How to know if you qualify for unemployment in Washington - confused about eligibility

Thank you! That helps clarify things. So it's more about what I earned rather than how long I worked continuously?

Exactly! It's all about the wages you earned during specific time periods, not about continuous employment. Your gap won't hurt you if you made enough during those 8 months.

That's not really helpful advice. It's better to understand the requirements first so you don't waste time on an application that will get denied.

i mean the worst they can say is no right? and then at least you know for sure

How much does that service cost? I'm already tight on money since I lost my job.

I don't remember the exact cost but it was worth it to get a definitive answer instead of guessing. Way less stressful than trying to call Washington ESD over and over.

Never heard of that but sounds interesting. Did they actually help you file the claim too or just tell you if you qualified?

They just help you get through to Washington ESD agents on the phone. The actual filing you still do yourself through the ESD website.

While the system can be confusing, the requirements are actually pretty straightforward once you understand them. The wage requirements I mentioned above are the main criteria.

Yeah but why can't they just say it in plain English on their website instead of all that legal jargon?

What counts as job search activities? Do I need to apply to a certain number of jobs each week?

Yes, you need to make at least 3 job search activities per week in Washington. This can include applying for jobs, networking, attending job fairs, etc. You need to keep a log of all activities.

I think it's actually changed recently - isn't it more flexible now about what counts as job search activities?

Glad we could help! The gap really shouldn't matter as long as you earned enough during those 8 months to meet the wage requirements.

You should also know that you can't collect unemployment if you quit your job voluntarily. Since you said you were laid off, that shouldn't be a problem for you.

Well, you can sometimes get unemployment even if you were fired, depending on the reason. It's called being fired for 'misconduct' that disqualifies you.

yeah thats what i meant, like if you were stealing or something then no unemployment

I heard it's better now than it was during COVID but still pretty hard to reach them by phone.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - I got tired of wasting entire days trying to call Washington ESD. At least with their service I knew I'd actually talk to someone.

I think I made around $18,000 in those 8 months so that should be enough then. This is really reassuring.

Don't forget you also need to have worked in Washington state specifically. If some of those wages were from another state it gets more complicated.

Do you know what the maximum amount is in Washington?

I think it's around $800-900 per week max but you'd need to check the current rates on the Washington ESD website since they adjust it annually.

It's $999 per week maximum for 2025 in Washington state.

It's definitely worth applying if you think you might qualify. The worst case is they say no, but if you meet the basic requirements there's a good chance you'll be approved.

same here, i keep second guessing myself about whether i qualify or not

Good point! I should gather all my pay stubs and tax documents before I start the application.

Exactly! Having everything organized beforehand saves you from having to stop in the middle of the application to hunt for information.

How long do weekly claims take to complete? Is it complicated?

They're pretty quick once you get used to them - maybe 10-15 minutes each week. You just answer questions about your job search activities and any work or income you had that week.

And don't forget to do them on time! If you miss the deadline you might lose that week's benefits.

Me too! Glad I found this discussion before trying to figure it out on my own.

If either of you end up needing to talk to Washington ESD directly about your specific situation, definitely consider using Claimyr. It saved me so much frustration compared to trying to call on my own.

You might still qualify for partial unemployment benefits if you lose one job but keep the other, depending on how much you earn from the remaining job. The calculations get more complex in that situation.

That's good to know. I'll have to look into the partial benefits rules if that happens.

Same here! Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain things clearly.

This is what forums are for - helping each other navigate confusing government systems!