Update us on how it goes! Always curious to hear how these situations work out, especially for nonprofit employees since it comes up fairly often on here.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! Got laid off from a local environmental nonprofit after 3 years and was super worried about unemployment eligibility. Turns out it was completely fine - filed through SecureAccess Washington and got approved within about 2 weeks. The nonprofit sector in Washington is pretty well covered under the unemployment system. Don't let the worry stress you out too much, just get your application in and let the system work. Most of the time these concerns turn out to be unfounded.

Exactly! Always report any work and wages accurately. Washington ESD will figure out if you're still eligible for partial benefits based on what you report.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you understand what constitutes "suitable work" while on standby status. Even though you don't have to actively search for jobs, if Washington ESD refers you to other work that's deemed suitable, you might still be required to consider it. This usually only happens if your standby period extends beyond the expected recall timeframe, but it's worth knowing about upfront.

Final tip: if your claim gets denied for any reason, don't give up. You have the right to appeal, and many initial denials get overturned on appeal. The process can be slow but it's worth fighting for if you believe you qualify.

Good luck with your application, Jeremiah! From everything I've read here, it sounds like you have a solid case since you were employed when you were incarcerated and lost your job through no fault of your own. The most important things seem to be: 1) File as soon as possible online, 2) Be honest about your situation, 3) Keep detailed records of all your job search activities, and 4) Have your employment documentation ready from your previous job. Don't get discouraged if it takes longer than usual to process - that seems pretty normal for cases with employment gaps. You've got this!

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! Just to update - I called ESD this morning after trying for THREE DAYS to get through. The agent said that virtual interviews should be marked as "not in-person" even if they're on video. She said the system was designed before Zoom interviews were common and they haven't updated it yet. She noted my account about the mistake and said it shouldn't affect my claim. For anyone else dealing with this, definitely select "no" for in-person on video interviews!

Thanks for sharing your experience with calling ESD! I'm glad you got it sorted out. This is such a common issue - I've seen this exact question come up multiple times in the past few months. The fact that their system hasn't been updated for virtual interviews really shows how behind they are with modern job search methods. For anyone else reading this thread, I'd also recommend documenting your virtual interviews the same way you would in-person ones. Keep screenshots of the interview invitation emails, calendar appointments, and any follow-up communications. If ESD ever does a job search review, having this backup documentation makes everything much smoother. The key takeaway seems to be: Virtual = Not In-Person, even if you're on camera. Simple rule to remember!

Reading all this makes me realize how broken the system is. We shouldn't have to spend weeks of our lives just trying to talk to someone about our own benefits.

I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare - been calling for 3 weeks straight about my identity verification that's been stuck since March. The 3-hour automatic disconnect is the worst part because you invest all that time just to get cut off and have to start over. I've started using multiple phones to call simultaneously and keeping detailed logs of my attempts. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to treat getting basic government services like it's some kind of game show. The system is clearly not designed to actually help people who need it.