Can I file unemployment another time if my first claim ended?

That's a relief! Do I use the same login on the Washington ESD website or do I need to create a new account?

Same login - your SecureAccess Washington account stays the same. Just go through the regular claim filing process again.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr - it's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com, they even have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Interesting, I'll have to check that out. Getting through to Washington ESD is like winning the lottery these days.

Your friend is mixing up the rules. There's no waiting period between benefit years as long as you've worked and earned enough wages to qualify for a new claim. The key is having sufficient earnings in your new base period.

Oh okay, that makes more sense. Thanks for clearing that up!

Good point, I should gather all my pay stubs from the temp agency first.

YES! And if you worked through multiple temp agencies, you'll need info from all of them. I learned that the hard way.

The temp work did pay quite a bit less, so that makes sense. Still better than nothing though.

Exactly! And you'll still get the same number of weeks of benefits, just potentially at a different weekly amount.

Part-time work can still count toward your qualifying wages, but Washington ESD looks at your total earnings over the base period. You'll need to check if you meet the minimum wage requirements for your new claim.

How do I find out what the minimum requirements are?

It's on the Washington ESD website under benefit eligibility. Generally you need to have earned at least $3,400 in your base period with earnings in at least two quarters.

The job search requirements are the same - you still need to make 3 job contacts per week and keep a log of your search activities. Washington ESD doesn't change the requirements based on whether it's your first or subsequent claim.

Good to know, thanks. I still have my old job search log so I can reference the format.

That's totally normal! Just be honest about your temp work period. Washington ESD needs to understand your work history to properly calculate your benefits. The fact that you worked shows you were trying to be self-sufficient.

That makes me feel better about it. I was worried they'd think I was trying to game the system or something.

Processing times are about the same - usually 2-4 weeks if there are no issues. Having your previous claim history might help with identity verification, but they still need to review your new work history and calculate your benefits.

Mine took about 3 weeks when I filed my second claim last year. The key is making sure all your employer information is accurate upfront.

You can still file a new claim, but Washington ESD will likely continue deducting money from your new benefits to pay back the overpayment. The overpayment doesn't disqualify you from filing again as long as it wasn't due to fraud.

It wasn't fraud, just a mistake with reporting hours. Good to know I can still file though.

I'm definitely going to try this. I've wasted so many hours on hold with Washington ESD.

How much does something like that cost? I'm unemployed so money's tight.

It's worth checking out their website for current info. For me, the time saved and stress relief was worth it, especially when I was worried about my benefits getting delayed.

What do you mean by that? I thought benefit years were just calendar years.

No, your benefit year starts from when you first file your claim and runs for 52 weeks. So if you file in March, your benefit year runs from March to March of the next year.

Oh wow, I had no idea. That's really helpful to know!

Should I keep documentation from my old claim too or can I toss that now?

I'd keep it for at least a year, especially if you had any issues or appeals. You never know when you might need to reference something from your previous claim.

You're welcome! Good luck with your new claim. The process should be pretty straightforward since you've been through it before.

Hope it goes smoothly for you! Let us know how it turns out.

Definitely! I'm already back to applying for jobs. The temp work ending was actually a blessing in disguise since it wasn't going anywhere long-term anyway.