Does 1099 qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington?

That's what I was afraid of. So there's absolutely no way for contractors to get any kind of unemployment support?

Well, there might be some exceptions depending on how you were classified. Some companies misclassify employees as contractors.

Interesting point. I did work pretty much exclusively for one client and used their software and equipment. How would I go about getting this looked into?

You'd need to contact Washington ESD directly to request a worker classification determination. Fair warning though - getting through to them can be a real pain with the phone system.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I recently discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to discuss your classification situation.

That gives me hope! How long did the determination process take?

About 6 weeks total, but most of that was waiting for the employer to respond to Washington ESD's inquiry. Once they made the determination, my benefits were backdated to when I first applied.

Do you know where I'd find information about those programs?

WorkSource Washington usually has info on alternative programs. They're connected to the ESD system but focus more on job placement and training.

Yeah, this client was definitely my main source of income. Probably 80% of my revenue came from them.

That's a pretty strong indicator of employee status right there. Most true independent contractors have multiple clients.

Exactly! It feels like they get all the benefits of having an employee without any of the responsibilities.

That's why Washington has been cracking down on misclassification more lately. It hurts workers and costs the state tax revenue.

I haven't heard of those but I'll look into it. At this point I'm exploring every option.

Good point about the documentation. I should probably start gathering that stuff now regardless.

Yes! The more documentation you have, the stronger your case will be if you file for a determination.

You can file a claim, but it will likely be denied initially if you're listed as a contractor. Then you'd need to appeal and request the classification review as part of that process.

So I should probably file anyway just to get the process started?

That's generally the advice, yes. There are time limits on when you can file, so it's better to get your claim in and deal with the classification issue during the appeal if needed.

Exactly! Seems like it's worth at least exploring if you think you might have been misclassified.

Definitely worth looking into. The worst they can do is say no, but if you were misclassified you could be missing out on benefits you're entitled to.

Good point. Though honestly, if they were misclassifying me to save money, that's on them.

Exactly! Companies need to follow the rules. Workers shouldn't have to sacrifice their rights to keep clients happy.

Yeah, I've been paying quarterly estimated taxes. Though honestly the client never gave me much choice in how I structured my work - it was pretty much like being an employee who happened to get a 1099.

That's encouraging. I was worried they might just automatically reject anything involving 1099 work.

No, they definitely investigate these cases. The state loses money when employers misclassify workers, so they have an incentive to get it right.

I did have a regular job before this contract work, but that was over a year ago. Would that still count?

UI benefits are based on wages earned in your base period, which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters. So depending on timing, your previous employment might still be relevant.

It really is! A lot of people don't realize that just calling someone a contractor doesn't make them one legally. The actual working relationship is what matters.

I'll definitely check that out. Based on what everyone's saying, it sounds like I'm going to need to have some detailed conversations with Washington ESD about my situation.

Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. I'm going to start gathering my documentation and probably file a claim to get the process started.

Will do! Hopefully I'll have a success story to share in a few weeks.

Fingers crossed for you! The misclassification route definitely worked out for me, so there's hope.