Who can draw unemployment benefits in Washington State - eligibility requirements?

To qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington, you need to meet several requirements. First, you must have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). You also need to have earned at least $5,265 total during your base period. If you worked part-time for 8 months, you might qualify depending on your earnings.

Don't forget about the job search requirements! You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and register with WorkSourceWA. I learned this the hard way when my benefits got suspended because I wasn't logging my job searches properly.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify my eligibility when I first applied. Spent weeks calling and getting busy signals. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier.

The eligibility rules can get complicated depending on your situation. Regular employees, independent contractors, gig workers - they all have different requirements. Some people who think they don't qualify actually do, and vice versa. It's worth checking with Washington ESD directly.

just file and see what happens, thats what i did. worst case they say no but at least you'll know for sure

I was in a similar situation - worked part-time for about 10 months before getting laid off. I qualified for benefits but the weekly amount was pretty low since it's based on your earnings. Still better than nothing though!

Don't forget you can also qualify if you're working reduced hours, not just if you're completely unemployed. It's called partial unemployment benefits. A lot of people don't know about this option.

The Washington ESD website has an eligibility quiz that can give you a rough idea if you qualify. It's not perfect but it's a good starting point before you file your actual claim.

Been dealing with Washington ESD for months now and honestly their phone system is a nightmare. I tried calling dozens of times before I finally got through. That Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier actually sounds helpful - might have saved me weeks of frustration.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you quit your job voluntarily, you probably won't qualify unless you had good cause. The 'no fault of your own' requirement is pretty strict. Being laid off should be fine though.

I'm dealing with an adjudication issue right now because there was some confusion about why I left my job. Even though I was laid off, they're reviewing everything. It's been 3 weeks and counting. This process can take forever sometimes.

If you're self-employed or a gig worker, the rules are different and more complicated. Regular employees definitely have it easier when it comes to qualifying for benefits.

The hardest part for me wasn't qualifying - it was dealing with all the paperwork and requirements after getting approved. Make sure you understand the job search requirements and how to file your weekly claims properly.

Also worth mentioning that you need to be a US citizen or authorized to work in the US. They verify this as part of the application process. And you need a valid Social Security number.

My biggest mistake was not keeping good records of my job searches. When they audited my claim, I couldn't prove I was actively looking for work. Keep detailed logs of everything - where you applied, when, contact information, etc.

The monetary determination letter you get after filing will show exactly how much you can receive and for how many weeks. This is based on your earnings during the base period. Don't expect to get rich off unemployment - it's usually a fraction of what you were making.

I used Claimyr when I had issues with my claim status and couldn't get through to Washington ESD. Really helped me avoid weeks of calling and getting nowhere. The video demo on their site shows exactly how it works - pretty straightforward.

Bottom line - if you worked long enough and earned enough wages, got laid off through no fault of your own, and can meet the ongoing requirements, you'll probably qualify. The application process itself is pretty straightforward, it's dealing with issues after that can be challenging.