What is the requirements for unemployment in Washington state?
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington. I worked part-time for about 8 months before my hours got cut to almost nothing. Do I need to have worked full-time to get benefits? And what about the job search thing - how many jobs do I need to apply for each week? I'm confused about all the requirements.
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Aurora St.Pierre
You don't need to work full-time to qualify for Washington ESD benefits. The main requirements are: 1) You must have earned at least $3,850 in wages during your base year, 2) You must be able and available to work, 3) You must actively search for work, and 4) You must file weekly claims. For job search, you need to make at least 3 job contacts per week.
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Christopher Morgan
•What's a base year? And do they count all jobs or just my most recent one?
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Aurora St.Pierre
•Base year is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. They count wages from ALL employers during that time period.
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Grace Johnson
also you have to be unemployed through no fault of your own - so if you got fired for cause or quit without good reason you might not qualify
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Christopher Morgan
•I didn't get fired, my hours just got reduced to like 4 hours a week. Does that count as unemployed?
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Jayden Reed
•Yes, if your hours were significantly reduced you can file for partial unemployment benefits. Washington ESD has specific rules about how much you can earn and still collect benefits.
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Nora Brooks
The job search requirements are pretty strict now. You need to keep a detailed log of your job search activities and Washington ESD can audit it anytime. Make sure you're applying to jobs that match your skills and experience level.
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Christopher Morgan
•How detailed does the log need to be? Like do I need to save screenshots of applications?
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Nora Brooks
•You need employer name, contact info, date of contact, method of contact, and type of work sought. Screenshots help but aren't required - just keep good records.
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Eli Wang
I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about my specific situation but their phone lines are always busy. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?
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Cassandra Moon
•I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Eli Wang
•Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?
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Cassandra Moon
•It's legit. I used it last month when I was stuck in adjudication. Got through to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of calling for hours myself.
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Zane Hernandez
Don't forget about the waiting week! Washington doesn't have one anymore but some people still think they do. You can get paid for your first week now if you qualify.
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Christopher Morgan
•Wait, what's a waiting week? I thought you just filed and got paid if approved.
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Zane Hernandez
•Used to be you had to wait one week before getting any benefits. They eliminated it a few years ago so now you get paid starting with your first week of unemployment.
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Jayden Reed
Here's the complete list of Washington ESD eligibility requirements: 1) Sufficient wages in base year ($3,850 minimum), 2) Unemployed through no fault of your own, 3) Physically able to work, 4) Available for work, 5) Actively seeking work, 6) Register with WorkSource, 7) File weekly claims on time. Missing any of these can disqualify you.
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Christopher Morgan
•What's WorkSource? Do I have to go there in person?
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Jayden Reed
•WorkSource is Washington's job placement system. You can register online at worksourcewa.com - no need to go in person unless they specifically request it.
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Genevieve Cavalier
•The WorkSource requirement is so annoying. Their website is terrible and half the jobs posted are spam or MLM schemes.
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Grace Johnson
if you worked in multiple states you might want to check which state gives you the higher benefit amount before filing
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Christopher Morgan
•I only worked in Washington so I guess that's not an issue for me.
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Aurora St.Pierre
One thing people don't realize is that Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter in the base year, not your most recent job. So even if your last job paid less, you might still qualify for a decent amount if you had higher wages earlier.
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Christopher Morgan
•That's actually good news for me. I had a better paying job about a year ago before I took this part-time one.
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Aurora St.Pierre
•Exactly! That's why it's worth applying even if your most recent job was low-paying or part-time.
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Genevieve Cavalier
The system is so broken though. I've been waiting 6 weeks for my claim to get out of adjudication and they won't tell me what the hold up is. Just 'pending review' forever.
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Cassandra Moon
•That's exactly when I used Claimyr. The agent was able to tell me exactly what documents they needed and got my claim moving again. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person.
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Genevieve Cavalier
•How much does it cost? I'm already broke waiting for benefits.
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Cassandra Moon
•It's worth it to get your claim unstuck. Way cheaper than missing weeks of benefits while you wait for adjudication to finish.
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Ethan Scott
Just wanted to add that if you're on standby status with your employer (like seasonal work), the requirements are a bit different. You don't have to do the job search but you have to be ready to return to work when called.
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Christopher Morgan
•What's standby status? Is that like being laid off temporarily?
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Ethan Scott
•It's when your employer expects to call you back within a specific timeframe. Like if you work at a ski resort and they lay you off for the summer but plan to rehire you in winter.
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Lola Perez
omg the job search log is such a pain. I spend more time documenting my job search than actually looking for jobs
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Nora Brooks
•I know it's tedious but it's important to keep detailed records. Washington ESD audits are random and if you can't prove your job search activities they can disqualify you and make you pay back benefits.
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Lola Perez
•yeah i learned that the hard way. got audited and had to scramble to recreate my records from memory
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Nathaniel Stewart
Don't forget about the earnings reporting requirements if you do any part-time work while collecting benefits. You have to report ALL earnings, even if it's just $20 from a side gig.
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Christopher Morgan
•What happens if you earn too much in a week? Do you lose all benefits?
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Nathaniel Stewart
•No, Washington has a sliding scale. You can earn up to about $200 (depends on your benefit amount) before it affects your payments. After that, they reduce your benefits dollar for dollar.
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Riya Sharma
The 'able and available' requirement trips up a lot of people. If you're sick, caring for a family member, or have transportation issues, you might not qualify for that week.
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Christopher Morgan
•What if you have a job interview or training? Does that count as available?
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Riya Sharma
•Yes, job interviews and approved training programs count as being available for work. You should mark 'yes' for able and available those days.
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Santiago Diaz
I got denied initially because I didn't have enough hours but then I appealed and got approved. Sometimes Washington ESD makes mistakes on the initial determination.
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Christopher Morgan
•How long did the appeal take? And did you need a lawyer?
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Santiago Diaz
•Took about 3 months total but I didn't need a lawyer. Just had to provide wage records that proved I worked more than they initially calculated.
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Eli Wang
Update: I tried that Claimyr service and it actually worked! Got connected to an agent who explained exactly what I needed to do. Wish I'd known about it sooner.
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Cassandra Moon
•Glad it worked for you! It's been a lifesaver for getting through to Washington ESD when you actually need to talk to someone.
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Christopher Morgan
•Good to know. I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues with my claim.
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Millie Long
Just remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them when you file your return.
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Christopher Morgan
•I didn't know that. Should I have taxes withheld or pay later?
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Millie Long
•Depends on your situation. If you're already going to owe taxes, it's probably better to have them withheld so you don't get hit with a big bill at tax time.
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KaiEsmeralda
The requirements seem overwhelming at first but it's really not that bad once you get into a routine. File your weekly claim on the same day, keep your job search log updated, and don't miss any deadlines.
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Christopher Morgan
•Thanks everyone for all the info. I think I understand the requirements now. Time to file my claim!
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Aurora St.Pierre
•Good luck! Remember to keep detailed records of everything and don't hesitate to ask questions if you get stuck.
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