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If anyone else is having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone like I was, I found out about this service called Claimyr that basically calls for you and gets you through to an agent. Saved me hours of frustration when my claim had issues. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo that explains how it works.
Bottom line for OP - you almost certainly qualify based on what you described. 8 months of steady work earning $18k total definitely meets Washington ESD requirements. File your claim ASAP and don't stress about it. The system works for situations exactly like yours.
Make sure you understand the difference between your initial claim and weekly claims. The initial claim starts your benefit year, but you have to file weekly claims every week to actually receive payments. Don't mix those up!
One last tip - if you have any issues with the website or your application gets stuck, don't just sit there waiting. Try to contact ESD or use one of those services like Claimyr to get help. Time is money when you're unemployed!
One last thing - if you get stuck anywhere in the process, don't hesitate to get help. Whether it's calling Washington ESD directly or using a service like Claimyr to get through, it's better than guessing and potentially making mistakes.
One more thing - make sure you understand what counts as a 'week' for reporting purposes. It's Sunday through Saturday, not Monday through Friday or whenever you happen to file your claim.
honestly the hardest part about all this is just getting accurate information from Washington ESD in the first place. their website is confusing and calling them is nearly impossible. at least forums like this help people figure things out
That's why I ended up trying Claimyr when I had questions. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person who knows the system.
Luca Romano
For anyone who needs to talk to Washington ESD directly about their specific work situation, I had success using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Much easier than trying to get through on your own, especially during busy periods.
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Nia Jackson
•I might have to try that. I've been trying to call for two weeks about a specific question and can never get through.
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Luca Romano
•It's definitely worth it if you need answers quickly. The peace of mind is valuable when you're dealing with benefit eligibility.
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Emma Wilson
UPDATE: I ended up taking the part-time shifts and reported everything correctly on my weekly claim. Got my partial benefits with no issues. Thanks to everyone who helped explain the rules!
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Ravi Gupta
•Excellent! You're a good example of how the system is supposed to work when people follow the rules correctly.
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Chloe Anderson
•awesome, glad you figured it out! having some work income definitely helps while job searching
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