Can you apply for unemployment after a seasonal job in Washington state?
Just finished my seasonal job at a ski resort that ended last week. I worked there for about 6 months from October through March. Now I'm wondering if I can file for unemployment benefits in Washington? The job was always meant to be temporary/seasonal, but I'm not sure if that affects my eligibility. Has anyone successfully filed for UI after seasonal work? I've never dealt with Washington ESD before so I'm not sure what to expect.
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Emma Swift
Yes, you can definitely apply for unemployment after seasonal work in Washington! As long as you earned enough wages during your base period and you're able and available for work, seasonal employment ending doesn't disqualify you. The key is that you need to be actively seeking work and meet the job search requirements.
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Max Knight
•That's a relief! Do you know what the wage requirements are? I made about $18,000 during those 6 months.
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Emma Swift
•With $18K you should easily meet the monetary requirements. For 2025, you need at least $7,056 in total base period wages, and at least $2,118 in your highest quarter. You'll be fine.
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Isabella Tucker
I tried filing after my seasonal landscaping job ended and it was a nightmare. Washington ESD kept asking for more documentation and my claim got stuck in adjudication for weeks. They wanted proof that the job was actually seasonal and not just me getting fired.
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Jayden Hill
•That's frustrating! Did you eventually get approved? I'm worried about the same thing happening to me.
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Isabella Tucker
•Yeah I eventually got approved but it took forever. I couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD to explain my situation. Their phone system is impossible.
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LordCommander
•I had the same phone problem when my seasonal job ended. Couldn't reach anyone for weeks. Finally used Claimyr.com to get through - they have this system that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual person. There's a demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Lucy Lam
The most important thing is how you report the job separation reason when you file your initial claim. Make sure you select 'lack of work' or 'temporary job ended' rather than anything that might suggest you quit or were terminated for cause. Seasonal job endings are considered involuntary separations.
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Max Knight
•Good point! I definitely don't want to accidentally select the wrong reason and mess up my claim.
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Aidan Hudson
•I made that mistake once - selected 'quit' because I thought that's what it was when a seasonal job ended. Had to go through an appeal process to fix it.
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Zoe Wang
be careful about the job search requirements though! just because your seasonal job ended doesn't mean you get to sit around until next season. washington esd requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and register with worksourcewa
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Max Knight
•Oh I didn't know about the 3 job contacts per week requirement. Is that for every week I claim benefits?
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Lucy Lam
•Yes, you need to log at least 3 job search activities each week you file for benefits. You can do this through WorkSourceWA.com or keep your own records. Washington ESD can audit your job search activities.
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Connor Richards
•The WorkSourceWA requirement is annoying but you have to do it within 4 weeks of filing your initial claim or they'll stop your benefits.
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Grace Durand
I worked seasonally at a Christmas tree farm and had no issues getting unemployment. Filed online through the Washington ESD website and it was pretty straightforward. Just make sure you have all your employment info ready - dates, employer contact info, wages earned.
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Max Knight
•How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm hoping it's not too long since I need to start paying bills.
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Grace Durand
•Mine took about 2 weeks from filing to first payment. Pretty typical if you don't have any issues with your claim.
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Steven Adams
Just want to add - if your seasonal employer is going to rehire you next season, you might want to check if you qualify for standby status instead of regular unemployment. It has different requirements but you don't have to do the job search stuff.
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Emma Swift
•Good point about standby! But you need a specific recall date within 4 months and written confirmation from your employer. Most seasonal workers don't qualify for standby.
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Max Knight
•My employer said they'd probably hire me back next October but nothing definite. Sounds like regular UI is my best bet.
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Alice Fleming
Does anyone know if working seasonal affects how much you get in benefits? I only worked 6 months so I'm worried my weekly benefit amount will be low.
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Lucy Lam
•Your weekly benefit amount is based on your wages during the base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters. So if you worked seasonally for 6 months, it depends on when those months fell in relation to your base period.
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Alice Fleming
•This is confusing. Is there a way to check what my base period wages are before I file?
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Emma Swift
•You can check your wage records on the Washington ESD website once you create an account. It shows all the wages reported by your employers.
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Hassan Khoury
SEASONAL WORK IS STILL WORK! You pay into the unemployment system just like everyone else so you deserve benefits when the job ends. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
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Victoria Stark
•Exactly! I've seen people get shamed for filing after seasonal work but it's literally what the system is for.
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Max Knight
•Thanks for saying that. I was feeling a bit guilty about filing but you're right - I did pay into the system.
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Benjamin Kim
Pro tip: if you're planning to do seasonal work again next year, keep really good records of your wages and employment dates. Makes filing so much easier if you have everything organized.
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Max Knight
•That's smart advice. I'll definitely keep better records going forward.
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Samantha Howard
I worked seasonal retail during the holidays and my claim got flagged for review because Washington ESD thought I might have quit. Took weeks to resolve because I couldn't get anyone on the phone to explain that seasonal jobs just end.
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Megan D'Acosta
•The phone situation is ridiculous. I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked. Got through to Washington ESD in like 20 minutes instead of spending hours calling.
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Samantha Howard
•Wish I had known about that when I was dealing with my mess. Would have saved me so much stress.
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Sarah Ali
One thing to watch out for - if your seasonal employer offers you work before your usual season starts, you might have to take it or risk losing benefits. The 'suitable work' rules still apply.
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Max Knight
•What counts as suitable work? Does it have to be in the same field as my seasonal job?
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Lucy Lam
•Suitable work depends on your skills, experience, and local job market. It doesn't have to be exactly the same job, but it should be reasonably related to your background and pay at least 70% of your previous wage.
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Ryan Vasquez
just filed for unemployment after my seasonal warehouse job ended last month. had to wait about 3 weeks for first payment but it came through. make sure you file your weekly claims on time every week or you'll lose those benefits
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Max Knight
•Good reminder about the weekly claims. I assume I file those online too?
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Ryan Vasquez
•yeah you can file weekly claims online or by phone. i do it online every sunday morning, takes like 5 minutes
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Avery Saint
For anyone reading this thread - the Washington ESD website has a seasonal worker FAQ section that covers most of these questions. Might be worth checking out before filing.
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Max Knight
•Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely check that out before I file my claim.
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Taylor Chen
•The FAQ is helpful but sometimes outdated. The info in this thread from people with recent experience is probably more reliable.
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Keith Davidson
My seasonal job at a summer camp ended in August and I got unemployment no problem. The key is being honest about everything and having your employment documentation ready. Don't overthink it.
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Max Knight
•That's reassuring. I think I'm ready to file my claim. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice!
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Ezra Bates
•Good luck with your claim! Hope it goes smoothly for you.
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Ana Erdoğan
Remember that if you have any issues with your claim getting stuck or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, don't waste hours calling. That Claimyr thing actually works - saved me so much time and frustration when my seasonal unemployment got complicated.
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Max Knight
•I'll keep that in mind if I run into any problems. Hopefully everything goes smoothly but it's good to know there are options if I need help.
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