What qualified for unemployment benefits through Washington ESD - confused about eligibility requirements

You might qualify for partial unemployment benefits since your hours were reduced significantly. Washington ESD looks at your base period wages (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters) to determine eligibility. You need to have earned at least $3,850 in your base period and your highest quarter needs to be at least 1.5 times your lowest quarter. The fact that you left your previous job voluntarily for a family emergency could be an issue though - they'll want documentation of that.

I had a similar situation last year. Washington ESD approved my claim even though I was working part-time when I applied. The key is that your hours were reduced through no fault of your own. You'll need to report your weekly earnings when you file your weekly claims, and they'll calculate your partial benefit amount. Just make sure you're still available and actively seeking full-time work.

You should definitely apply! I was in almost the exact same boat - part time job, hours got cut from 30 to 12 per week. Got approved for partial benefits. The Washington ESD system is designed to help people who are underemployed too, not just completely unemployed. Just be honest about everything on your application.

wait so you can get unemployment even if youre still working?? i thought you had to be completely unemployed to qualify

The eligibility requirements are pretty straightforward once you understand them. You need sufficient wages in your base period, you need to be unemployed or underemployed through no fault of your own, and you need to be able and available for work. Your situation with reduced hours definitely qualifies as underemployed. The tricky part might be explaining why you left your previous full-time job, but family medical emergencies are usually considered good cause.

I'm dealing with something similar but I'm scared to apply because I don't want to mess anything up. What if they deny me and then I can't apply again?

Just make sure you understand the job search requirements before you apply. Washington ESD requires you to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log of your activities. You'll need to be actively looking for full-time work, not just hoping your current employer gives you more hours.

The Washington ESD system is such a mess. I've been waiting 6 weeks for my claim to get approved and every time I call they tell me something different about what documents they need.

One thing to keep in mind is that Washington ESD will look at your entire work history, not just your most recent job. If you had that full-time position for 2 years, those wages will definitely help with your base period calculation. The family emergency should qualify as good cause for leaving.

i got approved for partial benefits while working part time last year. just be prepared for the paperwork and make sure you report your earnings correctly every week or they'll hit you with an overpayment notice

Don't let anyone discourage you from applying. The worst they can do is say no, and then you can appeal if you disagree with their decision. Washington ESD is supposed to help people in situations like yours where your income has been reduced through no fault of your own.

Make sure you have all your employment history ready before you start the application. They'll want exact dates, employer information, and reasons for separation for every job in the past 18 months. Having everything organized beforehand makes the process much smoother.

The hardest part is just getting started honestly. I kept putting off applying because I wasn't sure if I qualified, but once I actually did it the process wasn't that bad. Washington ESD is pretty good about explaining what they need from you.

I had issues reaching Washington ESD when I first applied too. Ended up using that Claimyr thing and it actually worked pretty well. Got connected to an agent who helped clarify my eligibility questions right away instead of guessing from the website.

Your situation sounds very similar to mine from last year. Reduced hours at part-time job, previous full-time employment, family reasons for leaving. I got approved for partial benefits and it really helped bridge the gap while I looked for better employment. Don't let the complexity of the system scare you away from applying.