How do you know if you are eligible for unemployment in Washington - confused about ESD requirements

The basic eligibility requirements for Washington ESD unemployment are pretty straightforward. You need to have earned enough wages during your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file), you must be unemployed through no fault of your own, and you have to be able and available for work. Since you were laid off due to downsizing, that should meet the 'no fault of your own' requirement. The wage requirement is where it gets tricky - you need to have earned at least $1,000 in your base period.

You also need to be actively looking for work and register with WorkSource. That's a big requirement people forget about. Plus you have to file your weekly claims every week even if you haven't heard back about your eligibility yet.

I went through this same confusion last year. The easiest way to find out if you're eligible is honestly just to apply and let Washington ESD make the determination. They'll send you a monetary determination letter that breaks down your wages and tells you exactly what your weekly benefit amount would be if you qualify. If you don't have enough wages, they'll tell you that too. I was worried I didn't qualify but turned out I did.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to get answers about your eligibility, you might want to check out claimyr.com. They have a service that helps people get through to Washington ESD agents when the phone lines are jammed. I used them when I was stuck in adjudication and couldn't get anyone on the phone for weeks. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me get my questions answered.

The wage requirement is really important. You need at least $1,000 during your base period AND you need wages in at least two quarters of your base period. So if you only worked 8 months at your recent job, depending on when you started, you might not meet both requirements. Also your weekly benefit amount is calculated based on your highest earning quarter, so having more wages generally means higher benefits.

honestly just apply and see what happens. i kept overthinking it when i got fired and waited like a month to apply which was stupid because you can't get benefits for weeks before you actually file. worst case they say no and you're in the same position you're in now

Make sure you understand the able and available requirement too. You have to be physically able to work, available for work (not on vacation or anything), and actively seeking work. If you have any restrictions on the type of work you can do or the hours you're available, that could affect your eligibility. Also if you're in school full-time that can be an issue.

The Washington ESD website has an eligibility tool that can give you a rough idea if you qualify. It's not perfect but it asks about your work history and earnings and gives you a basic yes/no. Might be worth trying before you file your actual claim.

One thing to watch out for - if you quit your job instead of being laid off, the eligibility rules are different. You have to prove you quit for 'good cause' which is pretty hard to do. But since you said you were laid off due to downsizing, that should be fine. Just make sure you have documentation of the layoff in case Washington ESD asks for it.

Don't stress too much about it. The eligibility determination process exists for a reason - they'll figure out if you qualify based on your actual work history and wages. The worst thing you can do is wait and lose out on potential benefits. I know several people who thought they wouldn't qualify but ended up getting approved.

Just want to add that if you do get approved, don't forget about the job search requirements. You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log. WorkSource has resources to help with that but it's something you need to stay on top of or you could lose your benefits.

I had a similar situation when I got laid off from my retail job. Worked there about 10 months but had some gaps in employment before that. I was sure I wouldn't qualify but it turned out I did. The key is having enough total wages during your base period, not necessarily continuous employment. Your part-time jobs will help with that total.

If you end up having trouble getting through to Washington ESD for questions about your claim, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but when I couldn't reach anyone for two weeks straight, I tried it and got connected to an agent the same day. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get your questions answered.

Remember that even if you're not sure about eligibility, you should file anyway because there's a one-week waiting period before benefits start. So if you wait to file until you're 100% sure you qualify, you're potentially losing a week of benefits. Better to file now and let them make the determination.

One more thing - if you do get denied initially, don't give up. You can appeal the decision if you think it's wrong. Sometimes the initial determination is based on incomplete information and an appeal can fix that. But hopefully you won't need to worry about that.

sounds like you probably qualify based on what you've said but like everyone else is saying just apply and find out for sure. the washington esd eligibility requirements aren't that complicated once you understand them. you worked full time for 8 months and got laid off through no fault of your own so you should be good

Just to recap the main eligibility requirements: sufficient wages during base period, unemployed through no fault of your own, able and available for work, actively seeking work, and registered with WorkSource. Based on your situation it sounds like you meet all of these. Don't overthink it - file your claim and let Washington ESD make the official determination.

Good luck with your claim! It can be nerve-wracking waiting for the determination but most people who were laid off through no fault of their own end up qualifying. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while you're waiting for the initial determination.