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Good luck with your claim! Remember to file your weekly claims on time and keep track of your job search activities. The system works when you follow the requirements consistently.
Just wanted to mention again - if anyone runs into issues reaching Washington ESD agents during this process, claimyr.com has been incredibly helpful for me. Sometimes you need to talk to someone directly to resolve claim issues, and their service makes that actually possible instead of spending hours on hold.
This is why I always tell people to be really careful about contractor vs employee classification. Companies love to classify people as contractors to avoid paying benefits and taxes, but workers are the ones who suffer when they lose income.
The bottom line is that if you're a true independent contractor in Washington, you won't qualify for regular unemployment benefits. Your best bet is to either challenge the classification if you think it's wrong, or look into other assistance programs while you find new work.
sending you good vibes. this whole situation sucks but you're not alone. lots of us are dealing with the same thing right now
One thing to keep in mind is that your former employer can contest your claim. They might argue that you didn't have good cause or that you could have resolved the issue another way.
File your claim as soon as possible. There's a waiting period anyway, and the longer you wait, the more money you lose even if you're eventually approved.
Mikayla Davison
One more consideration - make sure you understand how workers comp settlement affects future unemployment eligibility. If you get a lump sum settlement, it might impact your ability to collect UI benefits immediately after.
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Axel Far
•I haven't heard anything about a settlement yet, but good to know for the future.
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Mikayla Davison
•Yeah, it's not always an issue but worth discussing with your attorney if you get to that point.
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Adrian Connor
Bottom line OP - focus on your recovery first. The financial stuff will work itself out once you know what your work capacity will be. Don't stress about unemployment until you're medically cleared and know whether your job will be available.
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Axel Far
•You're right. I need to stop worrying about things I can't control right now.
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Adrian Connor
•Exactly. Take care of your health first, everything else is secondary.
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