Can you apply for unemployment if you are self employed - Washington ESD eligibility?

Unfortunately, traditional unemployment insurance (UI) through Washington ESD is only for people who were employees and had payroll taxes taken out. As a self-employed person, you wouldn't qualify for regular unemployment benefits because you haven't been paying into the UI system through payroll deductions.

Actually, you might still have options depending on your work history. Did you have any W-2 employment in the past 18 months before starting your business? Washington ESD looks at your base period earnings, so if you worked as an employee recently enough, you could potentially qualify for benefits based on those wages.

Have you tried calling Washington ESD directly to ask about your specific situation? Sometimes there are edge cases or special circumstances they can help with. I know their phone lines are always busy though - I spent hours trying to get through when I had questions about my claim.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD, you might want to check out Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help people get connected to ESD agents without waiting on hold for hours. I used them last month when I couldn't get through about my weekly claim issue and they got me connected in like 20 minutes. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

You should also look into other assistance programs while you're figuring this out. SNAP benefits, utility assistance, maybe even local food banks. Being self-employed doesn't disqualify you from other safety net programs.

Wait, are you sure you were truly self-employed? Some people think they're independent contractors but they're actually misclassified employees. If your clients controlled your work schedule, provided tools, or treated you like an employee, you might have grounds for an unemployment claim.

This is so frustrating! The system is set up for traditional employees but more and more people are freelancing and running small businesses. We need better safety nets for gig workers and self-employed people.

Have you considered looking for part-time W-2 work while you rebuild your consulting business? Even a few hours a week could help with cash flow and might give you some employment history for future unemployment eligibility.

I was in a similar situation last year. Self-employed for 4 years, then business tanked. I ended up having to take a regular job because there was no unemployment safety net. It sucks but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Did you ever pay into the unemployment system as self-employed? I think there might be voluntary programs in some states, but I don't think Washington has one.

You might want to talk to a tax professional too. Sometimes there are business tax credits or deductions you can claim that might help offset some of your financial stress while you figure out next steps.

The harsh reality is that self-employment comes with risks, and this is one of them. No unemployment insurance is part of the trade-off for being your own boss. Hopefully you set aside some emergency funds when business was good.

I'd still recommend calling Washington ESD just to be 100% sure. Rules can be complicated and you never know if there's something you're not considering. If you use that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier, at least you won't waste your whole day on hold.

Another thing to consider - if you do find W-2 work, make sure you understand how it might affect any future unemployment claims. Washington ESD has specific rules about how they calculate benefits when you have mixed employment types.

Have you looked into business grants or loans for small businesses? The SBA has programs that might help you get through this rough patch and restart your consulting business.

Just wanted to add that if you do end up taking a regular job, don't give up on your consulting business entirely. You can often build it back up slowly on the side once you have some stable income coming in.

I tried Claimyr when I had issues with my job search requirements and it worked great. Really saved me from spending half a day trying to get through to Washington ESD. Definitely worth trying if you decide to call them about your situation.

Bottom line - as a truly self-employed person with no recent W-2 wages, you probably won't qualify for regular unemployment benefits through Washington ESD. But it's still worth confirming with them directly, and in the meantime, look into other assistance programs and consider your options for getting back into the workforce.