When can you go on unemployment in Washington - eligibility requirements?
I'm trying to figure out when someone becomes eligible for unemployment benefits in Washington state. My job situation has been really unstable lately and I want to understand what the requirements are before I actually need to file. Do you have to be completely laid off or can you qualify if your hours get cut? Also wondering about the timing - like do you have to wait a certain period after losing work before you can apply? Any info would be helpful since the Washington ESD website is pretty confusing to navigate.
57 comments
Join the conversation
Sofia Ramirez
You can generally file for unemployment if you lose your job through no fault of your own - layoffs, business closures, lack of work, etc. You can't qualify if you quit without good cause or get fired for misconduct. You also need to have earned enough wages in your base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•Thanks! What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? My workplace has gotten pretty toxic lately.
0 coins
Sofia Ramirez
•Good cause includes things like unsafe working conditions, significant changes to your job duties or pay, harassment, or health issues. But you usually need to try to resolve the issue with your employer first before quitting.
0 coins
Dmitry Popov
You can file right away after losing your job - there's no waiting period to apply. But there is a one-week waiting period before you start receiving benefits. Also if your hours get severely reduced you might qualify for partial unemployment benefits.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•That's good to know about filing right away. How much do your hours have to be reduced to qualify for partial benefits?
0 coins
Dmitry Popov
•It depends on your weekly benefit amount. If you earn less than 1.5 times your weekly benefit amount, you can usually get some partial payment. Washington ESD has a calculator on their website to figure it out.
0 coins
Ava Rodriguez
Just went through this process myself. Had to call Washington ESD multiple times to get answers about my specific situation since their online chat never works. If you're having trouble getting through to them, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to a live agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
0 coins
Miguel Ortiz
•Interesting, how much does that cost? Getting through to Washington ESD is basically impossible.
0 coins
Ava Rodriguez
•It's worth it considering how much time I was wasting trying to call them myself. Saved me hours of frustration and I got my questions answered quickly.
0 coins
Zainab Khalil
You also need to be able and available for work, actively seeking employment, and meet the job search requirements. In Washington you need to make at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a log of your efforts.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•What counts as a job search activity?
0 coins
Zainab Khalil
•Applying for jobs, networking, attending job fairs, interviews, career counseling sessions. You have to document everything in your WorkSourceWA account.
0 coins
QuantumQuest
•The job search requirement is such a pain. I spend more time documenting my searches than actually looking for work sometimes.
0 coins
Connor Murphy
been on unemployment twice, once in 2019 and again in 2022. second time was way easier to navigate the system. you definitely want to file as soon as possible after losing your job because benefits start from when you file not when you lost work
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•Good point about filing quickly. Did you have any issues with adjudication or claim delays?
0 coins
Connor Murphy
•first time took forever because they had to verify my work history. second time was approved within a week since everything was already in their system
0 coins
Sofia Ramirez
One thing to note - if you're thinking about filing, make sure you have all your employment information ready. Washington ESD will need details about your last 18 months of work history including employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•Should I gather pay stubs or just have the basic info?
0 coins
Sofia Ramirez
•Basic info is usually enough for the initial application, but keep your pay stubs handy in case they need them for verification later.
0 coins
Yara Haddad
Don't forget about the monetary eligibility requirements! You need to have earned at least $7,500 in your base period AND earned wages in at least 680 hours of work. If you don't meet the standard base period requirements they might use an alternate base period.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•What's the difference between standard and alternate base period?
0 coins
Yara Haddad
•Standard base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters. Alternate base period uses the last 4 completed quarters. Sometimes the alternate period works better if you've had recent employment.
0 coins
Keisha Robinson
•This is confusing. I wish Washington ESD would explain these things more clearly on their website.
0 coins
Paolo Conti
If you're still employed but worried about losing your job, don't file preemptively. You can only file after you're actually unemployed or have your hours significantly reduced. Filing false claims can get you in serious trouble.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•Makes sense. I'm just trying to prepare in case things go south at work.
0 coins
Paolo Conti
•Smart to prepare! Just make sure you understand the process before you need it.
0 coins
Amina Sow
THE SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN!!! I've been trying to get answers about my eligibility for weeks and can't get through to anyone at Washington ESD. Their phone system hangs up on you after 30 minutes on hold. How are people supposed to get help?
0 coins
Ava Rodriguez
•That's exactly why I used Claimyr - I was getting nowhere with the regular phone system. Worth checking out if you need to actually talk to someone.
0 coins
Amina Sow
•At this point I'll try anything. This is ridiculous.
0 coins
GalaxyGazer
•I feel your pain. Took me 3 weeks to get through to them last year.
0 coins
Dmitry Popov
Also worth mentioning - if you quit your job you'll likely face a disqualification period where you can't receive benefits. The length depends on your situation, but it's usually several weeks where you have to look for work but won't get paid.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•How long is the disqualification usually?
0 coins
Dmitry Popov
•It varies but often 7-10 weeks. You can appeal if you think you had good cause for quitting though.
0 coins
Oliver Wagner
quick question - if you get severance pay does that affect when you can start collecting unemployment?
0 coins
Sofia Ramirez
•Yes, severance pay can delay your benefits. Washington ESD treats it as wages so you might not be eligible until the severance period ends.
0 coins
Oliver Wagner
•ugh that's what I was worried about. thanks for the info
0 coins
Natasha Kuznetsova
Been dealing with Washington ESD for months on a complicated case. If you have any unusual employment situations (contract work, multiple jobs, etc.) expect lots of questions and delays. They'll want documentation for everything.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•What kind of documentation did they ask for?
0 coins
Natasha Kuznetsova
•1099s, contracts, bank statements, letters from employers. Basically anything that proves your work history and income.
0 coins
Javier Mendoza
One more thing - make sure you understand the difference between being laid off and being furloughed. Furloughed employees might be eligible for different types of assistance.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•What's the practical difference for unemployment purposes?
0 coins
Javier Mendoza
•Furloughed usually means temporary with expectation of return. Laid off is permanent separation. Both can qualify for unemployment but the requirements might be different.
0 coins
Emma Thompson
honestly the whole system is designed to discourage people from applying. so many hoops to jump through and requirements to meet. but if you qualify you should definitely apply because the benefits can really help during tough times
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•Yeah it does seem overwhelming. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!
0 coins
Malik Davis
•Don't let the complexity scare you off. The benefits are there for a reason.
0 coins
Isabella Santos
Just remember you have to file weekly claims even while your initial claim is being processed. Don't skip weeks or you might lose benefits for those periods.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•Good reminder! I'll make sure to stay on top of that if I need to file.
0 coins
Isabella Santos
•Yeah it's easy to forget but super important. Set a reminder on your phone or something.
0 coins
StarStrider
For anyone still reading this thread - Washington ESD also has workshops and resources through WorkSource to help with job searching and understanding your benefits. Might be worth checking out.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•That's helpful! I'll look into the WorkSource resources.
0 coins
Ravi Gupta
•WorkSource workshops actually helped me improve my resume and interview skills when I was unemployed.
0 coins
Freya Pedersen
Final thought - if you do end up needing to file, try to do it early in the week and early in the day. The system tends to be less busy and you might have better luck getting through if you need help.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•Great tip! I'll remember that timing advice.
0 coins
Omar Hassan
•Tuesday mornings around 8am seem to work best in my experience.
0 coins
Chloe Anderson
This thread has been really informative! Saving it for future reference just in case.
0 coins
NebulaKnight
•Same here! Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences.
0 coins
Diego Vargas
•Hope you don't need it but good to be prepared!
0 coins