How many times can you file for unemployment in Washington state?

That's a relief! I definitely worked more than 680 hours between my last claim and now. Do I need to wait any specific amount of time before filing again?

Nope, you can file as soon as you become unemployed through no fault of your own. Just make sure you file within the first week of unemployment to avoid losing benefits.

Four times?? That seems like a lot. Did Washington ESD ever question you about it or make it harder to get approved?

Not at all. Layoffs happen, especially in tech and construction. As long as you're not quitting jobs voluntarily or getting fired for misconduct, they don't care how many times you've filed before.

Never heard of claimyr before. Is it legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days about my adjudication.

Yeah it's totally legitimate. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Basically they handle the calling and waiting for you.

I used claimyr too when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Worth every penny to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD instead of getting hung up on constantly.

15 years! That's good to know there's really no lifetime limit. I was worried they might flag frequent filers or something.

It's whichever requirement you meet first - either 680 hours of work OR earning $7000 in wages. So if you worked part-time but earned $7000, you'd qualify even without 680 hours.

Oh that makes more sense! I definitely earned more than $7000 even working part-time, so I should be good to file again.

True, the phone system is terrible. But once you get through they're usually pretty helpful about explaining the requirements.

I gave up trying to call after getting disconnected 12 times in one day. Maybe I should look into that claimyr thing.

That makes sense. So basically as long as I work between unemployment periods, I can file as many times as needed throughout my career.

Exactly. Your base period for each new claim will be different and based on your most recent work history.

That's different - if you exhaust your current claim, you'd need to work again to establish a new claim. But that's not a limit on how many times you can file over your lifetime.

Ah okay, I was mixing up exhausting benefits with filing multiple separate claims. Thanks for clarifying!

Seasonal workers actually have some special considerations. You might want to call Washington ESD to make sure you understand how seasonal work affects your claims.

Yeah I've been meaning to call but their phone lines are always jammed. Might have to try that claimyr service everyone's mentioning.

Haha so true! Though the website has gotten a bit better since they updated it last year.

Still crashes every Monday morning when everyone tries to file their weekly claims though.

Good point. Always best to check with your specific state's unemployment office for the exact rules.

That gets more complicated because it involves interstate claims. You'd typically file in the state where you worked, but there are agreements between states for transferring wage credits.

Sounds like I'd definitely need to call and talk to someone about that situation. Thanks!

Perfect summary! Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. Makes me feel much better about my situation.