Can you be self employed and collect unemployment in Washington?

Yes, self-employed people can sometimes qualify for unemployment in Washington! The key is whether you've paid into the unemployment system. If you haven't been paying unemployment taxes as a self-employed person, you typically won't qualify for regular UI benefits. However, there are some exceptions and special programs.

The pandemic unemployment programs (PUA) that helped self-employed workers ended in 2021. For current options, you'd need to look into Washington's Self-Employment Assistance Program if you're planning to start a business, or see if you qualify under any other special circumstances.

I was in a similar situation last year - had to call Washington ESD multiple times to understand my options. The phone system is absolutely brutal though. I probably spent 50+ hours trying to get through to someone who could actually explain the self-employment rules clearly.

Wait, you can pay into unemployment as self-employed? I had no idea that was even an option. How does that work exactly?

This is exactly why the unemployment system is broken. People who work for themselves should have the same safety net as traditional employees. It's 2025 and we're still stuck with rules from the 1930s.

So let me make sure I understand - as someone who's been self-employed for 2 years without paying unemployment taxes, I basically have no options for Washington ESD benefits right now?

I'm also self-employed (photographer) and looked into this extensively last year. If you had ANY W2 employment in the past 18 months, even part-time or temporary work, you might still qualify for benefits based on that income.

The application process asks about all your income sources for the past 18 months. Even if most of your income was self-employment, any W2 earnings during that period could establish eligibility.

Just wanted to follow up on the phone situation - I ended up using Claimyr after seeing it mentioned here and it actually worked. Got through to an Washington ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending all day redialing. They were able to look at my specific work history and explain exactly what I qualified for.

Another option to consider - if you're thinking about starting a different business or pivoting your freelance work, Washington has a Self-Employment Assistance Program that lets you collect benefits while starting a new venture.

This whole thread has been really helpful. I'm also freelance (marketing consultant) and had no idea about some of these options. Going to check if any of my consulting contracts qualified as W2 work.

The key takeaway is that self-employment and unemployment benefits aren't mutually exclusive, but the rules are complex. Washington ESD has to evaluate each situation individually based on your specific work and payment history.

One more thing - even if you don't qualify now, you can elect to pay unemployment taxes going forward as a self-employed person. It's worth considering for future protection.

Thanks everyone for all the info. This has been way more helpful than the Washington ESD website FAQs. Going to gather my documents and file an application this week.

For anyone still reading this thread - the Washington ESD business services team can also answer questions about elective coverage if you want to sign up for future protection. Different phone number than regular claims, usually easier to reach.

This has been a great discussion. Shows how many self-employed people are dealing with similar questions about unemployment eligibility. The rules definitely aren't straightforward but there are more options than most people realize.

Final thought - even if your application gets denied initially, you can appeal the decision if you think Washington ESD missed something about your work history or eligibility. Don't give up after the first response.

Just wanted to share my recent experience as another data point - I'm a freelance web developer and was surprised to discover I qualified for benefits because I had done some contract work through a staffing agency about 8 months ago. They had classified me as a W2 employee even though it was temporary project work. The key was that unemployment taxes were actually deducted from those paychecks. I almost didn't apply because I assumed being primarily self-employed would disqualify me, but I'm glad I did. The Washington ESD agent I spoke with said they see this situation fairly often with freelancers who have mixed income sources. So definitely worth applying even if you think you might not qualify!