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Unemployment Claim Determination

After you apply for benefits, we will mail you an Unemployment Claim Determination letter. It gives you information about your claim, including how much you are potentially eligible to receive.

What is in the letter?

The letter will contain your statement of wages and hours. The statement shows:

  • Your weekly benefit amount – the most you may receive in a week.
  • Your maximum benefits payable – the total amount potentially available on your claim.
  • Employers you worked for.
  • The wages and hours your employers reported each quarter for you in the base year of your claim.
  • Your benefit year begin and end dates. You can claim benefits on this claim only for weeks falling between these dates.
  • Whether this statement is an initial determination or a redetermination.

The Unemployment Claim Determination may also include:

  • A message letting you know that you don’t have a valid claim since you have less than 680 hours in your base year.
  • That you may qualify for an alternate base year claim.
  • Information letting you know we are requesting wages and hours from your former employers.

What should I do when I receive the letter?

Review your wages and hours carefully.

If information is wrong, call the Claims Center at 800-318-6022.

How long is my claim available?

Your Washington unemployment claim is available for one year, which is 52 weeks from when your benefit year begins . This 52-week period is called your benefit year. You cannot file another new Washington claim until that year is over. Most claims are eligible for between 13 to 26 weeks of benefits.

Why did I receive a $0 determination?

Ineligible claimants receive an Unemployment Claim Determination of $0. You may be listed as ineligible if one of these are true:

  • You worked less than 680 hours in your base year.
  • We don’t have a record of your hours and wages, most commonly because an employer did not provide information in their normal reporting.
  • You do not meet the requalification requirements after previously receiving benefits. To requalify, you must have returned to work and earned six times your weekly benefit amount (WBA) from the date of the separation that led you to open your previous claim.
    • Example: If you separated from an employer on July 1 and filed a claim on July 8, you would need to return to work and earn six times your WBA starting after July 1 to requalify.

 

 

How to request a redetermination 

If you disagree with the wages or hours included in your Monetary Determination letter, you can request a redetermination up to one year from the date on the letter.

 

Step 1: Gather your documents 

  • Paystubs from the last 18 months.
  • W-2 Form(s) from the last two years.
  • Other related information.

 

Step 2: Ways to request a redetermination 

  • Call the Unemployment Claims Center at 800-318-6022. Check our contact page for our current hours.  
  • Submit a written request for redetermination via either: 
    • Faxing it to 800-301-1795
    • Mailing it to:
      Claims Center Appeals
      P.O. Box 19018
      Olympia, WA 98507-0018

 

What to include in your written request: 

  • A sentence asking for a redetermination of your Monetary Determination Letter, including the letter ID so we can identify your claim.
  • Names of the employer(s) you think are missing or incorrect.
  • