.

I went through almost the exact same thing last month! Had the flu for 3 days and was stressing about how to report it properly. After reading all the advice here and talking to an ESD rep, here's what I did: On my weekly claim, I answered honestly about which specific days I wasn't able to work (the 3 flu days). The system automatically calculated my benefits - I got paid for 4 out of 7 days that week. It was actually pretty straightforward once I stopped overthinking it. The ESD rep told me the same thing others have mentioned here - they'd much rather see honest reporting with reduced benefits than have to investigate potential fraud later. She said they've gotten really good at catching discrepancies and the penalties for incorrect reporting are way worse than just taking the hit for the days you were actually sick. For your Mexico trip, I'd definitely go with what everyone's saying about not filing that week at all. My sister made the mistake of trying to file while on a cruise last year and ended up having to pay back benefits plus penalties. International travel is a clear-cut "unavailable for work" situation. Sounds like you've got a good plan now - be honest about the specific sick days and skip the vacation week entirely. The documentation tip is smart too - I kept my urgent care records just in case but never needed them. Good luck with your claims!

I've been through this exact scenario multiple times over the past year and wanted to add my perspective. The advice here is really solid - I've learned the hard way that honesty upfront saves you so much trouble later. For illness situations like your flu, I've found that ESD's system is actually pretty fair when you report accurately. I had COVID for 6 days earlier this year and was terrified about losing a full week of benefits, but when I reported the specific days I wasn't available, I still got paid for the one day I was well enough to work. The math worked out to exactly 1/7th of my weekly benefit amount. The vacation situation is definitely different though. I made the mistake once of trying to file while visiting family in Canada for 4 days, thinking I could just report being "available" for the other days of the week. ESD flagged it somehow (maybe border crossing records?) and I had to go through a whole appeals process. Now I always just skip filing entirely for any travel weeks, especially international ones. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - keep a simple calendar or notes about these situations. I now track any days I'm sick, travel dates, etc. It's been super helpful when filling out the weekly claims because I can be precise about dates rather than trying to remember exactly when things happened. The bottom line is ESD would rather see reduced benefits for honest partial availability than deal with overpayment investigations later. You've got the right approach!

Thanks everyone for all this detailed info! This is exactly what I was looking for. Based on what you've all shared, it sounds like with my $52k salary I should expect somewhere in the $650-750 range per week, which would definitely help cover my basic expenses while I look for a new job. I'm going to file my claim this week and make sure to request the 10% federal tax withholding. Really appreciate the heads up about the waiting week and the job search requirements too - I'll make sure to keep detailed records of my applications. Hopefully my claim goes smoothly without any adjudication issues!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who recently went through this process! With your $52k salary, you're likely looking at around $600-700 weekly, which should definitely help with expenses. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you have all your employment documentation ready before you file. Having your last paystub, employer contact info, and separation details organized will make the application process much smoother. Also, don't stress too much about the exact calculation - Washington ESD will figure that out for you once they process your claim. The most important thing is to file as soon as you're eligible and stay on top of your weekly claims. Best of luck with everything!

The Washington ESD website has all this information too, but honestly their site can be confusing to navigate. If you're comfortable with the basics from this thread, just go ahead and start the filing process online.

Just wanted to add my experience - I was in a similar situation with a manufacturing layoff last year. Filed my claim the day after my last day of work and it was definitely the right call. One thing I wish someone had told me is to save screenshots of your application confirmation and any reference numbers they give you. The system can be glitchy sometimes and having that info saved me when I had to call later. Also, don't stress too much about having every single detail perfect when you file - you can always update information if needed, but you can't get back those lost weeks if you wait too long. Good luck with everything!

I'm dealing with a similar hostile work environment situation right now. My supervisor has been making snide comments about my work in front of other employees and recently started giving me impossible deadlines that set me up for failure. The stress is affecting my sleep and I dread going to work every day. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really eye-opening - I didn't realize Washington ESD had these "good cause" protections for people who quit due to toxic conditions. I'm going to start documenting everything like you all suggested. It's encouraging to see that people have actually been approved for benefits in these situations, though the 3-6 week waiting period during investigations sounds really challenging financially. Has anyone found ways to manage during that gap period besides borrowing from family?

I'm going through something very similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful. My manager has been cutting my hours randomly, being verbally aggressive in meetings, and creating such a stressful environment that I'm having anxiety attacks on Sunday nights just thinking about Monday. What really resonates with me is hearing from people who actually got approved for benefits after quitting for good cause - I was starting to think it was impossible. The documentation advice is spot on. I've started keeping a detailed log of every incident with dates, times, and witnesses present. Even saved screenshots of text messages about sudden schedule changes. One thing I wanted to add for anyone in this situation - I called the Claimyr service that was mentioned earlier and they actually got me through to a real ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of the usual busy signals. The agent confirmed that hostile work environment and significant schedule changes can definitely qualify as good cause, but emphasized that documentation is absolutely crucial. They said having witnesses willing to speak to ESD during the investigation makes a huge difference too. It's validating to know that we don't have to just accept abuse to keep our jobs. Mental health matters and toxic workplaces can seriously damage your wellbeing. For anyone on the fence about quitting, start documenting now even if you're not sure yet - having that evidence ready gives you options.