How many times can you file for unemployment with Washington ESD?

You can file multiple times as long as you meet the eligibility requirements each time. The key is that you need to have worked and earned enough wages between claims to qualify for a new benefit year. Washington ESD looks at your base period earnings to determine if you're eligible.

There's no lifetime limit on how many unemployment claims you can file. I've filed probably 4 times over the years when I got laid off from different jobs. Each time you just need to meet the work and wage requirements again.

The tricky part is sometimes Washington ESD takes forever to process new claims, especially if you've had claims before. I tried calling them 50+ times last month and couldn't get through. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Important clarification: you can file as many times as you want, but each claim establishes a new benefit year. If you exhaust your benefits in one year and haven't worked enough to qualify for a new claim, you might have to wait. Also, if you quit your job voluntarily, that could disqualify you even if you worked enough hours.

OMG this is so confusing!!! I'm in a similar situation and I'm freaking out about whether I can even apply. What if they deny me? What if I mess up the application? I keep reading horror stories about people getting overpayment notices years later.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator that can help you figure out if you'll qualify before you apply. It's not perfect but gives you an idea based on your wages.

been through this multiple times... there's no limit but you gotta have worked between claims. simple as that. don't overthink it

One thing to watch out for is if you have an active claim already, you can't just start a new one. You'd need to finish the current benefit year or exhaust your benefits first. But sounds like your previous claim ended so you should be good to file fresh.

Just make sure you file as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. There's no waiting period requirement but you want to get your claim started to avoid any delays in payments.

The real question is whether it's worth dealing with Washington ESD's terrible phone system again. Last time I filed it took 6 weeks to get my first payment because of some stupid verification issue that took forever to resolve.

I think I'm on my 3rd unemployment claim over the past 10 years. Construction work is feast or famine. Never had any issues filing multiple times as long as I worked between claims.

Make sure your work history info is accurate when you file. They cross-reference with employer records and any discrepancies can cause delays or issues down the road.

Does anyone know if part-time work affects your ability to file a new claim? I did some freelance work between my full-time jobs.

The system is set up to help people who lose jobs through no fault of their own. Don't feel bad about filing multiple times if you legitimately need the benefits. That's what the system is for.

Pro tip: keep good records of all your employment between claims. Dates, wages, reason for separation. Makes filing the new claim much easier and reduces chance of problems.

Just to add - if you had any issues with your previous claim like overpayments or appeals, make sure those are fully resolved before filing a new one. Outstanding issues can delay new claims.

I've filed 5 times over my career due to various layoffs in the tech industry. Never been an issue. The key is always being honest and meeting the work requirements between claims.

One last thing - if you're planning to file, do it online if possible. The phone system is a nightmare but the website usually works fine for straightforward claims.