How many times can I apply for unemployment in Washington - is there a limit?

There's no limit on how many times you can apply for unemployment in Washington as long as you meet the eligibility requirements each time. Since your previous claim ended and you worked again, you'll likely need to file a new claim rather than reopen the old one. The key is that you need sufficient work history and wages in your base period for each new claim.

ugh been there done that, filed 3 times in 2 years bc of layoffs in my industry. each time was a nightmare trying to get through to washington esd on the phone to ask questions

The real question is whether you'll get a new benefit year or if they'll combine it with your previous claim somehow. I think it depends on when your benefit year expires vs when you file the new claim.

Washington ESD doesn't care how many times you apply as long as you're not committing fraud. I know people who've had 5+ claims over several years due to seasonal work or industry instability. Each claim is evaluated independently.

Just make sure you're not trying to file while you have an active claim open. That can cause all sorts of issues with Washington ESD's system. If your previous claim is closed and benefit year expired, you're good to file a new one.

watch out for the waiting week though - you might have to serve another waiting week even on a new claim. that part always annoyed me

The benefit amount on your new claim will be based on your wages from the new base period, which should include the work you did between claims. This could actually increase your weekly benefit amount if you earned more in recent quarters.

I'm in a similar situation - got laid off again after working for 6 months. Did you have to do the whole WorkSource registration thing again or does that carry over?

filed 4 times in 3 years due to contract work ending. never had any issues with washington esd questioning the frequency. as long as youre honest about why you're unemployed each time they dont care

One thing to watch for - if you received any severance pay, that might affect when you can start receiving benefits. Washington ESD considers severance as wages for the period it covers.

The only real limitation is that you need to have earned enough wages in covered employment during your base period. If you've been working steadily between claims, this shouldn't be an issue.

Pro tip: keep good records of all your employment between claims. Washington ESD might ask for verification of your work history, especially if there are gaps or if wages don't show up immediately in their system.

If you run into any issues with your new claim or need to speak with someone at Washington ESD to clarify anything, I'd recommend trying Claimyr again. Their service really helps cut through the phone queue problems that everyone complains about.

Bottom line: there's no limit on applications as long as you qualify each time. File your new claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed to avoid any delays in processing. The sooner you file, the sooner your benefit year starts.

just remember to keep filing your weekly claims even if theres issues with your initial claim. dont want to miss any weeks of eligibility

Also worth noting - if you worked in multiple states between claims, you might need to decide which state to file in based on where you earned the most wages. But if all your work was in Washington, then Washington ESD is definitely the right place.

this thread has been super helpful. i was worried about the same thing since this would be my third claim in two years. sounds like i shouldnt stress about it

One last thing - make sure your reason for separation is clear and accurate. Whether it's layoff, reduction in force, plant closure, etc. Being precise helps avoid any adjudication delays on your claim.

Sounds like you're all set. File that new claim and don't worry about having filed before. Washington ESD processes thousands of repeat claims every year - it's completely normal.

welcome to the club of multiple unemployment claims. unfortunately its becoming more common these days with all the layoffs happening

I've been through this exact situation multiple times and can confirm what others have said - there's absolutely no limit on how many times you can file for unemployment in Washington. I've filed 6 claims over the past 4 years due to contract work and seasonal layoffs in my field. Each time, as long as I met the wage requirements and had qualifying separation reasons, the claims were processed normally. The key things to remember: file as soon as you become unemployed, be completely honest about your work history and separation reason, and keep all your documentation handy. Washington ESD sees repeat filers all the time - it's not unusual at all in today's job market.