What qualifies a person for unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about eligibility

Ok that makes sense. How do I figure out what my base year is exactly? And do they count all jobs or just the most recent one?

They count ALL jobs where your employer paid into the unemployment insurance system. So if you worked multiple part-time jobs, those all get added together. You can see your wage history when you file your claim online.

I was laid off because they had to reduce staff, so that should be fine right?

yeah layoffs usually qualify as long as it wasn't for performance issues

Wait, 3 job searches per week? I thought it was more than that. And what counts as a 'contact'?

It's 3 per week in Washington. Job search contacts can include applying for jobs, contacting employers directly, attending job fairs, or networking activities. You have to log everything in WorkSourceWA.

I had such a hard time reaching Washington ESD when I had questions about my job search requirements. Spent hours on hold every day trying to get through. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent in like 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works.

Tell me about it. I spent 3 hours on the phone yesterday just to ask one question about my base year earnings.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. So much easier than playing phone tag with Washington ESD for weeks.

This is super helpful! So when they say 'highest quarter' do they mean the 3-month period where I earned the most money?

Exactly. Quarters are Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, and Oct-Dec. They look at which of those 3-month periods in your base year had your highest earnings.

How long did it take for your claim to get approved? Mine's been in adjudication for weeks.

maybe like 2 weeks? but i didn't have any complicated stuff going on

Oh wow, I did work in Oregon for a few months last year. How do I include that in my claim?

When you file your initial claim, there's a section asking about work in other states. Make sure to include all your out-of-state employment - it could help you meet the wage requirements.

That's a good point. Is there any downside to applying if you're not sure you qualify?

nope, no penalty for applying. they'll just determine your eligibility based on your work history

I'll check that out! Does it take into account wages from multiple jobs?

Yes, you can enter wages from all your employers. It gives you a pretty good estimate of your weekly benefit amount too.

I know right? And good luck getting anyone on the phone to explain it to you.

It does seem complicated at first, but once you understand the basic requirements it's not too bad. The key is making sure you have all your employment information ready when you file.

How much does that cost? I'm already broke from being unemployed.

It's way cheaper than I expected, especially compared to the time and frustration I was spending trying to get through on my own. Check out their video demo to see how it works.

Good to know! How long do you have to file an appeal?

You have 30 days from the date of the determination notice. Don't wait - appeal deadlines are strict.

That's reassuring! Did you ever have issues with the seasonal nature of restaurant work?

nah, as long as you earned enough during your base year it doesn't matter if some periods were slower. they look at the total

Is WorkSourceWA the same thing as the job search log?

No, WorkSourceWA is the state's job search website where you register as a job seeker. You'll use it for some of your job search activities, but you still need to track all your contacts separately for your weekly claims.

That gives me hope! I'm definitely going to apply this week.

Good luck! The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised.

Great advice! I think I have most of my recent pay stubs but I'll need to track down some older ones.

Your employers should be able to provide copies if you can't find them. Worth the effort to have complete records.

This is where having access to an actual Washington ESD agent through Claimyr really helped me - they could see my wage records in the system and confirm everything was accurate.

No problem! I'm glad it helped other people too. Sometimes you just have to ask the 'dumb' questions.

Good point! All my work has been as a regular employee so I think I'm okay there.

Yeah you should be fine then. Independent contractor work doesn't count toward your base year wages for regular UI benefits.

Great job taking action! Make sure to file your weekly claims even while your initial claim is being processed.

Fingers crossed for you! Keep us posted on how it goes.

If you run into any issues or have questions about your claim status, remember that Claimyr option I mentioned. Really saved me a lot of headaches.

Agreed! It's nice when people actually take the time to explain things clearly instead of just posting links to confusing government websites.