How to apply for seasonal unemployment benefits through Washington ESD?

For seasonal workers in Washington, you'll file a regular unemployment claim just like anyone else. The main difference is that if your employer expects to recall you for the next season, they might put you on standby status. This means you don't have to actively search for work but you still need to file your weekly claims. Make sure your employer provides you with a standby letter if that's the case.

I do seasonal landscaping and have been through this a few times. One thing to watch out for - if you worked for multiple employers during the season, Washington ESD will look at ALL your wages to determine your benefit amount. Also, make sure you file your claim the week after your last day of work, don't wait too long or you might lose benefits.

Been there with seasonal work. The hardest part is actually getting through to Washington ESD when you have questions about your claim. I spent hours trying to call last winter when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to actual agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration.

wait so if im on standby i dont have to look for jobs?? that would be amazing because there's literally no construction work in January anyway

Seasonal unemployment is pretty straightforward in Washington. Just file your claim online through the SecureAccess Washington portal. You'll need your Social Security number, employment history for the last 18 months, and bank info if you want direct deposit. The tricky part is making sure you understand whether you're on standby or regular unemployment status, as this affects your job search requirements.

I work seasonal retail and this will be my third winter filing. One thing that caught me off guard the first year - even if you're seasonal, they still might put your claim through adjudication if there's any question about why you stopped working. Mine took 3 weeks to clear because they had to verify with my employer that it was truly seasonal layoff and not termination.

Does anyone know if you can collect unemployment between seasonal jobs? Like if I work ski resort winter season then start farming in spring, is there a gap where I can collect?

The Washington ESD website has a whole section about seasonal workers that's actually pretty helpful. They explain the difference between regular unemployment and standby status really clearly. Also has links to the WorkSource WA registration if you need to do job searches.

been doing seasonal work for 10+ years and the system works pretty well once you understand it. biggest tip - keep good records of all your employers each year because washington esd will ask for detailed work history. also if you work in multiple states during the season you might need to file an interstate claim

Something to remember - your weekly benefit amount is based on your highest earning quarter in the base period. For seasonal workers this can vary a lot year to year depending on how much work you got. Don't be surprised if your benefit amount is different from last season.

One more thing about standby status - even if you have the letter from your employer, Washington ESD might still require you to check in periodically or be available for work if they call you back early. Make sure you understand those requirements.

WASHINGTON ESD MAKES THIS SO COMPLICATED FOR NO REASON!! Why cant they just have simple instructions for seasonal workers instead of making us dig through their confusing website and call centers that never answer???

Just want to add that timing really matters when you file. I made the mistake of waiting almost 2 weeks after my layoff to file my claim and lost those benefits. File the Sunday after your last day of work, even if you're not sure about all the details yet.

For anyone reading this who's new to seasonal unemployment - the first year is always the hardest because you're learning the system. After that it becomes routine. Keep all your paperwork organized and file your weekly claims on time every week.

Anyone else notice that the Washington ESD system seems to glitch more during peak filing times? Like when everyone's filing for seasonal unemployment in November/December? Always takes forever to load pages.