As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently employed but always worry about job security in today's economy, so learning that Washington state doesn't put lifetime limits on unemployment claims is really reassuring. What strikes me most is the quality of advice everyone has shared - from the practical tips about keeping employment documents organized to the heads-up about identity verification requirements and the Claimyr service for reaching ESD. It's clear that many of you have navigated this process multiple times and are willing to share the real insider knowledge that makes all the difference. This kind of community support is exactly what makes these forums valuable - getting honest, experience-based advice rather than just official policy summaries. Thanks to everyone for creating such a comprehensive resource that I'll definitely reference if I ever find myself in a similar situation!

Wow, what an incredibly thorough and helpful discussion! As someone new to this community and the Washington state employment landscape, I'm really impressed by how everyone has shared such detailed, practical advice based on real experiences. The consensus is crystal clear - there's no limit on filing multiple unemployment claims in Washington as long as you meet eligibility requirements each time. What really stands out to me are the consistent recommendations about keeping meticulous employment records, being prepared for identity verification through ID.me, and having backup options like Claimyr for when the ESD phone lines are impossible to reach. It's also reassuring to hear from someone in HR confirming that employers see multiple claims as separate cases without any red flags. This thread is exactly what makes online communities valuable - getting honest, experience-based guidance that you simply can't find on official government websites. I'm definitely bookmarking this entire discussion for future reference, though hopefully I'll never need to use this information myself!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this discussion! I learned so much about partial unemployment benefits. Filing my claim tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly!

Just wanted to add that Washington also has a "SharedWork" program that might be relevant for some situations. If your employer participates in this program, they can reduce everyone's hours instead of laying people off, and employees can get partial unemployment benefits to make up the difference. It's worth asking your employer if they've looked into this option - it can be a win-win since they keep experienced workers and you get some income support. Not all employers know about it, but it's administered through Washington ESD.

I'm a newcomer here but dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! Just filed my third weekly claim and all three weeks show "disqualified" with zero explanation letters anywhere in my account. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it's such a relief to know this is a widespread system issue and not something I messed up on my application. I'm definitely going to try the 8:02 AM calling strategy that Emma mentioned and use the specific wording about "disqualified weeks with zero decision letters." It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to talk to someone about a system glitch, but at least now I know what to expect when I call. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is way more helpful than anything on the official ESD website!

I'm new to this community but currently dealing with this EXACT same issue! Filed my first claim three weeks ago and all my weeks are showing "disqualified" with absolutely nothing in the letters section. I've been stressing out thinking I somehow messed up my application, but reading through all these responses is such a huge relief - clearly this is a widespread system problem with ESD's February update. The 8:02 AM calling strategy and specific wording that Emma shared sounds like a solid plan. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to become experts on navigating their broken system just to get the benefits we're entitled to, but I'm grateful for everyone sharing their experiences here. This thread has been way more helpful than hours of searching the ESD website! Going to try calling tomorrow morning and will definitely update with results.

That's awesome that you got it resolved so quickly with Claimyr! I'm dealing with a similar issue right now - been trying to get through to ESD for days with no luck. Going to give Claimyr a try based on your recommendation. It's so frustrating how these technical glitches on their end can hold up people's benefits when they need them most. Glad you didn't have to wait weeks for a response to your email!

I went through this same nightmare about 6 months ago! The system glitch that creates these flags when your benefit year expires is so common, it's honestly ridiculous that ESD hasn't fixed it yet. I ended up calling at exactly 8:00 AM on a Tuesday and got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The agent told me it's a known issue where expired claims don't properly "close" in their system, so when you try to file a new one it thinks you're trying to have two active claims. They cleared the flag in like 2 minutes and I was good to go. Pro tip: if you do get through to someone, ask them to add a note to your account explaining what was fixed - it might help if this happens again in the future. So glad to see people recommending Claimyr too, I wish I had known about that service when I was dealing with this!

One last tip - if you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to verify your benefit amount for the marketplace application, I've had good luck using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Much faster than trying to call directly.

Bottom line: yes, unemployment counts as income for health insurance marketplace purposes. Report it accurately, keep your documentation handy, and update your application if your situation changes. You should still qualify for subsidies at your income level.