Which statements are true regarding Washington ESD unemployment benefits - confused about the rules

There's definitely a lot of misinformation floating around about Washington ESD rules. What specific statements are you trying to verify? The most common myths I see are about the job search requirements and how part-time work affects your benefits.

I've been through this system multiple times unfortunately. Here are the key facts: You must be able and available for work, actively seeking employment, and report any earnings. The 3 job search activities per week is correct for most people. You can work part-time but anything over $5 per week gets deducted from your benefit.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify any of this information, I recently discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helps you actually reach an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on.

Another thing people get wrong is thinking you can just ignore job search requirements if you're on standby. Even standby claimants usually have to do some job search activities unless they have a definite return-to-work date within 4 weeks.

The biggest myth I hear is that you lose benefits forever if you make any mistake on your weekly claim. That's not true - most errors can be corrected and overpayments can often be appealed or waived if they weren't your fault.

One thing that trips people up is not understanding adjudication. Just because your claim goes into adjudication doesn't mean you did something wrong - it just means they need to review something before approving benefits.

Also false: that you can't collect unemployment if you were fired. You can still be eligible if you weren't fired for misconduct. Being laid off, fired for performance issues, or even some policy violations might still qualify you.

People also think you have to take any job offer you get while on unemployment. Not true - the job has to be suitable based on your skills, experience, and local wage standards. You can refuse unsuitable work.

For anyone struggling to get answers directly from Washington ESD, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work. Got me connected to an actual person who could verify all this information and clear up my adjudication issue.

Another misconception: that WorkSourceWA registration is optional. It's actually required for most claimants within a certain timeframe. Failure to register can result in benefit denial.

Some people think pandemic benefits are still available. PUA, PEUC, and federal unemployment extensions ended in 2021. Only regular state UI is available now unless you qualify for extended benefits during high unemployment periods.

False statement alert: You don't automatically qualify for maximum benefits. Your weekly benefit amount is calculated based on your earnings in your base period, specifically your highest quarter. It's a formula, not a flat rate.

Here's one that got me in trouble: thinking you don't have to report vacation pay or severance. Any compensation from your former employer needs to be reported and will affect your benefits for that week or weeks.

People think appeals are pointless or too complicated. I successfully appealed a disqualification by gathering my documentation and presenting a clear case. The hearing officer was fair and overturned the decision.

Myth: You can't collect unemployment if you quit your job. Actually, you can qualify if you quit for good cause, like unsafe working conditions, harassment, or significant changes to your job that weren't part of your original agreement.

Also not true: that self-employed people can never get unemployment. If you're self-employed but also have W-2 wages in your base period, you might qualify based on those wages.

Just want to emphasize again that getting accurate information directly from Washington ESD is crucial. Using Claimyr to actually talk to someone there helped me avoid making costly mistakes based on bad advice I'd gotten elsewhere.

One more: people think benefit year and claim year are the same thing. Your benefit year is when you can collect benefits (52 weeks from when you filed). Your claim becomes inactive if you don't file weekly claims, but your benefit year continues.

Final myth buster: You don't lose your place in line if you go back to work temporarily. If you lose that job within your benefit year and still have benefit weeks remaining, you can restart your claim without filing a whole new application.

This has been a great thread for clearing up all the confusion. The key is getting information from reliable sources like Washington ESD directly, not from random people who might not know the current rules.