Can I file for unemployment two separate claims at once in Washington?
I'm really confused about whether I can file for unemployment two different ways or if that's even legal. My situation is complicated - I was laid off from my main job in December but I also had a part-time gig that ended around the same time. Should I be filing two separate claims or just one? I don't want to mess this up and get in trouble with Washington ESD for doing something wrong. Has anyone dealt with multiple job losses like this?
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Katherine Hunter
You can only have one active unemployment claim at a time in Washington. You'll file one claim but report ALL your work history from the past 18 months, including both jobs. Washington ESD will calculate your benefit amount based on all qualifying wages from both employers.
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Emma Morales
•Oh okay that makes sense! So I put both jobs on the same application?
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Katherine Hunter
•Exactly. List all employers from the past 18 months when you fill out your initial claim. The system will automatically calculate your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter.
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Lucas Parker
yeah you definitely can't file two claims lol that would be fraud. i made that mistake once and had to straighten it out with them
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Emma Morales
•Yikes, what happened when you tried to file two? Did you get in trouble?
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Lucas Parker
•they just canceled the second one and told me to stick with the first. wasn't a big deal but they were pretty clear about the one claim rule
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Donna Cline
I had the same question when I lost two jobs within a month of each other. The Washington ESD system is actually pretty good at handling multiple employers - you just need to be thorough with your work history. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent who walked me through exactly how to report everything correctly. They have this helpful video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows you how their service works.
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Emma Morales
•That's exactly what I need - someone to walk me through it. How much does Claimyr cost?
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Donna Cline
•I don't remember the exact price but it was totally worth it to avoid messing up my claim. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Harper Collins
•I've heard mixed things about those call services. Are they legit?
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Kelsey Hawkins
The key thing to remember is that Washington ESD looks at your BASE PERIOD (first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters) to determine eligibility. Having multiple employers during that time actually often helps because it shows more stable work history.
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Emma Morales
•What if one of my jobs was really recent? Like I only worked there for 2 months before getting laid off?
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Kelsey Hawkins
•That might fall into your lag period depending on when you file. But definitely report it - Washington ESD will sort out which wages count toward your base period calculation.
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Dylan Fisher
This is EXACTLY why Washington ESD's system is so confusing! They should make it clearer that you can't file multiple claims. I spent forever trying to figure this out too.
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Edwards Hugo
•Right? The whole UI system assumes you know all these rules already
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Dylan Fisher
•YES! And good luck getting anyone on the phone to explain it. I must have called 50 times before I got through.
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Katherine Hunter
Just to clarify the process: When you file your initial claim, you'll be asked about ALL employment in the past 18 months. List both jobs with accurate dates, wages, and reason for separation. Washington ESD will verify with both employers and calculate your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter.
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Emma Morales
•Do I need to have my pay stubs from both jobs when I file?
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Katherine Hunter
•It's helpful to have them for reference, but Washington ESD will verify wages directly with your employers. Just be as accurate as possible with dates and earnings.
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Gianna Scott
wait so if i had 3 part time jobs and lost them all do i still only file one claim??
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Katherine Hunter
•Yes, still just one claim. You'll report all three jobs on that single application.
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Gianna Scott
•ok cool just making sure i don't accidentally commit fraud or something
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Donna Cline
Another thing to keep in mind - if you had different reasons for leaving each job (layoff vs. quit vs. fired), make sure you're clear about that for each employer. Washington ESD treats each separation differently for eligibility purposes.
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Emma Morales
•Both of mine were layoffs due to company downsizing, so I think I'm good there.
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Donna Cline
•Perfect, that makes it straightforward. Layoffs are usually the cleanest for UI eligibility.
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Alfredo Lugo
I know someone who tried to file in two different states because they had jobs in both. BIG mistake. The systems talk to each other and they caught it immediately.
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Emma Morales
•Oh wow, both my jobs were in Washington so I don't have to worry about that.
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Alfredo Lugo
•Yeah you're good then. Just the one claim in Washington for all your Washington jobs.
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Sydney Torres
File online at esd.wa.gov if you can. It's way easier than calling and you can take your time entering all the job information correctly.
