Who can apply for unemployment benefits - Washington ESD eligibility requirements?

You can definitely apply! Washington ESD eligibility is pretty straightforward - you need to have worked and earned wages in Washington during your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters), be unemployed through no fault of your own, be able and available for work, and actively seeking employment. Part-time workers can qualify too.

What's the base period exactly? I started working in March 2024 so I'm not sure if I have enough quarters.

If you're filing now, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. Since you started in March 2024, you'd have earnings in Q2 and Q3 of 2024, which should count.

The basic requirements are: 1) You must have earned at least $1,000 in your base period AND earned at least $800 outside your highest earning quarter, 2) You became unemployed through no fault of your own (layoff, reduction in hours, etc.), 3) You're physically able to work and available for work, 4) You're actively looking for work. Part-time workers definitely qualify if they meet the wage requirements.

This is really helpful! I got laid off from my restaurant job last month and wasn't sure if I qualified since I was only working about 25 hours a week.

Restaurant workers definitely qualify! As long as you meet the wage requirements and your layoff wasn't due to misconduct, you should be good to file.

I've been trying to call Washington ESD for three days straight to ask about my specific situation but can never get through. The phone system is absolutely terrible - I either get disconnected or sit on hold for hours. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr.com - it's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate at this point. Did they charge you a lot?

It was worth it for me since I couldn't get through on my own. They focus on getting you connected rather than the cost, and it saved me hours of frustration.

Just to add - you can also qualify if you're a military spouse who had to quit due to a permanent change of station, or if you had to quit due to domestic violence. There are some special circumstances that Washington ESD considers 'good cause' for leaving work.

I didn't know about the military spouse exception! That's really good information.

Yeah, Washington has some pretty comprehensive coverage for different situations. You can also qualify if you had to quit to care for a family member in some cases.

wait so if I quit my job I can't get unemployment?? I thought anyone who wasn't working could apply

Generally no, if you quit voluntarily without good cause you won't qualify. You need to be unemployed through no fault of your own - like being laid off, fired for reasons other than misconduct, or having your hours reduced significantly.

oh that sucks. I quit because my boss was being a jerk but I guess that doesn't count

Actually, depending on what you mean by 'being a jerk,' you might have a case for good cause. If there was harassment, unsafe working conditions, or significant changes to your job that you didn't agree to, that could qualify.

I'm confused about the work search requirement. Do you have to be looking for work to apply or can you apply first and then start looking?

You need to be able and available for work when you apply, and you'll need to start your work search activities right away. You have to log at least 3 work search activities per week once you start claiming.

What counts as a work search activity? Just applying for jobs or other things too?

Applying for jobs is the main one, but attending job fairs, networking events, career workshops, or meeting with WorkSource also count. You need to keep a log of all activities.

Self-employed people can't get regular unemployment but there might be other programs. I had my own business that failed during COVID and couldn't get Washington ESD benefits.

That's mostly correct - traditional W-2 employees qualify for regular UI benefits. Self-employed, independent contractors, and gig workers typically don't qualify for regular unemployment unless they've also worked as employees.

Yeah I learned that the hard way. Wish someone had told me sooner that business owners don't qualify.

I worked in Oregon but live in Washington now. Can I still apply for Washington ESD benefits or do I have to apply in Oregon?

You typically apply in the state where you worked and earned wages. If you worked in Oregon, you'd usually apply for Oregon unemployment benefits even if you live in Washington now.

That makes sense. I'll check with Oregon then. Thanks for clarifying!

My daughter is 17 and working part-time. If she gets laid off can she apply for unemployment benefits?

Yes, minors can qualify for unemployment benefits if they meet all the same requirements as adults - sufficient wages in the base period, unemployed through no fault of their own, able and available for work, and actively seeking employment.

Good to know! I wasn't sure if there was an age restriction.

Does anyone know if you can get unemployment if you're going to school? I'm taking classes part-time and working but my hours just got cut way back.

You can potentially qualify while attending school, but you need to show that school doesn't interfere with your ability to work. You still need to be available for full-time work and meet all the work search requirements.

My classes are only in the evenings so that shouldn't be a problem. I'll definitely apply then.

The Washington ESD website has a lot of this information but honestly it's kind of confusing to navigate. I spent like an hour trying to figure out if I qualified before just applying anyway.

I agree the website isn't super user-friendly. The eligibility requirements are scattered across different pages.

Right? And when you try to call for clarification you can never get through to anyone.

I was on standby status at my job and got called back for like 2 weeks but then got laid off again. Do I need to reapply or can I just reopen my claim?

If it's been less than a year since your original claim, you can usually just reopen your existing claim rather than filing a completely new one. You'll need to file a new weekly claim for the weeks you want benefits.

Perfect, that's much easier than starting over. Thanks!

I keep seeing people mention calling Washington ESD but I've literally never gotten through. Is there some secret to reaching them?

I mentioned this earlier but I used Claimyr after trying for days on my own. It's specifically designed to get through Washington ESD's phone system and connect you with an actual agent.

I might have to try that. I've been calling for two weeks about an issue with my claim and getting nowhere.

Just want to add that federal employees and military personnel have different unemployment systems. If you worked for the federal government, you don't apply through Washington ESD.

Good point! Ex-military applies through a different process too, right?

Yes, military members apply for Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX) which is handled differently than regular state unemployment.

I'm 62 and got laid off. Is there an age limit for unemployment benefits? Some of my friends said older workers might have issues.

There's no age limit for unemployment benefits. If you meet all the eligibility requirements, age doesn't matter. You do still need to be actively seeking work though.

That's a relief! I was worried I might be too old to qualify.

Quick question - if I was fired for attendance issues, can I still apply? I had some health problems that caused me to miss work.

Being fired doesn't automatically disqualify you - it depends on whether it was for misconduct. Health-related attendance issues might not be considered misconduct, especially if you have documentation. You should definitely apply and let Washington ESD make the determination.

Thanks, I do have doctors notes for most of the absences so hopefully that helps my case.

I've been reading through all these responses and it seems like almost anyone who's worked can potentially qualify. The key is having enough wages in your base period and being unemployed through no fault of your own.

Yeah this thread has been really helpful! I feel much more confident about applying now. Thanks everyone for all the detailed information.

Same here! I was hesitant to apply but now I realize I probably do qualify. Going to file my claim this weekend.

One last thing to remember - even if you're not sure if you qualify, it doesn't hurt to apply. The worst they can do is deny your claim, but at least you'll know for sure.

Exactly! And if you do get denied, you can always appeal the decision if you think it was wrong.

That's what I ended up doing. Applied even though I wasn't 100% sure, and I got approved. Better to try than assume you don't qualify.

And if you run into issues or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your claim, services like Claimyr can help you actually get through to an agent instead of sitting on hold forever.