Can you file for unemployment 6 months after termination in Washington?

Yes, you can still file! There's no specific deadline for filing an initial claim in Washington state. However, you can only get benefits for weeks starting from when you file - they won't backdate to when you were actually terminated. So if you file today, your claim would start from this week forward, not from July.

definitely file asap! i waited 3 months after getting fired and kicked myself for it but still got approved. washington esd doesn't care how long you waited as long as you meet the other requirements

I had the same situation last year. Filed 4 months after termination and got approved without any problems. The key thing is making sure you still meet the base period requirements - they look at your earnings from the previous 5 quarters before you file, not when you were terminated. Since you worked recently, you should be fine.

Actually, this is a great example of why it's so important to file immediately when you lose your job. The waiting period doesn't pause just because you're not filing. But honestly, trying to reach Washington ESD right now is going to be your biggest challenge. I've been trying to get through to them for weeks about my adjudication issue. If you're having trouble getting through on the phone, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually connects you to ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone directly about your situation.

The Washington ESD system is so backwards! Why wouldn't they allow backdating in situations like this? It's not like people know all the rules when they get fired. Six months of lost benefits is ridiculous.

wait so there's really no time limit at all? i thought you had to file within 30 days or something

One thing to keep in mind is that even though you can file late, you'll still need to serve the one-week waiting period before you can collect benefits. So your first payable week will actually be the second week after you file.

I'm in a similar boat - got terminated in August and just realized I should have filed months ago. This thread is really helpful, thanks everyone!

Just to add some more detail - when you file, Washington ESD will look at your highest earning quarter in your base period to determine your weekly benefit amount. Since you worked construction, you probably had some good earning quarters that will help your benefit calculation.

been there! waited 5 months after layoff and still got my claim approved. the hardest part was actually getting through to ESD to ask questions about my application status

Another tip - when you do file, make sure you answer all the questions honestly about why you waited so long to file. They might ask during the application process. Being upfront about thinking you'd find work quickly is perfectly fine.

This is exactly why I tell everyone to file immediately even if they think they'll find work fast. You never know how long it'll actually take.

stupid question but do you have to pay anything to file a claim? i keep seeing ads for services that help with unemployment

The 6 month gap might actually work in your favor if you had any issues with your termination. Sometimes waiting can help if there were any disputes about the reason for leaving.

construction worker here too - filed 8 months after termination last year and had zero problems. ESD processed my claim in about 2 weeks

Make sure when you file that you're prepared to start doing the job search requirements immediately. They'll want to see 3 job contacts per week starting right away.

honestly the washington esd website is pretty straightforward for filing. took me like 20 minutes to complete the whole application

One more thing - don't forget to set up your direct deposit when you file. Paper checks take forever to arrive.

Just an update for anyone still following - I finally got through to ESD using that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. Took about 45 minutes but they connected me directly to an agent who resolved my adjudication issue immediately. Definitely worth it if you need to speak with someone and don't want to spend hours on hold.

Update: I filed my claim yesterday and it was approved this morning! Thanks everyone for the encouragement to just go ahead and file. Wish I had done this months ago but at least I'm getting benefits now. The application really was straightforward like everyone said.

Congratulations on getting approved so quickly! This is a great example for others who might be hesitating to file late. I've seen too many people miss out on months of benefits because they thought there was some arbitrary deadline. Washington's system is actually pretty forgiving when it comes to late filing - the real penalty is just losing those months you didn't file for. Good luck with your job search, and don't forget to keep documenting everything in WorkSourceWA!