Does everyone get unemployment benefits in Washington state - what are the requirements?

What's a base period? And how much do you need to earn?

The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. You need at least $1,847 in total wages during your base period to qualify.

What counts as good cause? Like if your boss is treating you badly?

It has to be really serious stuff like unsafe working conditions, harassment, or significant changes to your job that weren't part of your original agreement.

Is that legitimate? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach anyone at Washington ESD.

Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

How many jobs do you have to apply for each week?

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log of your activities.

I know right? It's like they don't want people to get help.

It's complicated because they have to prevent fraud while helping legitimate claimants. The rules are there for good reasons.

What if you get fired for being late too many times? Is that misconduct?

That could be considered misconduct depending on the circumstances and your employer's policies. Each case is evaluated individually during the adjudication process.

You can apply online through the Washington ESD website or by phone. Online is usually faster though.

If you need help navigating the system or talking to someone at Washington ESD, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really helped me get through when I was stuck.

Wait what? So you just get nothing for the first week?

Right, it's like a penalty week. You still have to file your weekly claim but you won't receive payment for that first week.

That makes sense. You need to have worked long enough and earned enough during your base period to establish a claim.

So working 6 months part-time might not be enough?

It depends on how much you earned. The earnings requirement is more important than just the length of time worked.

what if you're taking care of kids and can't work full time?

You can still qualify if you're available for part-time work that's similar to your previous job. But you have to be genuinely available and actively seeking employment.

How much does it cost?

I'd rather not discuss pricing here but it was definitely worth it for the time and stress it saved me. You can check their site for current rates.

Generally yes, full-time students aren't eligible unless they're in approved training programs. You have to be available for work during normal business hours.

That's annoying. What if you're doing online classes?

Doesn't matter if it's online or in-person. If you're enrolled full-time, it usually disqualifies you because you're not considered available for work.

The requirements exist to make sure benefits go to people who are genuinely unemployed and looking for work. It's not meant to be impossible, just properly regulated.

still feels like they're trying to trick people into not getting benefits

Thanks for all the info everyone. Sounds like I should probably check if I'd qualify before I actually need to file.

That's smart. You can use the benefit calculator on Washington ESD's website to get an estimate of your potential benefits.

What counts as suitable work? Do you have to take any job?

It has to be similar to your previous work in terms of pay, skills, and commute distance. You don't have to take just anything, but you can't be too picky either.

ok you've convinced me to at least look at their website lol

The demo video really shows how it works if you're curious. It's pretty straightforward.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! This cleared up a lot of my confusion.

yeah this was actually really helpful even though the system still seems super complicated

Good luck! Just make sure you have all your employment history and wage information ready when you apply.

Will do. And I'll bookmark that Claimyr thing in case I need help getting through to someone.

Agreed. These are the basics everyone should know before they need to file for unemployment.

Seriously, thank you all for taking the time to explain everything!

The complexity is unfortunate but necessary to prevent fraud and ensure benefits go to those who truly need them.

i guess that makes sense when you put it that way