What are the requirements to apply for unemployment in Washington state?

The basic requirements for Washington unemployment are pretty straightforward. You need to have worked in Washington state during your base year (which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file). You must have earned at least $1,000 in your base year, and you need to be unemployed through no fault of your own - which sounds like your situation since you were laid off. You also have to be able and available to work, and actively searching for a job.

Don't forget you also need to register with WorkSource! That's a requirement too. And you have to keep a log of your job search activities - Washington requires at least 3 job search activities per week.

I had trouble reaching Washington ESD when I filed my claim last year because their phone lines are always busy. If you need to talk to someone about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful.

wait so do I need to be looking for work immediately or can I take a break first?? I'm pretty burned out from my last job

The earnings requirement is important too. It's not just $1000 total - you need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base year, and your total base year wages need to be at least 1.25 times your highest quarter. So if your best quarter was $4000, you'd need at least $5000 total for the year.

Make sure you file ASAP after becoming unemployed. There's no waiting period to file in Washington, and benefits are only paid from the week you file forward, not retroactively. I made the mistake of waiting a few weeks thinking I'd find another job quickly.

The system is SO FRUSTRATING though. I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status and can never reach anyone. The automated system just hangs up on you half the time.

Don't forget about the weekly claim filing too. Once you're approved, you have to file a claim every week even if you don't have any work to report. Miss a week and you don't get paid for that week.

Also be prepared for potential delays. My claim went into adjudication for almost a month because they had to verify something with my former employer. It was nerve-wracking but eventually got resolved.

One thing that helped me was having all my documentation ready before I started the application. Pay stubs, employment dates, supervisor contact info, reason for separation. Made the whole process smoother.

The job search requirement is real btw. They can audit your job search log at any time and if you can't prove you've been looking for work, they'll make you pay back benefits. Keep good records!

Honestly the hardest part for me was just getting someone on the phone when I had questions. The website has a lot of info but sometimes you need to talk to a real person. That Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier actually sounds pretty useful for that.

One more thing - if you worked in multiple states, you might need to file in the state where you earned the most wages, not necessarily where you live now. Washington ESD can help figure that out if you're not sure.

The whole process seems overwhelming at first but it's really not that bad once you get started. Washington's system is actually pretty user-friendly compared to some other states I've heard about.