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Emma Morales
•Thanks! I was planning to do it online. Do you know how long it takes to get approved?
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Sydney Torres
•Usually 2-3 weeks if everything goes smoothly. Sometimes longer if they need to verify information with your employers.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
The most important thing is being honest and thorough. Washington ESD would rather you over-report than miss something important.
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Emma Morales
•That's reassuring. I was worried about including too much information.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•Nope, more detail is better. They'll sort through what's relevant.
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Caleb Bell
Just went through this exact situation last month. Filed one claim, reported both jobs, got approved for benefits based on my combined wages. Worked exactly like everyone is saying.
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Emma Morales
•That's great to hear! Did you have any issues during the application process?
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Caleb Bell
•Nope, pretty smooth. Just made sure I had all my employment dates and wages accurate.
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Danielle Campbell
One more tip - if you're unsure about any of the questions during filing, you can save your progress and come back to it later. Don't rush through it.
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Emma Morales
•Good to know! I'll probably need to look up some exact dates.
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Danielle Campbell
•Yeah, having accurate dates is important. Better to look them up than guess.
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Rhett Bowman
The system automatically calculates your benefit amount based on all qualifying wages, so having multiple jobs often means a higher weekly benefit. That's actually a good thing!
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Emma Morales
•Oh that's encouraging! I was worried having part-time work would complicate things.
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Rhett Bowman
•Nope, it just gives you more qualifying wages to work with.
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Abigail Patel
Washington ESD has gotten a lot better about handling multiple employers since the pandemic. The system is much more streamlined now.
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Daniel White
•Really? I filed in 2019 and it was a nightmare with multiple jobs.
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Abigail Patel
•Yeah, they completely revamped the online system. Much easier now.
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Nolan Carter
Make sure you keep records of everything you submit. If there are any questions later, you'll want to have your documentation ready.
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Emma Morales
•Good advice. I'll screenshot everything as I go through the application.
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Nolan Carter
•Smart. Also keep copies of your pay stubs and any separation notices.
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Natalia Stone
If you run into any issues getting through to Washington ESD by phone, I had success with Claimyr recently. They got me connected to an agent who helped clear up confusion about my multiple employers.
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Emma Morales
•That's the second time someone mentioned them. Might be worth trying if I get stuck.
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Natalia Stone
•Yeah, especially if you need to talk through your specific situation with an actual person.
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Tasia Synder
Bottom line: One claim, all jobs reported, let Washington ESD sort out the details. You've got this!
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Emma Morales
•Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. I feel much more confident about filing now.
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Tasia Synder
•Good luck! Come back and let us know how it goes.
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Selena Bautista
One last thing - after you file, you'll need to file weekly claims to keep getting benefits. Make sure you understand that process too.
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Emma Morales
•Yeah, I've heard about that. Do I need to do anything special since I had multiple jobs?
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Selena Bautista
•Nope, weekly claims are the same regardless. Just report any work you do and any job contacts you make.
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Mohamed Anderson
If you need help with the weekly claims process later, there's tons of good info in this forum. Lots of helpful people here.
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Emma Morales
•Definitely! This community has been amazing. Thank you all so much for taking the time to help!
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Jessica Nolan
I went through this exact same situation last year! Having multiple jobs actually worked in my favor because it gave me higher qualifying wages. Just make sure you have all your employment dates, wages, and employer contact info ready before you start the application. The online system will walk you through entering each job separately, but it's all part of one single claim. Don't stress too much about it - Washington ESD deals with this all the time and their system is designed to handle multiple employers.
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Alexis Renard
•That's so reassuring to hear! I was really worried about messing something up, but it sounds like the system is pretty user-friendly for this situation. Did you have any trouble with the wage verification process when you had multiple employers?
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Ryan Vasquez
•No issues at all with wage verification! Washington ESD automatically contacts your employers to verify the information you provide. It took about 2 weeks for them to get responses from both of my employers, and then my claim was approved. The key is just being accurate with the dates and wages when you first file - if there are small discrepancies, they'll work it out during verification, but big errors could delay things.
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