Can you file unemployment two times in Washington state - need help understanding eligibility

That's such a relief to hear! I was worried there might be some kind of rule against filing twice in one year.

Just make sure you report all your wages from the job you had between claims when you file the new application.

Good point about the benefit amount changing. I was making more at the second job so hopefully that means a higher weekly amount.

Wait, so if I made less at my recent job, my benefits could actually go down from what I got before?

Yes, your weekly benefit amount is always based on your earnings during the base period for that specific claim. It recalculates each time you file a new claim.

I had the same problem trying to reach Washington ESD by phone. What worked for me was using Claimyr.com - it's a service that calls on your behalf and gets you connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I was able to talk to someone within a couple hours instead of spending days trying to get through myself.

Never heard of that but I'm desperate at this point. The phone system is impossible to navigate.

Claimyr actually saved me so much time and frustration. Worth checking out if you really need to speak with Washington ESD directly.

I started the online application but got stuck on a question about my previous claim. That's why I wanted to call and ask someone.

What specific question is giving you trouble? Maybe someone here can help explain it.

There's no annual limit on the number of claims you can file. As long as you meet the work and wage requirements for each claim, you can file whenever you become unemployed through no fault of your own.

Yeah but you can't just quit jobs and keep filing for unemployment. You have to be laid off or terminated for non-misconduct reasons.

Right, I understand that part. I was just wondering about the frequency limits.

Good advice - I was actually putting it off hoping I'd get called back to work but that's not looking likely now.

File immediately! Even if you think you might get called back, you can always stop claiming if you return to work.

Oh no, I can't afford to wait 3 weeks without income. Is there anything I can do to speed up the adjudication process?

If your claim goes into adjudication and you need to provide additional information to Washington ESD, that's another situation where Claimyr could help you actually reach someone to discuss your case instead of waiting for mail correspondence.

Adjudication isn't always inevitable - it just depends on your specific circumstances. Don't panic yet!

That's reassuring to hear from someone with multiple claim experience.

Thanks for sharing your experience - it makes me feel more confident about filing again.

Can you explain how the base period works? I never really understood that part.

The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January 2024 through September 2024.

That's actually really helpful - I was confused about which wages they use to calculate benefits.

You're right, I'm probably overthinking this. I'll just go ahead and file online today.

Exactly - the worst thing that can happen is they deny it and then you can appeal if needed. But most likely it'll go through fine.

Good reminder - I remember having to do the job search activities from my first claim.

Yeah, you still need to do your three job search activities per week or whatever the current requirement is.

I think it's still three work search activities per week in Washington, but check the current requirements when you file.

That's really good advice! I just went through my files and realized I'm missing some pay stubs from my most recent job. Do you know if Washington ESD accepts other forms of wage verification like bank statements or tax documents if you can't find all your pay stubs?

Yes, Washington ESD will typically accept W-2 forms, tax returns, or even letters from your employer verifying employment dates and wages if you don't have all your pay stubs. Bank deposits can also work as supplemental proof, but they prefer official wage documents when possible. The key is to provide whatever documentation you have - they understand that not everyone keeps perfect records and they'll work with what you can provide.

There's no benefit to waiting between claims - you should file immediately after becoming unemployed to avoid losing any potential benefit weeks. Each new claim gives you a fresh benefit year with full duration (typically 26 weeks in Washington), so your previous claim doesn't reduce the length of your new one. The benefit periods are completely separate as long as you meet the work requirements between claims.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! Your timeline sounds almost identical to mine - it's really reassuring to know that someone else went through the same thing and it worked out fine. The fact that your benefit amount actually increased gives me hope too since I was making more at my recent job. I've been putting off filing because I was worried about complications, but your experience makes me feel much more confident about just going ahead with the online application. Thanks for sharing your story!

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm in a very similar boat - got laid off in March, collected benefits until August when I found a new job, and now I'm unemployed again as of last month. I was really worried there might be some kind of penalty or restriction for filing twice in one year, but hearing that your second claim was approved quickly and even at a higher amount is really encouraging. I keep second-guessing myself about whether I worked enough hours between claims, but I worked full-time for those 5 months so I should be fine. Your post is giving me the push I need to just go ahead and file online today instead of overthinking it!