How many times can you be on unemployment in Washington - is there a limit?

That's reassuring! Do they look at the gap between claims at all? My last claim ended about 8 months ago.

The gap doesn't matter for eligibility. What matters is whether you worked enough hours and earned enough wages since your last claim to establish a new benefit year.

4 times?? That seems like a lot. Did they ever ask you about it during the application process?

Nope, never came up. They only care about whether you qualify for that specific claim period.

Never heard of Claimyr before - is it legit? I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for days about my claim status.

Yeah it's real, saved me hours of calling. They handle the phone queue hassle so you don't have to keep redialing.

Interesting, might have to try that if I can't get through on my own. The Washington ESD phone system is brutal.

You're thinking of the base period requirements. You need sufficient wages in your base period to establish a new claim, but that's about earnings, not frequency of filing.

ohh ok that makes sense. so as long as you worked enough it doesn't matter how many times you've filed before

How do I check my wage credits? Is that something I can see in my SecureAccess Washington account?

Yes, you can view your quarterly wage history in your SAW account under the unemployment section. It shows all reported wages from employers.

Don't worry about it. Contract work ending is a valid reason for unemployment. Washington ESD deals with this all the time, especially in industries with frequent layoffs.

Exactly, they understand that some industries have cyclical employment patterns. As long as you're honest about your work search and meet the requirements, you're fine.

I think you're confusing frequency with fraud flags. Washington ESD might flag claims for other reasons like identity verification or work search compliance, but not just for filing multiple times.

Yeah the extra verification is usually random or triggered by specific red flags, not how many times you've filed.

That's helpful to know! I was getting really stressed about this. Seasonal work makes total sense for multiple claims.

Do you have to reestablish your job search requirements each time you file a new claim?

Yes, you have to complete the WorkSourceWA registration and meet job search requirements for each new benefit year.

No lifetime limit in Washington state for regular unemployment insurance. Your coworker might be thinking of welfare programs or federal extended benefits that had limits during certain periods.

That makes sense, she probably got confused between different programs.

So if I used up my full 26 weeks last time, I can still file a new claim now if I have enough wage credits?

Correct, as long as you worked enough since your last claim ended to establish a new base period with sufficient wages.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! Did you have any delays in processing because of your previous claims?

Nope, processed in the standard timeframe. Took about 2 weeks to get my first payment just like my previous claims.

That's a good point - employer disputes can trigger additional review regardless of how many times you've filed before.

Exactly, it was about the specific circumstances of that job separation, not her filing history.

How much does Claimyr cost? I'm desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD about my pending claim.

They have different options but honestly just getting through to an agent was worth it for the peace of mind. Check their site for current info.

This is the clearest explanation I've seen. So basically they don't carry forward any information about previous claims when deciding on a new one?

They may have records of previous claims for administrative purposes, but eligibility is determined solely by your current base period wages and circumstances.

6 times! That definitely makes me feel better about my situation. The job market has been rough lately.

Retail is tough with all the store closures. Glad you were able to get benefits each time you needed them.

Exactly right. It's insurance, not welfare. You've earned the right to these benefits through your work history and payroll contributions.

That's a good way to think about it. I never considered it as insurance I've been paying into.

Do they specifically ask about previous claims on the application? I don't remember seeing that question.

They might not ask directly, but they have access to your full UI history in their system. Just be truthful if any questions come up.

Good luck with your situation! Remember to file as soon as possible after your last day of work to avoid any delays in benefits.

Hope it works out for you. The system is there for exactly these situations, so don't hesitate to use it if you need it.