How often can you go on unemployment benefits with Washington ESD?

There's no specific limit on how many times you can file for unemployment in Washington as long as you meet the eligibility requirements each time. The key is having sufficient work history and wages in your base period for each new claim.

yeah but you cant just keep bouncing on and off unemployment forever, they will flag your account if you file too many claims close together

I've had to deal with this exact situation recently and had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to clarify my eligibility. If you need to speak with someone about your specific work history, I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually connect with ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really saved me hours of busy signals.

OMG I'm so worried about this too!! I was on unemployment last year and now might need it again. What if they think I'm abusing the system?? I can't help that my industry has so many layoffs!

The important thing to understand is that each benefit year is independent. You can file a new claim after your benefit year expires (52 weeks) or when you have new qualifying wages. The system doesn't penalize you for multiple legitimate claims.

been through this dance 4 times in 10 years thanks to tech layoffs. never had any issues as long as my separations were legitimate and i had enough work history between claims

The key factors Washington ESD looks at for each new claim are: 1) Reason for separation (must be qualifying), 2) Sufficient wages in base period, 3) Able and available to work, 4) Actively seeking work. As long as you meet these requirements, you can file multiple claims over your working career.

This whole system is so confusing! Why can't Washington ESD just make this information clearer on their website?? I shouldn't have to guess whether I can file or not!

For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD about their eligibility, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier has been a game changer. Finally got my questions answered after weeks of trying on my own.

just filed my third claim in 5 years, no problems at all. each time was a different employer and legitimate layoff. the system worked exactly as intended

The confusion might come from other states that have different rules. Washington is actually pretty reasonable about multiple claims compared to some places.

One thing to watch out for - if you're filing claims very frequently, make sure you're documenting everything properly. Keep records of your layoffs, work history, job search activities, etc.

I think some people confuse the 52-week benefit year with limits on filing new claims. You can definitely file multiple claims over your career - the benefit year just determines how long each individual claim lasts.

Bottom line: file when you're eligible, don't file when you're not. Washington ESD doesn't care how many legitimate claims you've had in the past.

For what it's worth, I used Claimyr when I needed to check on my eligibility for a second claim last year. The agent I spoke with confirmed everything people are saying here - no limits on legitimate claims as long as you meet the requirements each time.