Who can apply for unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about eligibility requirements

Thanks! What's the base period exactly? And how much do I need to have earned?

The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. You need at least $1,130 in your highest earning quarter and total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your high quarter amount.

What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? I'm thinking about leaving my current job because of harassment from my supervisor.

Harassment, unsafe working conditions, significant changes to your job duties or pay, domestic violence situations - these can all be good cause. Document everything if you're dealing with harassment.

That's helpful to know. In my case it was definitely a layoff so I should be good there.

How much does that cost though? I'm already worried about money.

It's worth it when you consider the time you save and getting accurate info for your situation. Much better than spending days trying to get through on the phone yourself.

Did you have any issues with the seasonal work? I'm worried they might question my work history.

nah they just wanted to see my wages from all the jobs. as long as you made enough money overall you should be fine

What if I'm working part-time now but making way less than before? Can I still apply?

Yes, that's called partial unemployment. Washington ESD has specific calculations for how much you can earn and still receive partial benefits.

There's no penalty for applying if you don't qualify - they'll just deny your claim. Better to try than assume you can't get benefits. And you can always correct mistakes later if needed.

Okay that makes me feel better. I was worried they'd think I was trying to fraud the system or something.

Don't worry about it! The worst thing that happens is they say no. I applied twice - first time I didn't qualify because I hadn't worked enough, second time I did after working more.

Really? I always thought getting fired meant you couldn't get unemployment.

Nope! As long as it wasn't willful misconduct, you can still qualify. They look at each situation individually.

Did you try calling Washington ESD directly first?

Of course! Spent hours on hold, got disconnected multiple times. Claimyr actually got me through to someone who could help.

What counts as a job search contact? Just applying online?

Applying for jobs, contacting employers directly, attending job fairs, networking events, even some training activities can count. They want to see you're actively looking.

Don't forget about WorkSource too - they have resources and sometimes attending their workshops counts toward your job search requirement.

You're right, I'm probably overthinking this. I'll file this weekend.

Good plan! The sooner you file, the sooner you can start getting benefits if you qualify. There's usually a waiting week anyway.

My layoff is permanent as far as I know, so I don't think standby applies to me.

Then regular UI is what you want. Standby is more for seasonal shutdowns and things like that.

How did that work? Did you have to get records from the other states?

Washington ESD handled most of it, but I did have to provide some documentation. It's called interstate benefits or something like that.

Perfect! I think I check all those boxes. Thanks for breaking it down so simply.

Don't forget you also need to file weekly claims once you're approved and report any income you earn while collecting benefits!

Yeah I think I'm going to stop overthinking and just file. Worst case they say no and I'm back where I started.

Exactly! And if they do say no, they'll tell you why so you know what you need to do differently next time.