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You must be unemployed through no fault of your own, and you must have earned sufficient wages in your base period (the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before the week in which you file your application for benefits, or alternatively the last 4 quarters). Also, you must be able and available for full-time work.
You can apply online via your eServices account, or over the phone by contacting 1-800-318-6022.
The amount of unemployment benefits varies. It is dependent on how much you have earned in your base period. In Washington State, the maximum weekly benefit amount is $790. The minimum is $188. No one who is eligible for benefits will receive less than this, regardless of his or her earnings. Visit the State's website to estimate your benefit.
The length of time that you will receive benefits is also based on how much you made during the base period, but not more than 26 weeks.
You must continue to file each week online using your eServices account or by telephone, and you must continue to be able and available for full-time work. You must be actively seeking employment, while keeping a record of your work search contacts using the Job-search log. To be actively seeking employment, each week you file for benefits, you must make at least three employer contacts each week, participate in three in-person job search activities at a local facility, or have a total of three employer contacts and in-person activities.
You must file an appeal within 30 days of the date the decision was mailed to you. Your appeal must be in writing, and may be submitted by mail or by fax. You may also appeal online in eServices. Also, you must also continue to file weekly during your appeal, as you will only be paid for those weeks you continued to file if you win your appeal.