This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation with hour cuts at my retail job. Going to apply for partial benefits this weekend.

I went through this exact same situation with my manufacturing job about 6 months ago. The partial unemployment benefits were a lifesaver when they cut us from 40 hours to 28 hours per week. Just want to add one tip that really helped me - when you're calculating your weekly earnings to report, make sure you're using your gross pay (before taxes), not your take-home pay. I initially made that mistake and it caused some confusion with my benefits calculation. Also, keep really good records of your hours worked each week because Washington ESD might ask for documentation later. The whole process was much smoother than I expected once I got the hang of filing the weekly claims. Definitely apply soon - you don't want to miss out on weeks of potential benefits while you're dealing with these reduced hours!

Reading all this makes me feel better. I've been putting off calling Washington ESD because I was worried they'd contact my new employer and make things weird. Sounds like that's not really a concern as long as I'm honest.

I went through this exact same worry when I started my new job last fall. Washington ESD never contacted my employer - they really do rely on your weekly claim reporting. The only time I heard from them after starting work was a routine letter confirming my benefit year had ended. As long as you're accurately reporting your hours and wages (which it sounds like you are), your new boss won't hear from them. Focus on your new job and don't stress about this!

Hope it works out for you OP. Keep us posted on how the appeal goes!

I went through a similar situation last year where my employer claimed misconduct but couldn't back it up with actual evidence. The key things that helped me win my appeal were: 1) Getting a copy of my personnel file to show no prior disciplinary actions, 2) Documenting exactly what was said during the termination meeting, and 3) Proving the employer's story was inconsistent (they said "performance issues" to me but "misconduct" to ESD). Don't let them intimidate you - if you weren't actually doing anything deliberately wrong, you have a good chance on appeal. The hearing officer will ask tough questions of both sides, and employers often can't provide the specific evidence they need to prove misconduct under Washington law.

One more thing to consider - if you do opt for voluntary coverage, make sure you understand how your benefits would be calculated. It's based on your reported quarterly wages, so if you underreport to save on premiums, your benefits will be lower too.

This has been such an eye-opening thread! I'm in a similar situation - been freelancing for about 18 months and had no clue about voluntary coverage. From what I'm reading, it sounds like the key things to figure out are: 1) whether you're truly self-employed vs misclassified, 2) if you can still apply during enrollment periods, and 3) whether the premiums are worth it for your situation. The Claimyr suggestion is interesting too since getting through to ESD seems to be a nightmare for everyone. Thanks for starting this discussion - definitely saving me from making the same mistakes!

Bottom line - no waiting week in Washington anymore, file your weekly claims religiously, document your job search, and you should be good to go. Welcome to the unemployment club unfortunately.

I went through the same thing when I filed my Washington unemployment claim a few months ago - the waiting week confusion is real! Just to add to what others have said, make sure you have your Social Security card and ID ready when you file. Washington ESD is pretty strict about identity verification these days, and having all your documents ready can help prevent delays. Also, if you worked in multiple states recently, that can complicate things, so mention that upfront if it applies to you. Good luck with your claim!