Can you file for unemployment if self employed in Washington state?

No, I didn't pay unemployment taxes. I just paid regular income tax and self-employment tax. Does that mean I'm out of luck?

Unfortunately yes for regular UI. You might want to look into other programs though.

That's what I was afraid of. It seems unfair that we can't get help when our income disappears.

Yeah the system wasn't really designed for gig workers and freelancers unfortunately

I did have a part-time W-2 job about 8 months ago for like 3 months. Would that count?

It might! You'd need to check if those wages meet the minimum requirements. Worth looking into for sure.

When I tried to get through to Washington ESD to ask about mixed earnings it was impossible. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected.

How much does something like that cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay to talk to our own state agency.

I get the frustration, but when you can't get through any other way it's worth it. They focus on the value of actually connecting you rather than just endless busy signals.

I'll check it out, thanks. The regular phone lines have been useless so far.

Yeah I'm starting to understand that now. Going to dig up my old pay stubs from that part-time job.

This is confusing. How much W-2 wages do you need to qualify?

In Washington you need to have earned at least $1,000 in your highest quarter and your total base year wages need to be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter amount.

Ok I think I made about $4,000 total from that part-time job over 3 months. Not sure if that's enough.

What do you mean? I'm definitely looking for work, both contracts and regular employment.

Washington ESD might question whether you're truly available for full-time employment if you're still trying to maintain your business. It's a gray area.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. The regular phone system is broken and they know it works.

I tried calling at 8am sharp when they open and still couldn't get through. It's like they don't want to help people.

I feel you but that's just how the system works. UI is funded by employer contributions, not our individual taxes.

Still doesn't make it right. We should have some kind of safety net too.

Good point. I've been so focused on unemployment that I haven't looked into other options.

So I could still do some freelance work while collecting unemployment?

Yes, but you have to report all income and it will likely reduce your weekly benefit amount. There are specific rules about how much you can earn.

Be really careful with this. I got hit with an overpayment notice because I didn't report some small freelance jobs correctly.

You're right. I'll pull together all my documentation and give it a shot.

How long did it take them to connect you?

About 20 minutes total. Way better than the hours I wasted trying to call directly.

Same rules apply - if you only have 1099 income from gig work, you won't qualify for regular UI benefits.

Gig economy really leaves us hanging doesn't it

I think I'm technically both? I have my own LLC but also do 1099 contract work. Does that matter?

It might. The key is still whether you paid into the UI system or had W-2 wages, but the way you structure your work could affect other aspects of your claim.

Good to know. I'm already doing a lot of networking so that should be easy to document.

I'm definitely open to regular employment. Market is tough but I'm not being picky at this point.

That's the right attitude. Being too selective about jobs can hurt your benefits.

Good luck! Hope it works out for you.

And remember, if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, Claimyr is there to help you get through.

This is really encouraging to hear! I was starting to lose hope but knowing someone in a similar situation got approved gives me confidence to try. That eligibility interview sounds intimidating though - what kinds of questions did they ask about your business? I want to make sure I'm prepared and don't say anything that hurts my case.

They asked things like whether I was actively marketing my business, if I had any pending contracts or proposals out there, and how many hours per week I was spending on business activities versus job searching. The key is being honest but emphasizing that you're genuinely seeking traditional employment because your self-employment income isn't sustainable. I told them I was winding down my freelance work and focusing on finding a regular job with benefits and steady income. They also wanted to know if I would be able to start a full-time job immediately if offered one, so make sure you can answer yes to that. The interview wasn't as scary as I expected - just be straightforward about your situation.

That's such a relief to hear from someone who actually went through it successfully! I'm definitely going to apply since I did have that part-time job. Quick question - when you were collecting benefits, did you have to completely stop taking on any freelance work, or could you still do small projects as long as you reported the income? I'm wondering if I should turn down any potential clients that might reach out while I'm job searching.

You actually can still take on small freelance projects while collecting benefits, but you MUST report every penny you earn on your weekly claims. Washington ESD has specific rules about how much you can earn before it affects your benefit amount - I think it's around $200 per week where they start reducing your payments. The important thing is being completely transparent about any work you do. I did a couple small logo projects during my benefit period and just made sure to report the income accurately. They're way more concerned about people who don't report income than they are about you doing occasional freelance work. Just document everything and be honest on your weekly claims - that's what kept me out of trouble.

I totally get that frustration about paying all those taxes but not being eligible for unemployment - it really does feel unfair! But definitely dig up those pay stubs from your agency stint. Even 6 weeks might be enough if you made decent money during that time. The threshold isn't super high, and it sounds like you're in a similar boat to several others here who managed to qualify. Don't give up hope yet - worst case scenario you apply and get denied, but at least you'll know for sure. And if you do qualify, just be prepared to show you're serious about finding traditional employment, not just looking to supplement your consulting income.

You're absolutely right about the system feeling unfair - I went through the same frustration when my freelance writing work disappeared last year. That 6-week agency job could definitely be your ticket though! I had a similar short-term position and it was just enough to qualify. The key thing I learned is that Washington ESD looks at your total earnings in your highest quarter, so even if it was brief, if you made good money during those weeks it might push you over the threshold. When I applied, I was honest about wanting to transition back to stable employment because the uncertainty of freelancing was too stressful. Make sure to frame it that way if you do get an interview - that you're genuinely seeking traditional work, not just using benefits to float your consulting business. Good luck digging through those old documents!

Yes, there is actually a benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website! If you go to their main site and search for "benefit calculator" or "eligibility calculator" it should help you figure out if your wages meet the minimum requirements. You just plug in your quarterly wages from your base year period and it will tell you if you qualify and roughly what your weekly benefit amount would be. That 5-month tech startup job sounds promising - especially if it was recent enough to fall in your base year. Tech jobs usually pay well so you might have earned enough in just those 5 months to meet both the minimum quarter requirement ($1,000) and the total base year requirement (1.5x your highest quarter). Definitely worth running the numbers before you stress about gathering all your paperwork!

Don't kick yourself too hard about leaving that nonprofit job - hindsight is 20/20 and you made the best decision you could with the information you had at the time! Four months of decent wages could definitely be enough, especially if you were making good hourly pay. I'd encourage you to definitely use that benefit calculator to run the numbers. Even if you're on the borderline, it's worth applying since the worst they can do is say no. And if you do qualify, just be prepared to show that you're genuinely committed to finding stable employment rather than just supplementing your freelance income. The job search requirements can be a bit tedious but it's a small price to pay for that financial safety net. You're definitely not alone in this - the gig economy boom has left a lot of us in this weird gap where we're working hard but don't have traditional employment protections.

I'm in a really similar boat - been doing freelance photography for about 2 years and the market has just completely tanked. I had a short retail job about 8 months ago that I worked for maybe 12 weeks before going back to photography full-time. Reading everyone's experiences here is giving me some hope that those wages might be enough to qualify. The whole system really does feel stacked against people who work for themselves, but it sounds like having any W-2 wages in your base year can potentially save you. Definitely going to check out that benefit calculator and see where I stand. Good luck with your application - hope it works out for both of us!