Do you get unemployment if laid off in Washington state?

Yes, being laid off typically makes you eligible for Washington ESD unemployment benefits as long as you meet the other requirements. Since you were let go through no fault of your own, that's exactly what unemployment insurance is designed to cover. You'll need to file your initial claim on the Washington ESD website and then file weekly claims to continue receiving benefits.

Just went through this myself last month when my company had layoffs. The process is pretty straightforward - you file online at secure.esd.wa.gov and they'll determine your weekly benefit amount based on your earnings history. Make sure you have your employment information ready including dates and wages.

Been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status and it's impossible! The phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected after waiting forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Game changer for actually talking to someone at Washington ESD.

The key thing is that layoffs are considered 'involuntary separation' which means you should qualify as long as you meet the work history and wage requirements. Washington ESD looks at your base period earnings to determine eligibility and benefit amount. Since you worked for 2 years, you should be fine on that front.

ugh the whole unemployment system is such a mess... took me 6 weeks to get my first payment even though i was clearly laid off. they kept asking for more documentation and verification of everything. hopefully your experience is better than mine was

Don't let that scare you - most layoff cases are much simpler. When the separation reason is clear and documented, Washington ESD usually processes claims quickly. The issues tend to come up when there's confusion about why someone was let go or if there are eligibility questions.

One thing to remember is you'll need to actively look for work and report your job search activities when you file your weekly claims. Washington ESD requires 3 work search activities per week. Keep good records of where you apply and any contacts you make.

Make sure to file your weekly claims every week even if you haven't heard back about your initial claim approval. You can't go back and claim weeks you missed, so stay on top of the weekly filing schedule.

Been unemployed three times in my career due to layoffs and it gets easier each time you go through the process. First time is always nerve-wracking but Washington ESD is pretty good about handling straightforward layoff cases. Just be honest on your application and keep good records.

YES you definitely qualify if you were laid off! That's literally what unemployment insurance is for. The tricky cases are when people quit or get fired for misconduct. Layoffs are usually the easiest claims for Washington ESD to process.

Just remember you'll need to report any severance pay you receive as it might affect your benefit timing. If you got a severance package, make sure to mention that when you file your claim.

If you run into any issues getting through to Washington ESD by phone, seriously check out that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. I wasted so much time trying to call normally before finding them. Made the whole process so much less stressful.

The most important thing is to file right away and be completely honest about your layoff situation. Washington ESD can verify everything with your employer anyway, so there's no point trying to hide anything or embellish the story.

One more tip - create your SecureAccess Washington account ahead of time if you don't have one. That's how you'll access your Washington ESD account and it can take a day or two to get set up properly.

welcome to the club nobody wants to be in :( but seriously, layoffs happen and that's exactly why we pay into unemployment insurance. you'll get through this and hopefully find something even better

Washington state is actually pretty good with unemployment benefits compared to other states. The maximum weekly benefit is decent and the process is fairly streamlined for legitimate claims like yours.

Don't forget you might also qualify for extended benefits or retraining programs depending on your situation. Washington ESD offers various support services beyond just the weekly payments.

The waiting period in Washington is just one week, so if you file this week you could potentially see your first payment in about 2-3 weeks assuming everything processes smoothly.

Used Claimyr myself when I had issues with my claim going into adjudication unnecessarily. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person at Washington ESD to get things resolved quickly, and that service actually works for getting through the phone lines.

Bottom line - yes, you absolutely should qualify for unemployment benefits after being laid off. File your claim ASAP and don't overthink it. The system is designed for exactly your situation.