When can I apply for unemployment again after my Washington ESD claim ended?

So they look at earnings after my first claim date? That makes sense. I did work some temp jobs during my claim period.

Yeah exactly. You need to have earned at least $3,850 in covered employment after your original benefit year began to establish a new claim.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I found them at claimyr.com after getting frustrated with the busy signals. They help you get through to an actual Washington ESD representative. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Never heard of that service. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit - they basically handle the calling and waiting for you. I used it to get my adjudication issue resolved last month.

Good point. I remember having to do the WorkSource stuff before. Is that still required even for new claims?

Yes, all claimants have to register with WorkSource and maintain an active job search log. It's been that way since they removed the pandemic waivers.

No waiting period required. If your benefit year ended and you have qualifying wages from work done after your original claim date, you can file immediately.

omg really?? i've been struggling for months thinking i had to wait a whole year

That calculator never worked right for me. It kept giving confusing results about my base period wages.

The base period calculation can be tricky. For new claims filed now, they look at wages from October 2023 through September 2024.

Ugh that's what I was afraid of. My first claim took forever to get approved because of adjudication issues.

That's exactly when I used Claimyr actually - to call and check on my adjudication status. Much easier than trying to get through myself.

How long did your adjudication take? Mine's been pending for 3 weeks already.

Good advice. I saved all my 1099s from the temp work I did. Should I upload those when I file?

Yes definitely upload anything you have. The more documentation you provide initially, the less likely your claim will get stuck in adjudication.

Your weekly benefit amount is based on your highest earning quarter in the base period. If you earned more at your recent jobs, it could actually increase.

That would be amazing! I did make better money at the temp agency than my previous job.

Same thing happened to my neighbor. She finally got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned and found out her claim was missing some documentation.

Maybe I should try that. I'm desperate at this point.

Definitely worth it if you're not getting anywhere with regular calling. They helped me figure out exactly what Washington ESD needed to move my claim forward.

Yes, any wages you earned and reported during your benefit year count as qualifying wages for a new claim, as long as they meet the minimum threshold requirements.

Perfect! I worked part-time for about 6 months during my claim so that should definitely help.

Once your benefit year expires, you can't collect on the old claim even if there's money left. You'd need to file a new claim if you want to continue receiving benefits.

So that leftover money just disappears? That seems unfair.

Unfortunately yes. The benefit year is firm - 52 weeks from when you first filed, regardless of how much you collected.

Usually you don't have to redo identity verification if you already have an established account. Your SAW login should still work for the new claim.

That's a relief. The ID verification was such a pain the first time around.

The website is definitely more stable than it was during the pandemic. I'd try online first, but if you run into issues or need to check on status, that's when calling (or using Claimyr) becomes necessary.

Good to know. I'll give the website a shot first.

Same here! Everyone's advice has been really valuable. Going to gather my documents and file this week.

Just make sure you meet the wage requirements first. No point in filing if you don't have enough qualifying earnings.