How many times can you apply for Washington ESD unemployment benefits in one year?

You can file multiple claims per year as long as you meet the eligibility requirements each time. The key is having sufficient wages in your base period and being unemployed through no fault of your own. Each claim is evaluated separately.

That's a relief! I was worried there might be some annual limit I didn't know about.

What exactly counts as the 'base period' though? I keep seeing that term but don't fully understand it.

There's no yearly limit on filing Washington ESD claims. However, you need to have worked and earned wages between claims to establish a new benefit year. If you don't have enough new wages, you might end up reopening your previous claim instead of starting a fresh one.

How do I know if I have enough wages for a new claim versus reopening the old one?

I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about this exact question and can never get through! The phone system is impossible. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents - check out claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made such a difference for me.

To clarify the base period question - Washington ESD looks at the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they look at July-September 2023, October-December 2023, January-March 2024, and April-June 2024.

Thank you! That makes so much sense now. I was getting confused by all the different time periods they mention.

The system is so confusing honestly. I filed three times last year because of different contract jobs ending and never had any issues. Each time was treated as separate.

That's exactly my situation - short-term contract work. Good to know it worked out for you.

Contract work can be tricky with unemployment. Did you have to prove the contracts actually ended or was it straightforward?

One important thing to remember is that if you're filing a new claim within the same benefit year (52 weeks from when your first claim was established), Washington ESD will compare your wages to see if you qualify for a new claim or if you should reopen the existing one.

So the benefit year is different from the calendar year? I never realized that.

wait so theres no limit at all?? i thought there was some rule about only being able to collect benefits for a certain number of weeks per year

You're thinking of the maximum duration of benefits, which is typically 26 weeks per benefit year. But you can have multiple benefit years if you meet the wage requirements.

I used Claimyr again last month when I had questions about my second claim of the year. The Washington ESD rep confirmed that there's no annual limit on filing claims as long as you meet eligibility each time. Really worth using their service if you need to talk to someone at ESD.

How much does Claimyr cost? I'm desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD but money is tight right now.

Been collecting unemployment on and off for two years due to seasonal work. Never had any issues with multiple claims. The key is making sure you report all your work correctly between claims.

Do you have to report the work you did while receiving benefits, or just new work after your claim ended?

You need to report ALL work while receiving benefits through your weekly claims. Work after your claim ends gets reported when you file your next claim. Washington ESD will see your wage records anyway, so always be honest about earnings.

Exactly. Being upfront about work prevents overpayment issues later on.

The whole system gives me anxiety. I'm always worried I'm going to do something wrong and mess up my benefits. Why can't they make this stuff clearer?

I feel the same way! The Washington ESD website has so much information but it's hard to find clear answers to simple questions.

Pro tip: keep detailed records of all your employment between claims. Dates, wages, reason for separation, etc. Makes filing subsequent claims much easier.

Good advice! I'll start keeping better records now.

I had four different claims last year due to gig work ending at different times. Washington ESD processed each one normally. Just make sure you have enough wages in your base period for each new claim.

four claims?? wow i didnt know that was even possible

The confusion around multiple claims is exactly why services like Claimyr are so helpful. When I wasn't sure about filing my third claim of the year, I used them to get through to Washington ESD and got clear answers in minutes instead of spending hours trying to call.

I'm definitely going to try Claimyr. This is too stressful to figure out on my own.

From what I understand, as long as you're not committing fraud and you meet the work requirements, you can file as many legitimate claims as needed. The system is designed to help people who are genuinely unemployed.

That makes sense. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to accidentally violate some rule I didn't know about.

Does anyone know if there's a waiting period between claims? Like do you have to wait a certain amount of time after one claim ends before filing another?

No waiting period required. You can file a new claim as soon as you become unemployed again, assuming you meet the wage requirements.

The key thing is understanding the difference between reopening a claim and filing a new one. If you haven't earned enough wages for a new benefit year, Washington ESD will just reopen your previous claim if it's still valid.

How do you know which one will happen before you file?

Washington ESD makes that determination automatically when you file. They'll look at your wages and either establish a new benefit year or reopen the existing one based on which gives you higher benefits. You don't have to choose.

That's actually pretty helpful that they figure it out automatically. Takes some of the guesswork out of it.

This thread has been super helpful! I was in the same boat as OP and was worried about filing multiple claims. Sounds like it's totally normal for people with irregular work schedules.

Right? I feel so much better about my situation now. Glad I asked!

Just remember to keep filing your weekly claims on time regardless of whether it's a new claim or reopened claim. Missing weeks can cause issues with your benefits.

Yes! And make sure to complete your job search activities if required. That's easy to forget when you're dealing with multiple claims.