Washington Unemployment Eligibility Calculator
How to qualify for Washington unemployment benefits
Washington unemployment insurance benefits are provided to help workers who are currently without a job. However, you must meet certain requirements established by the State of Washington’s Employment Security Department to qualify for these benefits.
The Employment Security Department considers several factors to determine who can receive benefits. These factors include:
- The number of hours worked in the past 12-18 months. You must meet the minimum requirement of 680 hours during your base year.
- The reason for your job separation, such as being laid off, quitting with a valid reason, being terminated through no fault of your own, or working reduced hours.
- Your physical and mental ability to work, as well as your availability for work without any restrictions that would prevent you from accepting a job, like transportation issues, illness, vacations, or lack of family/child care.
- Your active and ongoing job search efforts (including keeping a record of your job search activities). This ensures you are actively looking for work, and are also able and available to work.
- Your legal authorization to work in the United States during both your base year and the weeks for which you are claiming benefits.
Monetary eligibility requirements
When you apply for unemployment benefits, the amount of money you receive each week is based on the wages you earned during a specific period called the base period. This period includes the first four out of the last five calendar quarters before you applied for UI benefits. The wages you earned during this base period help determine the amount of financial support you can receive while you are unemployed.
The state of Washington does not specify how much you must earn during your base period, instead opting to base it on how many hours you worked. In order to qualify for benefits, you must have worked at least 680 hours during the four quarters of your base period.
These hours must be worked for an employer that paid into the unemployment tax trust fund, so certain types of work will not qualify for unemployment benefits. This includes:
- Self-employed individuals
- Elected officials
- Church employees
- Appraisers
- Amateur sports officials
- Work-study students
- Workers on some small fishing boats
- Corporate officers
- Workers paid based on commission
Wage credits
A wage credit is the money you earn from an employer that paid into the state unemployment insurance tax fund. This is known as a covered employer. In Washington state, wage credits are crucial because they help decide if you qualify for unemployment benefits and how much you can receive. The amount of wage credit you accumulate directly affects your eligibility and the financial support you can receive while you are unemployed.
You can calculate your estimated weekly benefit amount by using our Washington State Unemployment Calculator.
Non-monetary UI benefit eligibility requirements
Unemployment compensation is specifically meant for people who are unemployed due to circumstances beyond their control, and are ready and able to work full-time. Your eligibility for Washington unemployment benefits can only be evaluated after you submit an application for benefits and answer questions about yourself and your previous employment.
Upon applying, Washington unemployment claimants will be registered for work with the state’s American Job Center affiliate, WorkSource Washington.
How many weeks of Washington unemployment do I qualify for?
In Washington, workers can receive unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks or one third of their total gross wages during the base period—whichever number is smaller.
This support lasts for one year starting from the week you apply. This is known as the “benefit year.”
Maintaining eligibility
After applying for unemployment benefits, it is important to file a weekly claim to receive payment each week. This involves reporting any work you did or money you earned.
To meet the state’s job search requirements, you must make three employer contacts each week. You can also perform three approved job search activities at a WorkSearch Washington location. These activities can be combined, so long as they add up to three.
Failure to file your weekly claim could result in a delay or denial of benefits.
What is considered “suitable work?”
In Washington State, suitable work refers to job opportunities that are considered reasonable and appropriate based on an individual’s skills, experience, and qualifications.
When determining eligibility for unemployment benefits, factors such as the type of work, wage level, working conditions, and commuting distance are all taken into consideration. Job offers that align with a person’s previous work experience and skills are typically considered suitable, while offers that are significantly below a person’s previous wages or require extensive commuting may be deemed unsuitable.
Each case is evaluated individually to determine if the offered work is reasonable and suitable for the individual.
Can I work part-time and receive benefits?
If you are working part-time instead of full-time, you may still be eligible for partial unemployment benefits. When you file your weekly claim, you will have to detail the number of hours you worked and the total amount of money you earned before any deductions. A certain portion of these wages will be deducted from your weekly benefit amount.
Even if you have a part-time job, you must be prepared and able to take on a full-time job. It’s also important to actively search for full-time work to meet the work search requirements.
Do I qualify for unemployment if I am self-employed?
Self-employed wages are not covered wages, and therefore will not count toward the wage credits in your base period. So, if you were entirely self-employed during your base period, you may not qualify for unemployment compensation.
However, the state of Washington does offer a Self-Employment Assistance program to those who are unemployed but want to start their own business. If you are enrolled in this program, you will receive valuable business counseling while collecting unemployment benefits. So long as you are enrolled in the program, you will not have to meet the state’s job search requirements.
What would disqualify me from the Washington UI benefit program?
Factors that may disqualify you from the Washington State unemployment program include:
- Voluntarily quitting a job without good cause.
- Being terminated from employment due to gross misconduct.
- Refusing suitable job offers
- Being self-employed or working as an independent contractor without proper eligibility.
- Being unavailable or unable to work due to illness, disability, or other restrictions.
- Receiving wages that exceed the weekly benefit amount.
- Committing unemployment fraud.
- Failing to meet the state’s job search requirements
- Not being legally authorized to work in the United States.
- Failing to register with WorkSource Washington or your local American Job Center
If your application for benefits is denied, but you think the decision was a mistake, you have the option to appeal and present your case in front of a judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings. They will review your appeal and issue a new decision based on the evidence and arguments presented.
What can affect my claim for benefits?
Any factors that make it difficult for you to accept a full-time job could affect your unemployment claim. This includes situations like being sick, traveling, losing child care, or having transportation problems.
It’s important to inform the Washington Employment Security Department if any of these circumstances apply to you.
When do I no longer qualify for Washington unemployment benefits?
Once you find a new job, start earning more than your weekly benefit amount, or exhaust your maximum benefit amount, you will no longer qualify for unemployment compensation. When this happens, you no longer need to file weekly claims. Your claim for benefits will automatically be suspended after you go 30 days without filing.
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