ESD eligibility question: Can I get unemployment with less than a year at my W-2 job after 1099 work?

You don't need to have worked for a specific employer for a full year to qualify for unemployment in Washington. ESD looks at your "base year" - the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. You need to have worked at least 680 hours total during that base year in employment that's covered by unemployment insurance. The challenge you might face is that 1099 work typically doesn't count toward UI eligibility because independent contractors don't pay into the unemployment insurance system. Only your W-2 employment hours would count toward that 680-hour requirement.

I went thru this EXACT thing last yr!!! Independent contracting doesnt count AT ALL for ur benefit calculation. ESD only cares about w2 earnings where the employer paid unemployment tax. The 680 hrs thing is right but they also look at how much u earned during ur best quarters. U might qualify for a small benefit even with only 3 months of w2 work but it'll be way less than someone who worked a full year.

The whole ESD system is designed to exclude gig workers and freelancers. It's completely UNFAIR that we pay tons in self-employment taxes but get ZERO unemployment protection! I worked 1099 for TWO YEARS and then got a W-2 job for 6 months before being laid off. Guess what? ESD said I didn't have enough hours to qualify! The system is RIGGED against independent workers.

Something else to consider - even if you get enough W-2 hours to qualify, if you quit your job voluntarily you might be disqualified unless you can prove it was for "good cause" as defined by ESD. Things like unsafe working conditions, significant schedule changes, or medical reasons sometimes qualify, but just not liking the job usually doesn't. If you're laid off or fired for non-misconduct reasons, that's different.

my brother works like 3 diff jobs (2 w2s and 1 contract) and he got laid off from one of the w2 jobs but he still qualified for some unemployment even tho he was only at that job for like 5 months. he had to report his other income tho which reduced his weekly benefit amount

Getting someone on the phone at ESD would be your best bet - they can look at your specific work history and give you a definitive answer about eligibility. Calling them is a nightmare though... I spent 3 weeks trying to get through. Finally I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an ESD agent in under 2 hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Totally worth it to get a clear answer directly from ESD about your specific situation.

One more important point: When you apply, ESD will automatically calculate your base year and determine if you qualify. You don't need to figure this all out beforehand. If you believe your job situation isn't going to work out, you should apply when the time comes and let the system determine your eligibility. Just be honest about your work history, separation reason, and current employment situation. The online application will walk you through everything step by step.