Can self-employed get Washington ESD unemployment benefits in 2023?
I've been freelancing as a graphic designer for the past 2 years and my client contracts have completely dried up. I'm wondering if self-employed people like me can qualify for unemployment benefits through Washington ESD in 2023? I've never filed for UI before and I'm not sure if being self-employed disqualifies me. Has anyone else in a similar situation been able to get approved for benefits?
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Yara Nassar
Self-employed individuals can potentially qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington if you've been paying into the system through Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) or if you had regular W-2 employment in your base period. You'll need to check your wage history in your Washington ESD account to see if you have qualifying wages.
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Connor O'Neill
•I haven't been paying into SEA - didn't even know that was a thing. I did have a part-time W-2 job about 18 months ago though. Would that count?
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Yara Nassar
•Yes, that W-2 job could count if it falls within your base period. Washington ESD looks at the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file your claim.
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Keisha Robinson
I'm self-employed too and tried applying last year. The whole process was confusing because they kept asking for employer information that I obviously don't have. Never did get approved.
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Connor O'Neill
•That's exactly what I'm worried about. Did you have any W-2 wages or were you purely self-employed?
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Keisha Robinson
•Just self-employed, no W-2 wages. I think that was my problem.
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GalaxyGuardian
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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Connor O'Neill
•Interesting, I haven't heard of that before. Is it legit? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.
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GalaxyGuardian
•Yeah it's legit, they basically call for you and get you connected to an actual person at Washington ESD. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Paolo Ricci
•I was skeptical about Claimyr at first but ended up using it when I couldn't get through to resolve my adjudication issue. Actually worked pretty well.
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Amina Toure
The key thing is whether you have sufficient wage credits in your base period. Being self-employed doesn't automatically disqualify you if you also had regular employment. You need to look at your quarterly wage statements.
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Connor O'Neill
•How do I find my quarterly wage statements? Is that something I can see online?
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Amina Toure
•Yes, you can view your wage history by logging into your Washington ESD account through SecureAccess Washington. It'll show all your reported wages by quarter.
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Oliver Zimmermann
wait i thought they got rid of the self employed unemployment thing after covid ended??
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Yara Nassar
•You're thinking of PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance) which was specifically for the pandemic and ended in 2021. Regular unemployment for self-employed people with qualifying wages has always existed.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•oh ok that makes sense, i got confused
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Natasha Volkova
I'm in construction and mostly work as an independent contractor but I had one W-2 job last year. Filed for unemployment in January 2023 and got approved. The trick is having enough wage credits from that W-2 employment.
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Connor O'Neill
•That gives me hope! About how much did you earn from your W-2 job? Just trying to gauge if my part-time wages would be enough.
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Natasha Volkova
•I made about $8,500 from the W-2 job over 6 months. Wasn't a lot but it was enough to qualify for the minimum weekly benefit amount.
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Javier Torres
This is so frustrating - the whole system is set up for traditional employees and makes it nearly impossible for freelancers and contractors to get help when work dries up.
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Keisha Robinson
•Totally agree. We pay taxes but can't get the same safety net as regular employees.
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Amina Toure
•That's why the Self-Employment Assistance program exists, but most people don't know about it or don't opt into it when they're doing well.
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Yara Nassar
For anyone reading this thread - if you're primarily self-employed, you should seriously consider opting into Washington's Self-Employment Assistance program. It allows you to pay into unemployment insurance so you can collect benefits if your business income drops significantly.
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Connor O'Neill
•Is it too late for me to sign up for that now? Or would it only help for future claims?
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Yara Nassar
•You can sign up now but there's typically a waiting period before you can collect benefits. It's more for future protection than your current situation.
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Emma Davis
Just file the claim and see what happens. Worst case they deny it but at least you'll know for sure. The application process will tell you if you have qualifying wages.
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Connor O'Neill
•Good point. I guess I've been overthinking it instead of just trying.
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GalaxyGuardian
If you do file and run into issues or need to speak with someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, definitely check out Claimyr. It's been a game changer for actually getting through to agents instead of dealing with busy signals all day.
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CosmicCaptain
•How much does Claimyr cost? I'm already strapped for cash.
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GalaxyGuardian
•They have different options but honestly the value of actually reaching someone at Washington ESD when you need help is worth it. Check their website for current pricing.
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Malik Johnson
I've been a freelance writer for 5 years and never thought I could get unemployment. This thread is eye-opening. Definitely going to look into my wage history now.
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Connor O'Neill
•Same here! I had no idea it was even a possibility with some W-2 income mixed in.
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Isabella Ferreira
The Washington ESD website has a tool where you can estimate your potential weekly benefit amount based on your wage history. Might be worth checking before you file.
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Connor O'Neill
•Do you know where that tool is located on their site? I've been looking around but their website is confusing.
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Isabella Ferreira
•It's under 'Apply for Benefits' section, there should be a benefit calculator link. Sometimes it's hard to find though.
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Ravi Sharma
be prepared for them to ask a million questions about why youre not working and available for work if youre self employed. they might think you can just get more clients
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Connor O'Neill
•That's a good point. I'll need to document how I've been looking for new clients and contracts.
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Amina Toure
•Yes, you'll need to show you're actively seeking work and available for both employment and self-employment opportunities.
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Freya Thomsen
My accountant told me that 1099 income doesn't count toward unemployment eligibility, only W-2 wages. Is that accurate?
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Yara Nassar
•Your accountant is correct for regular unemployment benefits. Only wages where unemployment taxes were withheld (W-2 wages) count toward your benefit eligibility.
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Freya Thomsen
•Thanks for clarifying. That's what I thought but wanted to double check.
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Omar Zaki
I think there might be some special provisions for creative professionals like graphic designers. Worth asking Washington ESD directly about any industry-specific programs.
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Connor O'Neill
•I haven't heard of anything like that but it's worth asking. If I can actually get through to someone to ask.
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GalaxyGuardian
•That's where Claimyr comes in handy again - actually being able to speak with an agent to ask these specific questions.
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AstroAce
UPDATE: I just checked my wage history and I do have qualifying wages from my part-time job! Going to file my claim tomorrow. Thanks everyone for the encouragement.
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Connor O'Neill
•That's awesome! Please update us on how it goes. I'm going to check mine next.
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AstroAce
•Will do! Fingers crossed the application process goes smoothly.
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Chloe Martin
One thing to keep in mind - even if you qualify for benefits, the weekly amount might be pretty low if your W-2 wages weren't very high. But something is better than nothing when work is slow.
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Connor O'Neill
•You're right, I'm not expecting a huge amount. Just need something to help with basic expenses while I rebuild my client base.
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Diego Rojas
The job search requirements might be tricky for self-employed people. You'll need to show you're looking for both traditional employment AND trying to grow your freelance business.
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Connor O'Neill
•Good point about documenting both types of job searching. I'll make sure to keep records of everything.
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Amina Toure
•Yes, keep a detailed log of all your work search activities. Washington ESD can audit your job search efforts at any time.
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Anastasia Sokolov
Thanks for starting this thread! As a fellow freelancer, this information is really valuable. I had no idea about any of this.
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Connor O'Neill
•You're welcome! I'm glad it helped others too. Seems like a lot of us were in the dark about these options.
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Sean O'Donnell
Final thought - even if you don't qualify for regular unemployment, you might qualify for other assistance programs. Worth checking with DSHS about food assistance, medical coverage, etc.
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Connor O'Neill
•Good suggestion. I'll look into other programs too while I'm trying to get back on my feet.
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