Can contractors apply for unemployment Washington ESD - denied twice need help

That's so frustrating! I've been working consistently for years but because it's contractor work I get nothing? Are there any exceptions or workarounds?

There are some limited exceptions - if you were misclassified as a contractor when you should have been an employee, or if you had some W-2 wages mixed in with your contractor work. But those situations require specific documentation.

Did you find any other assistance programs? I'm running out of options here and bills are piling up.

I ended up having to take a regular W-2 job to get back on track. Look into local assistance programs and food banks while you're job hunting. It's tough but there are resources out there.

Those were special federal pandemic programs like PUA that ended in 2021. Regular state unemployment has always required traditional employment with payroll tax contributions.

Oh that makes sense, I was wondering why I kept hearing conflicting information about this.

I've tried calling but keep getting disconnected after waiting forever. What's Claimyr exactly? Never heard of it before.

It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD phone lines without the endless waiting and getting hung up on. Really helped when I needed to resolve an issue with my claim status.

I used Claimyr too when I was dealing with adjudication delays. Much better than spending hours on hold just to get disconnected.

I understand the frustration, but the unemployment system is insurance-based. You have to pay into it through payroll deductions to be eligible later. It's not a general safety net program.

still feels unfair when so many people are doing gig work now. the system needs to catch up with how people actually work these days

How would I prove that? My main client did control when and how I worked pretty closely, made me use their systems and attend meetings.

Those are actually red flags for misclassification! Look up the Washington state worker classification test. If they controlled your work methods, required specific hours, provided tools/equipment, that might indicate employee status.

Be careful with this route though - you'd need to file a worker classification determination with Washington ESD and it can take months to resolve. Plus you'd need solid documentation.

I did some part-time retail work for about 3 months last year while building up my client base. Would that count for anything?

Definitely! That could be your ticket to benefits. You need to reapply and make sure to report those W-2 wages. The system might not have picked them up automatically if it was a small employer.

This is good advice - I forgot about my brief restaurant job when I first applied and it made all the difference when I included it later.

All the pandemic-related unemployment programs ended by September 2021. There are no federal extensions currently available, and Washington state doesn't have extended benefits triggered right now.

Oh wow, I didn't realize they were completely done. That really limits options for people in unusual work situations.

Good luck! Make sure you have all the employer information handy including their FEIN number if possible. Washington ESD can be picky about incomplete wage information.

Definitely worth trying! Even if the weekly benefit amount is small due to limited wages, it's better than nothing while you rebuild your client base.

Would looking for regular W-2 employment count? I'm open to going back to traditional work if needed to get stable income.

Yes, that would definitely count! You need to register with WorkSourceWA and document your job search activities. They want to see you're genuinely available for covered employment.

I might try that if my online application gets complicated. The Washington ESD website can be confusing when you have mixed employment types.

The phone reps are usually pretty helpful once you actually reach them. They can explain the wage calculation and help you understand what quarters count toward your base period.

That's a good point, I hadn't thought about other assistance programs. I've been so focused on the unemployment denial I forgot there might be other options.

Exactly! And many of these programs are designed to help people in transition between work situations, which sounds like where you are right now.

Did the temp agency wages end up being enough to qualify you for a decent weekly benefit amount?

Not huge but enough to help with basic expenses. better than nothing and gave me breathing room to find steady work again

I'll check out that calculator once I gather all my wage information. Hopefully that retail job spread across enough quarters to meet the requirements.

Should I include the contractor work too, or just focus on the W-2 employment? I don't want to confuse things.

Focus on the W-2 wages for the unemployment application. The contractor income might be relevant for other assistance programs but won't help with UI eligibility.

Agreed - stick to covered employment only when filling out the application. Adding contractor wages will just muddy the waters and potentially delay processing.

Good advice. I'm already gathering everything I can find from that retail job. Hopefully I kept better records than I thought.

That makes sense. I'm actually open to regular employment at this point anyway - the uncertainty of contractor work is getting old.

That's the right attitude! Washington ESD wants to see you're able and available for covered work. Your contracting skills would probably translate well to a marketing or communications role.

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice. I feel much more hopeful about my options now. Will definitely update if I get approved this time around.