How long is the disqualification period for unemployment in Washington?

Oh wow, that's more complicated than I thought. So I have to find a new job AND work long enough to earn that much before I can even apply again?

Exactly. The disqualification isn't time-based, it's earnings-based. You need to demonstrate you're back to being a stable employee.

How did you know when you'd earned enough? Did Washington ESD send you a notice or did you have to keep track yourself?

You have to keep track yourself and then reapply when you think you've met the requirement. They'll verify your earnings when you file the new claim.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've been trying to call for days and just get hung up on. How does Claimyr actually work?

It basically handles the calling and waiting for you, then connects you when an agent becomes available. Saved me hours of trying to get through myself.

Never heard of this service before. Is it legit? Seems almost too good to be true.

I've been thinking about appealing but I'm not sure I have a strong case. The attendance thing was pretty clear cut.

It never hurts to try, especially if there were any mitigating circumstances around your absences that your employer didn't consider.

I understand the frustration, but the requirement exists to prevent abuse of the system. It's meant to ensure people are genuinely seeking stable employment.

I get that, but what about people who made honest mistakes or had legitimate issues? Seems like the punishment doesn't always fit the situation.

Glad Claimyr worked for you! Getting that direct confirmation from an agent makes such a difference.

That's good news about future claims. I wasn't sure about that part when I went through it.

Wait, so if you get fired from your next job you can still get benefits? That doesn't seem right.

Thanks for clearing that up. I was worried that one mistake would follow you forever.

No, it's not permanent in that sense. But repeated patterns of misconduct would definitely hurt your chances on future claims.

Yes, voluntary quit disqualifications typically follow the same earnings requirement - 7 times your weekly benefit amount in new employment.

Ugh, was hoping it might be less severe since I wasn't fired. Oh well, at least I know what I need to do now.

That's encouraging to hear. In my case the attendance policy was pretty clear, but maybe there were some procedural issues I could point out.

Exactly - even if the underlying issue is valid, sometimes the process wasn't followed correctly. Worth investigating.

All covered employment earnings count, whether part-time or full-time. It's about the total dollar amount earned, not how many hours it took to earn it.

Good to know! That makes it a bit more manageable for people who can only find part-time work initially.

Thanks for the encouragement. I've got a few applications out there, hoping something comes through soon.

You'll get through this. It feels overwhelming now but once you're working again it goes by faster than you think.

I was wondering about that! So I should just stop filing until I've requalified?

Correct. Once you're disqualified, stop filing until you've met the requalification requirements and are ready to file a new claim.

This is important info. I made that mistake and it created a whole mess with duplicate claims that took forever to sort out.

Agreed! I feel much more confident about my next steps now.

Happy to help. Unemployment law can be confusing, so it's always good to get accurate information from multiple sources.

Figures. They make it harder and harder to get help when you actually need it.

I think it's partly a response to all the fraud during the pandemic. They're being extra careful now.

Good point. I'll make sure to keep careful records of everything once I start working again.

Pay stubs, tax forms, anything that shows when you worked and how much you earned. Better to have too much documentation than not enough.