What age can you file for unemployment benefits in Washington ESD - minimum age requirements?
My 17-year-old just got let go from their part-time job at a local restaurant after working there for 8 months. They were making decent money and really counted on that income. I'm wondering if they can file for Washington ESD unemployment benefits or if there's a minimum age requirement? I know they paid into the system from their paychecks but not sure if age matters for filing a claim. Anyone know the rules on this?
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Aliyah Debovski
There's no minimum age requirement for filing unemployment in Washington state. If your teen worked and had UI taxes deducted from their paychecks, they can potentially qualify for benefits. The key factors are having sufficient work history and wages in their base period, not age.
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Ally Tailer
•That's great to know! So they just need to meet the same work and wage requirements as adults?
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Aliyah Debovski
•Exactly. They'll need to have earned at least $3,400 in their base period with wages in at least two quarters. Age isn't a factor in Washington ESD eligibility.
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Miranda Singer
my daughter filed when she was 16 after losing her job at the mall, got approved no problem. washington esd doesnt care about age just work history
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Ally Tailer
•Really? That's encouraging. How long did the process take for her?
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Miranda Singer
•took about 3 weeks to get her first payment, had to do the whole job search thing too even though she was still in school
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Cass Green
The challenging part for teens is usually meeting the wage requirements since most work part-time. Your 17-year-old will need to check their base period earnings through their Washington ESD account. They can create one at secure.esd.wa.gov to see if they qualify.
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Ally Tailer
•Good point about the wage requirements. They worked pretty consistently though, about 25 hours a week.
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Cass Green
•That sounds promising! 25 hours a week for 8 months should generate enough wages if they were making minimum wage or better.
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Finley Garrett
I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when my son needed help with his claim. The phone lines are always busy and the online chat never works. If you run into issues reaching them, I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me connected to a real person. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
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Ally Tailer
•Thanks for the tip! I'll keep that in mind if we have trouble getting through.
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Madison Tipne
•Never heard of Claimyr before but anything that helps with those impossible phone lines sounds worth trying
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Holly Lascelles
Wait, teens have to do job searches too?? That seems like a lot for a high school student...
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Cass Green
•Yes, all UI claimants in Washington must meet the same job search requirements regardless of age - three job contacts per week unless you're in an approved training program.
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Holly Lascelles
•Wow that's actually pretty intense for someone still in school
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Aliyah Debovski
•They can request a waiver if their school schedule conflicts, but it's not guaranteed. Worth discussing during the initial interview.
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Malia Ponder
just make sure they file as soon as possible because there's a waiting week and benefits dont go back to before you file the claim
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Ally Tailer
•Good reminder! I'll have them file this week then.
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Cass Green
One thing to consider - if your teen plans to go to college full-time, that could affect their eligibility since you have to be able and available for work. But for now, if they're looking for another job, they should be fine.
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Ally Tailer
•They're planning to keep working through senior year, so that shouldn't be an issue. College is still over a year away.
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Kyle Wallace
•My nephew ran into this problem when he started college - had to stop claiming even though he wanted to work part-time
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Ryder Ross
Honestly surprised more teens don't know about this. I see so many kids at my workplace just accept getting fired without knowing they might qualify for benefits.
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Ally Tailer
•Right? I only thought to ask because a coworker mentioned it. Schools should probably teach this stuff.
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Gianni Serpent
•totally agree, basic financial literacy including unemployment benefits should be required in high school
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Henry Delgado
The restaurant industry is brutal for young workers. Hope your kid finds something better. At least unemployment will help bridge the gap.
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Ally Tailer
•Thanks! Yeah, they learned a lot about dealing with difficult managers. Hopefully the next place treats employees better.
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Aliyah Debovski
Just to clarify the process for your teen: they'll file online, provide their Social Security number and work history, then likely have a phone interview within a week or two. The interviewer will verify their job separation and determine eligibility.
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Ally Tailer
•That's helpful to know what to expect. Should they prepare any specific documents for the interview?
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Aliyah Debovski
•Have them gather their last few pay stubs and any paperwork from when they were terminated. Also their work schedule if they have it.
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Olivia Kay
washington esd is actually pretty good about processing claims for young workers in my experience, just be honest about everything and dont try to hide any details
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Ally Tailer
•Good advice. We'll make sure they're completely transparent about the job loss.
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Joshua Hellan
If they do get approved, the weekly benefit amount will be based on their wages, so it probably won't be huge given part-time work, but every bit helps!
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Ally Tailer
•Even a small amount would help them with gas money and stuff while they look for another job.
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Finley Garrett
Update on that Claimyr service I mentioned - my son used it again last month when his claim went into adjudication and he couldn't get answers. Got connected to someone at Washington ESD within an hour instead of spending days trying to call. Really worth it when you're stuck.
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Jibriel Kohn
•How much does something like that cost though?
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Finley Garrett
•Much less than missing weeks of benefits while trying to reach ESD on your own. Plus the stress relief is worth it.
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Edison Estevez
Make sure your teen understands they'll need to file weekly claims every Sunday even if they haven't found work yet. Miss a week and you don't get paid for that week.
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Ally Tailer
•I'll definitely stress that to them. Sounds like it's easy to mess up if you're not careful.
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Edison Estevez
•Yeah, the system is pretty unforgiving about missed deadlines unfortunately
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
Props to you for helping your kid navigate this. Most parents wouldn't even think about unemployment benefits for teen workers.
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Ally Tailer
•Thanks! I figure if they're old enough to work and pay taxes, they should know about benefits they've earned.
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James Johnson
One more thing - if the restaurant contests the claim saying your teen was fired for misconduct or something, don't panic. Washington ESD will investigate and your teen can provide their side of the story.
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Ally Tailer
•That's good to know. The firing seemed pretty random, so hopefully there won't be any issues.
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Aliyah Debovski
•Most teenage job separations are straightforward layoffs or schedule conflicts. Actual misconduct cases are less common.
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Sophia Rodriguez
washington state is definitely one of the better states for unemployment benefits, even for young workers. your teen should be fine if they meet the basic requirements
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Ally Tailer
•That's reassuring! I'll have them start the application this weekend.
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Mia Green
Good luck to your teen! The job market is tough right now but at least unemployment benefits can provide some stability while they search.
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Ally Tailer
•Thank you! This thread has been super helpful. Feeling much more confident about the process now.
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Finley Garrett
Last tip - if you end up needing to contact Washington ESD and can't get through, that Claimyr service at claimyr.com really does work. Saved us hours of frustration and my son got his issues resolved quickly. Sometimes paying for help is worth it when benefits are on the line.
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Ally Tailer
•I'll definitely bookmark that just in case. Thanks for all the help everyone!
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Danielle Campbell
Just wanted to add that if your teen does qualify, they should also look into whether they're eligible for any job training programs through WorkSource Washington. Sometimes being on unemployment opens doors to free skills training that can lead to better paying jobs than restaurant work. My neighbor's daughter used her unemployment period to get certified in food safety and customer service, which helped her land a better position at a hotel. Worth exploring while they're job searching!
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