Can you get unemployment if you are a contractor in Washington state?

Generally independent contractors can't collect regular UI benefits in Washington because you haven't been paying into the unemployment system through payroll taxes. However, there might be some exceptions depending on how you were classified.

I was in a similar situation last year. Washington ESD told me that true independent contractors don't qualify for regular unemployment benefits. You'd need to have been an employee with taxes withheld from your paychecks.

The key question is whether you were properly classified as an independent contractor. Washington has specific tests for this - like whether you controlled how the work was done, used your own tools/equipment, had opportunity for profit/loss, etc. If you think you were misclassified, you can file a claim and let Washington ESD investigate.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about your specific situation, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me connect with an actual agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped when I couldn't get through on my own.

wait, i thought contractors could never get unemployment?? this is confusing

Another thing to consider - even if you were properly classified as an independent contractor, you might want to look into whether you had any W-2 employment in the past 18 months. Washington ESD looks at your base year earnings from all covered employment.

I'm dealing with something similar right now. Been doing 1099 work for a marketing company for over a year but they controlled my schedule, provided all the tools, and I couldn't work for competitors. Sounds like employee stuff to me!

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries also has resources about worker classification if you want to understand the rules better before you contact Washington ESD.

this whole contractor vs employee thing is so confusing. companies just classify everyone as contractors these days to save money

Had a friend who was told she was a contractor but Washington ESD determined she was actually an employee after she filed a claim. Took a few weeks for the investigation but she ended up getting benefits.

Even if you can't get regular unemployment, you might be eligible for other assistance programs while you look for new clients. Food assistance, utility help, etc.

I was skeptical about using third-party services to contact Washington ESD, but honestly Claimyr worked great when I needed to get clarification on my claim status. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person and the regular phone lines are impossible.

Don't forget that if you do qualify for benefits, you'll need to meet the job search requirements. That might be tricky as a contractor/freelancer since you're not exactly applying for traditional jobs.

Bottom line is you should probably just file a claim and let Washington ESD sort it out. If you were misclassified or had other covered employment, you might be surprised.

Make sure you keep all your documentation from the contractor work - contracts, 1099s, emails, anything that shows the nature of your work relationship. You might need it if Washington ESD investigates the classification.

Update us on how it goes! I'm sure other contractors would be interested to hear about your experience with Washington ESD.

I went through something similar when I lost my main freelance writing contract last year. Even though I was classified as an independent contractor, it turned out I had enough W-2 earnings from a previous job within my base period to qualify for benefits. The key is that Washington ESD looks at ALL your covered employment history, not just your most recent work. Definitely worth filing a claim - the worst they can say is no, but you might be pleasantly surprised. The online application will walk you through all the eligibility requirements and help determine if you qualify based on your work history.