I'm going through something similar with my Uber driving income dropping way off. From what I've learned reading through all these responses, it sounds like the main takeaways are: 1) Regular unemployment is only for W-2 employees, not contractors like us, 2) The pandemic PUA program that helped gig workers ended in 2021, and 3) There might be other assistance programs worth exploring through WorkSource Washington or DSHS. It's frustrating that the safety net doesn't really cover gig workers, but at least now I know what options to look into. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and suggestions!

I've been following this discussion and wanted to share my experience as someone who transitioned from gig work to traditional employment partly for this reason. I drove for Lyft for about a year and faced the same income volatility issues. What really opened my eyes was realizing that not only do we miss out on unemployment benefits, but we also don't get workers' comp if we're injured on the job, and we're responsible for all our own taxes and vehicle expenses. I ended up taking a dispatcher job with a local logistics company - less flexibility but way more security. The peace of mind knowing I have unemployment protection, health insurance, and paid time off has been worth the trade-off. For anyone in Washington dealing with income drops from gig work, I'd also suggest checking out the state's Basic Food program and energy assistance programs through LIHEAP - these can help bridge the gap while you explore other options.

I'm actually going through this exact same situation right now - got laid off from my warehouse position two weeks ago due to "operational restructuring" (which is just fancy talk for budget cuts). I was totally confused by the discharge terminology too! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really helpful. It sounds like as long as you were laid off for business reasons rather than performance issues, selecting "discharge" is the right choice. I'm planning to file my claim this weekend and will make sure to be very specific in the details section that it was due to company cost-cutting measures. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's really reassuring to know that most people with similar situations got approved without major issues!

I went through the exact same confusion when I got laid off from my packaging job earlier this year! The "discharge" terminology is really misleading - it sounds so official and scary, like you did something wrong. But it's actually just the legal term Washington ESD uses for any time your employer ends your employment, regardless of the reason. Since you were clearly laid off due to budget cuts and not fired for misconduct, you should definitely select "discharge" on your application. I was in a nearly identical situation (company downsizing due to financial constraints) and got approved within about 3 weeks. The key is being detailed in your explanation about why you were let go. ESD will contact your former employer to verify the reason anyway, so as long as they confirm it was budget-related layoffs, you should have no problems getting benefits. Don't let the confusing terminology delay your filing - the sooner you apply, the sooner you can start receiving the benefits you're entitled to!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! I've been working part-time at a grocery store and some weeks I get 35+ hours, other weeks it's like 15-20 hours. I made the same mistake of not filing for a heavy work week and then the system made me catch up. What really helped me understand it was when someone explained that ESD needs to track your employment status continuously - they can't just assume you're still unemployed if you don't check in. Even if you work 50 hours one week, you might be back to 10 hours the next week, so they need that weekly update. For anyone else reading this who's confused like we were - just think of it as a mandatory weekly check-in with ESD, not as "claiming" money. You're just reporting what happened that week so they can decide if you qualify for benefits or not.

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been on unemployment for about 6 months now - this weekly filing requirement caught me off guard initially too! What helped me was setting up a weekly reminder on my phone for Sunday evenings to file my claim, regardless of how many hours I worked that week. I treat it like a weekly status update to ESD rather than "asking for money." Some weeks I get benefits, some weeks I don't, but my claim stays active and I never have to deal with the headache of reopening it. One tip: when you're filing for weeks where you worked full-time, the system will walk you through reporting your hours and earnings, and then it'll show $0 benefits for that week - that's totally normal and expected! Don't panic when you see that. The important thing is that you filed and kept your claim current. Good luck with catching up on those two weeks - it should be straightforward once you get into the system!

Same exact situation here! Got laid off from my warehouse job this morning due to "restructuring and reduced volume" and was sitting here debating whether to file today or wait until Monday. After reading through all these responses, I'm convinced - filing immediately is definitely the way to go. It's amazing how many people had the exact same hesitation about timing but then realized there's literally no downside to filing right away. Your termination letter sounds perfect for the application - clear documentation of the layoff reason is exactly what Washington ESD wants to see. I'm going to file my claim as soon as I finish reading through the rest of this thread. Thanks for posting this question because the responses have been incredibly helpful for anyone in our situation!

I went through this same situation about 6 months ago when I got laid off from my assembly job due to reduced production schedules. Like everyone else is saying, file immediately! I was also worried about filing "too soon" but there's literally no such thing in Washington state. I filed the day after my layoff and the whole process was surprisingly straightforward. Since you already have that termination letter clearly stating it's due to reduced orders, you're in a great position - that's exactly the kind of documentation that makes claims go smoothly. The online application took me about 30 minutes and I had no issues whatsoever. Don't overthink this - every day you wait is just delaying your claim processing for absolutely no benefit. File today while you have all your paperwork organized and the details fresh in your mind!

One last thing - make sure you understand the difference between being laid off and being terminated for cause. Your situation sounds like a clear layoff, but Washington ESD will want to verify that with your former employer.

I went through something very similar a few years ago - got laid off unexpectedly while having a job offer with a start date about 5 weeks out. Washington ESD processed my claim without any issues. The key things I learned: 1) File immediately, don't wait thinking you might not qualify, 2) Be completely honest about your situation including the future job, 3) Continue meeting job search requirements even though you have something lined up, and 4) Report your new job start date promptly to avoid overpayment issues. The gap period benefits really helped bridge the financial gap. You're absolutely eligible since you're currently unemployed through no fault of your own!