I just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works in immigration law - unemployment benefits absolutely should not impact your green card application. The public charge rule specifically excludes unemployment insurance because it's a contributory program, not a means-tested benefit. You earned this coverage through your payroll contributions, just like Social Security or workers' compensation. USCIS understands that temporary unemployment can happen to anyone, especially in volatile industries like tech. What they're really evaluating is your long-term ability to be self-sufficient, not whether you used earned benefits during a job transition. Keep focusing on your active job search and document everything well, but don't let immigration anxiety prevent you from using benefits you rightfully earned. The fact that you're meeting all Washington ESD requirements and actively seeking work in your field actually demonstrates responsibility, not dependence.

I'm currently dealing with this exact situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I've been on Washington ESD benefits for about 2 months while my I-485 is pending, and like many others here, I was really worried about potential public charge issues. The clarification about unemployment being an earned benefit rather than welfare makes so much sense - I paid into this system for years through my H1B employment. What really resonates with me is the point about USCIS focusing on long-term self-sufficiency rather than temporary benefit usage. I've been keeping meticulous records of my job applications and networking activities, both for Washington ESD compliance and just in case USCIS ever asks. It's reassuring to hear from multiple people who went through this process successfully. The tech layoffs have been rough, but knowing I can use the safety net I contributed to without jeopardizing my immigration case takes a huge weight off my shoulders.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I went through my pay stubs tonight and added everything up. Looks like I'm at about 710 hours if I count both jobs from the base year period, so I should qualify! I'll wait until October to apply since that will give me a better quarter in my base year calculation. And I'll definitely keep detailed records of my job search activities in Spokane. Really appreciate all the insights!

Great that you figured out you have enough hours! Just wanted to add one more thing since you mentioned your hours are already getting cut back - make sure to document when your hours were reduced and by how much. If ESD questions whether you're "unemployed" or "underemployed," having records of the hour cuts will help show that the reduction wasn't voluntary on your part. This can be important for seasonal workers whose hours taper off gradually rather than ending all at once.

I'm in a similar situation with my Washington ESD claim stuck in pending status for the past week. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like reporting gig work income is a common trigger for these delays. I've also been trying to call but getting nowhere with the phone system. Based on what everyone is saying about Claimyr, I think I'm going to give that a try rather than continuing to waste time calling myself. It's frustrating that we need a third-party service just to reach our own state unemployment office, but if it works, it's probably worth it. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know I'm not alone in dealing with this mess.

I've been following this thread closely because I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation - my claim has been pending for 3 weeks now after I reported some DoorDash earnings. It's really reassuring to see that others have successfully resolved similar issues, especially with the Claimyr service that multiple people have mentioned. I was hesitant about using a third-party service at first, but hearing these real success stories from actual users makes it seem like a legitimate solution. The regular Washington ESD phone system is absolutely broken - I've probably spent 20+ hours on hold over the past few weeks with nothing to show for it. At this point I'm willing to try anything that might actually get me connected to someone who can help. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here - it really helps to know we're not dealing with this alone!

As someone who's been doing W2 contract work for about 3 years now, I can definitely confirm you're eligible! I've collected unemployment between contracts several times and never had any issues. The main thing is just making sure you file your claim right away - don't wait thinking another contract might come up quickly. I learned that the hard way my first time when I waited almost two weeks and basically lost that money. Also, keep in mind that you can still look for both contract and permanent positions while collecting - Washington ESD doesn't care which type of work you're searching for as long as you're actively job hunting. Good luck with your claim!

I'm also a W2 contractor in Washington and went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. You're definitely eligible! The process was pretty straightforward once I gathered all my documentation. One thing I'd add to what others have mentioned is to make sure you keep copies of your contract agreements too, not just the W2s. Washington ESD didn't ask for them in my case, but it's good to have everything organized just in case. Also, if your staffing agency has an HR department, they're usually really helpful with questions about unemployment since they deal with this regularly. My agency even had a FAQ sheet about filing for UI benefits. The whole thing took about 10 days from filing to getting my first payment, which was faster than I expected!

I'm so grateful for this entire discussion thread! I was in exactly the same position - a substitute teacher wondering if I could file for unemployment benefits during summer break. The conflicting information online was really confusing, but reading all of your real experiences has made things so much clearer. It sounds like the key is that as substitutes, we don't have contracts or reasonable assurance of employment, which puts us in a different category than regular contracted teachers. I'm definitely going to file my claim now - hearing about actual successful cases like Malia's really gives me confidence. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences. This community has been incredibly helpful for navigating Washington ESD's confusing system!

This entire conversation has been so eye-opening! I'm a substitute teacher who's been putting off filing for unemployment all summer because I was terrified I'd get in trouble or be denied. Reading about everyone's actual experiences - especially hearing that Malia got approved - has completely changed my perspective. I had no idea that the "reasonable assurance" rule was what made the difference between regular teachers and substitutes. I've been substitute teaching for three years and every summer I just struggle financially instead of filing because I thought all school employees were automatically excluded. I'm kicking myself for not knowing this sooner! Better late than never though - I'm filing my claim first thing Monday morning. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences. This thread should be pinned somewhere because I bet there are tons of other substitute teachers who are just as confused as we all were!