Can a 16 year old collect unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Yes, minors can absolutely collect unemployment in Washington if they meet the basic eligibility requirements. Age isn't a disqualifying factor - what matters is work history, wages earned, and reason for separation. If she worked consistently for 8 months and was laid off through no fault of her own, she should be eligible.

I'd recommend calling Washington ESD directly to verify her eligibility before filing. Teen workers sometimes have unique situations that aren't covered in the standard guidelines. The phone lines are usually swamped though - might want to try the callback service.

Wait, teenagers can get unemployment?? I had no idea. My 17 year old nephew got fired from his job at the mall and we never even thought to look into UI benefits. This is news to me.

Make sure she has all her pay stubs and employment documentation ready when she applies. Washington ESD will need to verify her work history and wages. Since she's a minor, they might require additional verification, but I'm not 100% certain on that part.

The real question is whether she made enough money to qualify. In Washington you need a minimum amount in your base period. For part-time teen workers, this might be the bigger hurdle than age.

honestly the washington esd system is so confusing even for adults, i can't imagine trying to navigate it as a teenager. hope she has help with the application process

One thing to consider - if she's still in school, she'll need to be available for work during school hours or show she can work around her class schedule. This might affect her job search requirements.

Just a heads up - she'll need to do the weekly claims every week and meet all the job search requirements just like any other claimant. No special treatment for being young.

This is actually pretty cool that teens can collect unemployment. Shows the system recognizes them as legitimate workers. Hope more young people know about this option.

I work in HR and we've had several teen employees successfully collect unemployment after layoffs. Washington state doesn't discriminate based on age for UI benefits. The key is making sure all the paperwork is complete and accurate.

Quick question - does being claimed as a dependent on parents' taxes affect unemployment eligibility at all?

I tried helping my nephew apply for unemployment last year when he got laid off from his retail job. The Washington ESD phone system is absolutely terrible - you can't get through to anyone. We ended up using some service called Claimyr that actually got us connected to a real person who could answer our questions about his eligibility.

Make sure she applies as soon as possible after the layoff. There's no waiting period in Washington, but you want to get the claim started right away to avoid any delays in benefits.

Another thing to consider is that her unemployment benefits might be taxable income. Not trying to scare you, just something to be aware of for next year's tax filing.

This thread has been super helpful! I never knew minors could collect unemployment. My daughter starts her first job next month and it's good to know she'd have some protection if things don't work out.

Just want to add that even though she can collect unemployment, she should still be actively looking for work. The job search requirements apply to everyone regardless of age.

One last tip - if she runs into any issues with her claim or needs to speak with someone at Washington ESD, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much time and frustration trying to get through their phone system.

This is really valuable information! I work part-time at a local grocery store and had no idea that teens could be eligible for unemployment benefits. It's good to know that Washington state treats young workers the same as adults when it comes to UI eligibility. I'll definitely keep this in mind and share with my coworkers - a lot of us are teenagers working our first jobs and this kind of safety net knowledge is really important. Thanks for asking this question and to everyone who shared their experiences!