Can seasonal employees collect unemployment through Washington ESD?

That's good to hear! Do you know what the wage requirements are? I worked full-time during ski season from November through March.

For 2025, you need at least $5,265 in total wages during your base period, with at least $1,755 in your highest-earning quarter. Since you worked full-time for 5 months, you should easily meet that threshold.

How do you handle the job search requirement? Are there usually temporary jobs available during the off-season?

Yeah, I apply to retail jobs, warehouse work, anything really. You need to log 3 job search activities per week. Most employers understand seasonal workers are just filling gaps until their regular season starts back up.

Is that legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my seasonal claim and can never get through.

Yeah it's real, they basically handle the calling and waiting for you. I used it when I had questions about my base period calculation and it saved me hours of trying to get through myself.

How would I know if they classified me wrong? Is there a way to check that?

When you file your claim, Washington ESD will send information to your employer asking about your separation. If there's a dispute about whether you're seasonal vs temporary, it might go to adjudication.

This happened to me! Took 3 weeks in adjudication but they eventually ruled in my favor. The key was showing I had a pattern of seasonal employment with the same employer.

It's completely legal and that's exactly what unemployment insurance is for - temporary periods without work. Seasonal workers pay into the system just like everyone else.

Yeah exactly, we pay unemployment taxes on our wages too. Why shouldn't we be able to collect benefits during our off-season?

i guess that makes sense, just never thought about it that way

Did they ask about your plans to return to seasonal work? I'm worried they'll think I'm not genuinely looking for other employment.

They might ask during your initial interview, but as long as you're available for other work right now and actively searching, you should be fine. The future seasonal job doesn't disqualify you from current benefits.

That's exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier - sometimes you really need to talk to an actual Washington ESD rep to get clarity on your specific situation. The automated systems and website don't always cover the nuances of seasonal work.

Yeah I might have to try that, I've been calling for days and either get busy signals or get disconnected after waiting forever

Good point! I was thinking about maybe doing some snow removal or other winter work. Do I need to report every single day I work?

Yes, you have to report all work and earnings for each week when you file your weekly claim. But don't worry - you can still earn up to a certain amount and still receive partial benefits.

I think it's like you can earn up to 1.5 times your weekly benefit amount before it completely zeros out your benefits for that week

That's reassuring! I was worried there might be some hidden rule that would disqualify seasonal workers.

Nope, you're overthinking it. Washington state actually has a lot of seasonal workers so the system is set up to handle these situations. Just be honest and follow the rules.

Yeah that makes sense, they probably want to establish that you actually have a pattern of seasonal employment rather than just being unemployed

I've been working the same seasonal job for 3 years now, so hopefully that helps establish the pattern

Definitely! I would never try to cheat the system. If they call me back early I'll stop filing claims immediately.

Good attitude! Washington ESD takes fraud seriously and it's just not worth the risk

That sucks! Did they ever explain why it went to adjudication?

something about verifying my separation reason, even though I told them it was end of season. took forever to get resolved

This is another situation where Claimyr could have helped - when claims are stuck in adjudication, sometimes talking to an agent can help speed things up or at least give you an update on what's holding it up.

Yeah I've heard that! I'm grateful to be in Washington for sure.

Definitely, Washington ESD is generally pretty fair with seasonal workers as long as you meet the basic requirements

Good reminder! I should gather all that paperwork before I start my claim. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice!

You're welcome! Seasonal workers gotta stick together. Feel free to ask if you run into any issues with your claim.