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For what it's worth, I've seen people qualify with way less work history than 8 months. If you were making good money, duration isn't usually the limiting factor.
The bottom line is Washington ESD wants to help eligible people get benefits. They're not trying to trick you or make it impossible to qualify. If you worked and paid into the system, you deserve benefits when you're unemployed.
Just remember that even if you win an appeal, the whole process can take months. Make sure you have some kind of financial cushion or support system before you make the leap.
Final thought - if you do decide to quit, make sure you phrase your reason correctly when filing your UI claim. Don't just say you quit because you were unhappy. Explain the specific circumstances that made continuing work unreasonable or impossible.
Update: Finally got through after using everyone's advice here. Called at 8am sharp on a Wednesday, waited 3 hours on hold, but got my issue resolved. Thanks for all the tips!
For anyone still struggling - I ended up using Claimyr after reading about it here and it was honestly a lifesaver. Got connected to an agent the same day I signed up. Sometimes you just have to admit the regular system isn't working and find another way.
I tried calling Washington ESD about this exact question last week and gave up after 2 hours on hold. Ended up finding the info buried in their website, but it would have been so much faster to just talk to someone.
Check out claimyr.com - they have all the info there. Way cheaper than taking time off work to sit on hold all day.
One more thing to remember - you still have to file your weekly claim even if you worked enough hours to reduce your UI payment to zero for that week. Skipping claims can cause issues with your ongoing eligibility.
NeonNova
From what I understand, the two week waiting period includes your waiting week plus one additional week for processing. So if you filed last Tuesday, you should theoretically see something by this coming Tuesday or Wednesday, assuming no complications. But having a backup plan to contact ESD directly if needed is smart.
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StarStrider
•Thanks everyone for all the advice. I feel much better prepared now and know what to expect.
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Dylan Campbell
•Good luck! Most people do get their payments without major issues, but it's good to know your options if something goes wrong.
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Sofia Hernandez
Just to add - make sure your job search activities are logged correctly from the start. Washington ESD can audit your job search log at any time and if it's not complete, they can hold up payments even after you've started receiving them.
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StarStrider
•I've been tracking my job searches but I'm not sure if I'm doing it correctly. Is there a specific format?
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Sofia Hernandez
•You need 3 job search activities per week minimum. Each entry needs company name, position applied for, date, and method of contact. Keep detailed records!
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