I've been working seasonal jobs at a Christmas tree farm and summer farmers markets for the past two years, and I can confirm that Washington ESD absolutely allows seasonal workers to collect unemployment benefits! The key thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of my employment dates and wages. When I first filed, I was worried they'd deny me because the work is predictably seasonal, but the ESD representative I spoke to (through claimyr.com actually - saved me hours of phone calls) explained that seasonal unemployment is different from voluntary unemployment. As long as you're laid off due to lack of work and not because you chose to quit, you're eligible. My advice is to file immediately when your season ends, be completely honest about your work pattern, and don't let employers discourage you from applying. You pay into the unemployment system through your wages, so you've earned the right to use it during your off-season periods. The peace of mind during those gap months is worth the effort of filing and maintaining your weekly claims.

I've been working seasonal construction for the past 6 years - road crews in summer, snow plowing in winter - and I can definitely confirm that seasonal workers are eligible for unemployment benefits in Washington! The trick is understanding that there's often a gap between seasons where you're legitimately unemployed. I typically have 2-3 weeks between my road crew ending and snow plow contracts starting, plus another gap in spring. Washington ESD has always approved my claims during these transition periods. The key things that helped me: 1) Keep all your pay stubs and employment contracts showing the seasonal nature of the work, 2) File immediately when you're laid off - don't wait, 3) Be prepared to explain your work pattern if they have questions, and 4) Stay on top of your weekly claims and job search requirements. I usually look for other seasonal positions or temp work during the gaps. One year I actually picked up some holiday retail work during my winter gap which worked out great. Don't let anyone tell you seasonal workers don't deserve unemployment - you pay into the system and have every right to use it when you need it!

FINAL EDIT: Mea culpa! I had forgotten I received benefits in 2010-2012. Please ignore this post. Sorry! I just wanted to update everyone. After digging deeper into my records as someone suggested, I realized those 1099-Gs ARE actually from 2010-2012 when I received benefits during the recession. I completely forgot about that period! My recent 1099-Gs should be available separately, I just didn't look in the right place. Sorry for the confusion and thanks everyone for your help.

This is actually a great example of why it's so important to keep organized records of all unemployment periods! I've been through the ESD system multiple times over the years and it can definitely be confusing when you have claims from different time periods. For anyone else reading this - always check the "Tax Documents" section separately from your general account overview, and remember that 1099-Gs can take a while to show up for recent benefit years. ESD's interface isn't the most intuitive for finding older vs. newer documents.

Really hoping this works out for everyone here. The gig economy has been tough lately and we all need some kind of safety net while we figure out our next moves.

I'm in the same boat with my delivery driving work. Been doing DoorDash and Instacart for over a year but income has dropped significantly in recent months. I had no idea gig workers could potentially qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington! This is really helpful information. I'm definitely going to look into applying, especially since I've been struggling to make ends meet. Does anyone know if working for multiple gig platforms (like both DoorDash and Instacart) affects the application process at all? I'm wondering if I need to report income from all platforms or if there are any complications with having multiple 1099s from different companies.

I went through this exact situation last year! One thing that really helped speed up the adjudication process was calling ESD right when they opened at 8am - the wait times are usually shorter first thing in the morning. Also, if your husband's position was eliminated due to lack of work/funding, make sure he emphasizes that it was a "no fault" separation when he reopens the claim. The good news is that once adjudication clears, they usually backpay for all the weeks you were waiting, so don't stress too much about the timing with rent. Just make sure he keeps filing his weekly claims even during the adjudication period - that's super important! Wishing you both the best of luck with this process.

Just want to add something that helped me when I reopened my claim - make sure your husband saves screenshots of every step when he reopens online, especially the confirmation page. I had an issue where the system glitched during my reopening process and I couldn't prove I had actually submitted it correctly. Having those screenshots saved me from having to start over. Also, if the website seems slow or keeps timing out, try using a different browser or clearing your cache first. The ESD website can be really finicky, especially during busy periods. Hope everything goes smoothly for you guys!

update: finally got through to someone at esd today!!! they said theres a delay with PFML 1099Gs this year affecting tons of people. they're still sending them out in batches. the rep said we should all have them by feb 25 latest. just fyi for anyone else waiting!!

I'm going through the exact same thing! I received PFML benefits for 4 weeks last summer and still haven't gotten my 1099G form. I tried logging into the paidleave.wa.gov portal like others mentioned but it's showing nothing in my tax documents section. It's so frustrating because I want to file my taxes but don't want to mess anything up with the IRS. Has anyone had luck calling the PFML customer service line directly instead of regular ESD? I'm wondering if they have a separate number that might have shorter wait times.