How long do you have to work somewhere to draw unemployment in Washington ESD?

Thanks! So even if I get laid off from my current job, my previous job earnings would still count toward that $3,850 requirement?

Exactly. As long as those earnings fall within your base period when you file, they count. The gap between jobs doesn't matter for eligibility purposes.

Good to know about the two quarters thing. I definitely worked in multiple quarters between both jobs so that should be fine.

wait what if you only worked part time? does that change anything about the requirements?

No, part-time work counts the same as full-time for meeting the monetary requirements. It's all about your total wages earned, not how many hours you worked per week.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already worried about money if I lose my job.

I don't remember the exact cost but it was worth it to actually talk to someone who could look at my account and give me real answers instead of guessing.

Never heard of that service but honestly anything is better than the Washington ESD phone system. I've been trying to get through for weeks about my adjudication.

Right, but if it's budget cuts and layoffs that should be fine, right? That would count as being laid off through no fault of my own?

Yes, layoffs due to lack of work or budget cuts typically qualify you for benefits as long as you meet the monetary requirements.

How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm hoping if I do need to file it won't take too long.

like 6 weeks but that was during covid so maybe its faster now? idk

Processing times are much better now. Most straightforward claims get approved within 2-3 weeks if there are no issues.

Yes, temp work counts as long as the temp agency reported your wages to Washington ESD. All W-2 wages from any employer count toward your base period earnings.

good to know thanks!

You'll need to gather any documentation you have about the layoff - emails, texts, witnesses, etc. Washington ESD will investigate and make a determination based on the evidence.

That's exactly the kind of situation where talking to an actual Washington ESD agent is important. Definitely worth using something like that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier to get through and explain your side.

Yeah I might have to try that. This whole process is stressing me out.

Oh that's helpful! I'll definitely check that out. Do you remember what it's called on the website?

I think it's called the 'Weekly Benefit Calculator' or something like that. Should be easy to find on the main Washington ESD page.

Good point about the job search stuff. What counts as a job search activity?

Applying for jobs, networking events, career fairs, uploading your resume to job sites, stuff like that. They're pretty specific about what counts and what doesn't.

That's good advice. I'll definitely file right away if I do get laid off. Better to have it started even if I find something else quickly.

Exactly. You can always stop filing weekly claims if you find work, but if you wait to start the process you're just losing time and potentially money.

I hadn't thought about the tax implications. Thanks for mentioning that!

Yeah, learned that the hard way my first time on unemployment. Better to have the taxes taken out each week than get hit with a big bill later.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr. Saved me hours of redialing and actually got to talk to someone who could answer my questions properly.

might have to look into that if i need to call them again

That's really good to know! I didn't realize you could get benefits for reduced hours.

Yeah, if your hours or wages get reduced below a certain point, you might qualify for partial benefits. The calculation is a bit complex but it can definitely help.

Wait, what do you mean by 14 months ago? I thought they looked at recent earnings.

They're talking about the base period lag. When you file a claim, they use wages from the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters, which can be up to 15 months old depending on when you file.

exactly. so your current job might not even count toward your benefit calculation if you just started it recently

You report all your earnings when you file your weekly claims. The part-time wages will reduce your weekly benefit amount but you might still qualify for partial benefits.

Good to know. I was worried having any income would disqualify me completely.

What's the difference? If they say they might call me back for future work, does that mean I'm on standby?

Standby is more formal - usually with a specific recall date within 6 weeks. Just saying 'maybe in the future' probably wouldn't qualify as standby status.

That's reassuring to hear from someone who's been through it multiple times. Thanks!

no problem. the scariest part is always the waiting to hear back after you file. but if you qualify monetarily and got laid off the benefits should come through

How long do you have to file an appeal if you get denied?

I think it's 30 days from the date of the determination letter. Don't wait though - file as soon as you can if you disagree with their decision.

Good to know! Hopefully I won't need to use it but it's nice to know the online system works well.

Yeah, you can see your payment history, claim status, upload documents, all that stuff online. Makes the process much easier than it used to be.