Can I file for unemployment if I was self employed Washington ESD?

Unfortunately, self-employed individuals typically aren't eligible for regular unemployment insurance in Washington unless you specifically opted into the program. You would have needed to register with Washington ESD as a self-employed person and pay quarterly premiums to be covered.

There might be other options though. Have you looked into the Self-Employment Assistance Program? It's different from regular UI but might help while you're trying to get your business back on track.

I was in a similar situation last year and spent weeks trying to get through to Washington ESD to find out my options. The phone lines are always busy and when you do get through, you often get different answers from different people. I finally used a service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent who could review my situation properly. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that explains how it works.

wait so if i was self employed and didnt opt in im just screwed? thats ridiculous

The Self-Employment Assistance Program is worth looking into, but it's not available in all areas and has limited slots. You'd need to contact your local WorkSource office to see if it's offered in your region.

Check if you have any W-2 income from the past 18 months too. Sometimes freelancers or consultants also do some regular employment that they forget about. Even part-time work might make you eligible.

I'm going through something similar right now. My freelance work completely disappeared after my biggest client cancelled their contract. It's so stressful not knowing what options are available.

The opt-in program for self-employed workers requires you to pay premiums for a full year before you're eligible for benefits. So even if you sign up now, it won't help with your current situation.

Don't give up yet! I thought I wasn't eligible but it turned out I had enough W-2 wages from a side job to qualify. The Washington ESD eligibility requirements can be confusing. I ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone who could actually review my work history properly.

Also consider checking if you qualify for any pandemic-related assistance programs that might still be available. Some programs were extended or modified for self-employed workers.

The whole thing is so complicated. I've been self-employed for five years and never knew about the opt-in option until it was too late. They really need to do better outreach about these programs.

Make sure to gather all your income documentation before you call Washington ESD. Have your 1099s, W-2s if any, and business records ready. They'll need to verify everything anyway.

I finally got through to Washington ESD after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Turns out I did have enough qualifying wages from some 1099 work that was processed as W-2. The agent was able to see things in my record that I couldn't access online.

Don't forget to check if your state has any additional unemployment programs beyond the federal ones. Some states have their own supplemental programs for self-employed workers.

Update us on what you find out! I'm in a similar boat and would love to know what options actually exist for people like us.