Can a W2 contractor collect unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

Yes, W2 contractors can absolutely collect unemployment in Washington! If you received a W2 form, that means you were an employee (even if temporary) and your employer paid unemployment taxes on your wages. The key difference is between W2 contractors (employees) and 1099 contractors (independent contractors). Since you got W2s, you should be eligible to file a claim.

I was in the exact same situation last year. Filed my claim right after my contract ended and got approved within 2 weeks. Just make sure you have all your W2s ready when you apply online.

Actually had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about this same question a few months ago. Kept getting busy signals and disconnected calls. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an actual agent who confirmed W2 contractors are eligible. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process way easier than spending hours on hold.

wait im confused... whats the difference between w2 and 1099? i thought all contractors were the same

The Washington ESD system is so confusing about this stuff. I've seen people get denied initially because the adjudicators don't understand contractor situations. If that happens, definitely appeal it because W2 contractors have the same rights as regular employees.

Been doing contract work for 5 years and collected unemployment between contracts multiple times. Never had any issues as long as I had my W2s. The staffing agencies know the drill too - they expect their contractors to file for UI when contracts end.

Make sure when you file your claim that you accurately report your last day of work. Some people make mistakes with the dates and it can delay processing. Also keep good records of all your contracts in case they ask for documentation.

One thing to watch out for - if you're getting offered new contracts while collecting unemployment, you need to report any work or earnings on your weekly claims. Even short-term assignments count.

UGH the whole unemployment system is such a nightmare. I'm a W2 contractor too and it took FOREVER to get my claim processed. Called like 50 times before getting through to someone who could actually help.

Just to add - make sure your staffing agency hasn't misclassified you. Some shady agencies try to call people 1099 contractors when they should really be W2 employees. If you got a W2, you're definitely eligible for unemployment.

File your claim ASAP after your contract ends. Don't wait around hoping for another contract to start immediately. You can always cancel your claim if you find work quickly, but there's no reason to delay filing.

been there done that - w2 contractors definitely qualify. just have all your paperwork ready when you apply online. the system will verify everything with your employer automatically in most cases

I had a friend who was denied initially because the Washington ESD rep didn't understand contractor work. She had to appeal and it took an extra month to get it sorted out. Sometimes you have to educate them about how staffing agencies work.

Another option if you can't get through to Washington ESD is to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I used it last month when I had questions about my contractor status and it worked great. Got connected to an agent in like 10 minutes instead of calling all day.

One more tip - when you do your weekly claims, be honest about any freelance or gig work you might do while collecting. Even small amounts need to be reported. Washington ESD will find out eventually and overpayments are a huge headache.

The bottom line is if you got W2s from your staffing agency, you're an employee for unemployment purposes. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. File your claim and start your job search - you've earned those benefits!

Just saw this thread and wanted to add my experience. Filed as a W2 contractor in Washington last year and everything went smooth. Got my first payment within 3 weeks. The system definitely recognizes staffing agency employees.

I'm also a W2 contractor and just wanted to confirm what everyone else has said - you're absolutely eligible! I actually just went through this process a few months ago after my 2-year contract ended. The key thing that helped me was having all my W2s organized before I started the application. Washington ESD processed my claim without any issues once they verified my employment history with the staffing agency. Don't stress about it - if you were getting W2s and taxes were being withheld, you're definitely covered under the unemployment system. File as soon as possible after your last day of work!

I work in HR for a staffing agency and can confirm everything people are saying here. We deal with this situation all the time - W2 contractors are absolutely eligible for unemployment benefits in Washington. When you file, make sure to list us (the staffing agency) as your employer, not the client company where you actually worked. We're the ones who paid your wages and unemployment taxes. Also, don't worry if there's a brief delay in processing - sometimes it takes an extra week or two for them to verify employment with staffing agencies since our payroll systems work a bit differently than traditional employers. But you'll definitely get approved if you were receiving W2s!

As someone who's been doing W2 contract work for about 3 years now, I can definitely confirm you're eligible! I've collected unemployment between contracts several times and never had any issues. The main thing is just making sure you file your claim right away - don't wait thinking another contract might come up quickly. I learned that the hard way my first time when I waited almost two weeks and basically lost that money. Also, keep in mind that you can still look for both contract and permanent positions while collecting - Washington ESD doesn't care which type of work you're searching for as long as you're actively job hunting. Good luck with your claim!

I'm also a W2 contractor in Washington and went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. You're definitely eligible! The process was pretty straightforward once I gathered all my documentation. One thing I'd add to what others have mentioned is to make sure you keep copies of your contract agreements too, not just the W2s. Washington ESD didn't ask for them in my case, but it's good to have everything organized just in case. Also, if your staffing agency has an HR department, they're usually really helpful with questions about unemployment since they deal with this regularly. My agency even had a FAQ sheet about filing for UI benefits. The whole thing took about 10 days from filing to getting my first payment, which was faster than I expected!