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

You can definitely apply again! There's no lifetime limit on how many times you can file for unemployment in Washington. Since you worked at the restaurant after your last claim ended, you should be able to start a new benefit year. The key is having enough qualifying wages in your base period.

i think there might be some kind of waiting period between claims? not sure though, my friend mentioned something about that

I had the same situation last year - multiple claims in different benefit years. The hardest part was actually getting through to Washington ESD to file the new claim. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in like 10 minutes. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

To clarify the rules - you can apply for unemployment benefits multiple times throughout your working life. Each claim establishes a new benefit year that lasts 52 weeks from when you file. If you exhaust benefits in one year and become unemployed again later with sufficient new wages, you can start a fresh claim.

THE SYSTEM IS SO CONFUSING!!! I've been trying to figure this out for weeks and every Washington ESD person I talk to gives me different information. Why can't they just make this stuff clear on their website??

Just make sure you file your new claim online through SecureAccess Washington. Don't wait too long after losing your job - there can be delays in processing and you want to get your claim started as soon as possible.

wait so if i used up all my benefits last year but got a new job and now lost that job, i can get benefits again? even though i already got them before?

I'm still skeptical about that Claimyr thing mentioned earlier. Has anyone else actually used it successfully? I don't want to get scammed when I'm already desperate.

One thing to watch out for - if you worked in multiple states, it can get complicated. I had wages from Oregon and Washington and had to figure out which state to file in. But for straightforward Washington claims, it's pretty simple.

Just to add - make sure you have all your employment information ready when you file. You'll need employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. Having everything organized makes the application process much smoother.

been thru this cycle multiple times unfortunately... lost job, collected benefits, found work, lost job again. no shame in using the system when you need it - that's what it's there for

The benefit year thing trips people up but it's actually pretty logical once you understand it. Each time you file starts a new 52-week period. If you find work and lose it again within that same benefit year, you might be able to reopen your claim rather than filing a new one.

This whole thread has been more helpful than the Washington ESD website! At least now I know I'm not stuck because I collected benefits before. The system is still annoying but at least there's hope.

Pro tip: keep track of your base period wages so you know if you qualify before filing. Washington ESD looks at the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. Makes it easier to know where you stand.

Remember you'll also need to meet the job search requirements once your claim is active. Three job contacts per week unless you're on standby or have an exemption. Keep good records from the start.

If anyone's still reading this - I actually called Washington ESD today using that Claimyr service to ask about reopening vs new claims. Got through in about 15 minutes instead of the usual hours of busy signals. The agent confirmed everything said here about no limits on filing multiple claims.

good luck with your claim! the waiting is always the worst part but at least you know you can file again. hope the processing goes smoothly this time

Final summary for anyone finding this thread later: You can apply for Washington ESD unemployment benefits multiple times throughout your career. Each claim starts a new benefit year. You just need sufficient wages in your base period and to meet standard eligibility requirements. No lifetime limits exist.