Can subcontractors get unemployment benefits in Washington state?

That's what I was afraid of. How would I know if I was misclassified? I did work exclusively for one company but they treated me as a contractor.

Look at the ABC test Washington uses - if you didn't have control over how you did the work, it was integral to their business, and you didn't have your own established business, you might have been misclassified as a contractor when you should have been an employee.

Did you end up appealing? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the hassle or if I should just focus on finding new contracts.

I didn't appeal because I knew I was legitimately a contractor, but if you have doubts about your classification it might be worth it. The appeal process can take months though.

I haven't tried calling yet because I assumed I'd be on hold forever. Is Claimyr legit? How does it work exactly?

Yeah it's legitimate - basically they handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when they get through to an actual person. Saved me hours of trying to get through myself.

I've heard mixed things about those calling services. Are they expensive?

That was the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, but it ended in 2021. Regular unemployment rules are back in effect now - only employees who had unemployment taxes paid on their behalf typically qualify.

oh damn, I didn't realize those programs ended. That sucks for contractors then.

Totally agree. I've been fighting this battle for years. Companies want all the control of having employees but none of the responsibility.

While I understand the frustration, there are legitimate reasons for contractor classifications too. It's not always about companies trying to avoid taxes.

That actually describes my situation pretty well. I worked their schedule, used their tools, and they directed how I did the work. I just got paid on a 1099.

Then you should definitely look into filing a claim and potentially appealing if denied. Document everything about how you worked - schedules, tools, supervision, training, etc.

As a legitimate contractor, you generally wouldn't qualify for unemployment, but you should be charging higher rates to account for the lack of benefits and job security. That's part of the trade-off.

You might want to look into creating your own emergency fund or consider contractor insurance options. There are some policies that can help bridge income gaps.

Easy to say but not everyone has that choice. Some industries are mostly contractor-based now.

True, but that's the reality. Contractors need to plan for gaps between jobs - it's part of the business model.

Yes, if you have sufficient W2 earnings in your base period (typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters), you might qualify based on that employment, even if your most recent work was 1099.

That's good to know! So the 1099 work wouldn't disqualify me from benefits based on my previous W2 job?

What did they tell you about contractors? Did you end up qualifying?

In my case, no, because I was clearly a legitimate independent contractor. But they walked me through the criteria and explained exactly why. Much better than guessing or getting wrong info online.

I wish I had thought of that earlier. I do have some emails and my invoices but didn't really keep detailed records of the day-to-day stuff.

It's not too late to start documenting what you remember. Write down everything you can recall about how the work relationship functioned.

Agreed, but until that happens we have to work within the current system. The rules are pretty clear even if they don't seem fair.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the system to change. It benefits employers too much to keep things as they are.

Thanks, I hadn't thought about WorkSource. Do they actually have good resources for contractors or is it mostly geared toward traditional employees?

They have both. Some offices have specific programs for freelancers and entrepreneurs, plus general job search resources that apply to everyone.

How long did the appeal process take? And what kind of evidence did you need to provide?

About 3 months total. I provided emails showing they controlled my schedule, photos of using their equipment, training materials they provided, and testimony from coworkers about how we were all treated the same as regular employees.

Good point. I think I'm going to gather up whatever documentation I have and at least try filing a claim. If nothing else, it'll give me a definitive answer.

Smart approach. And if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD for clarification during the process, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work well for getting through their phone system.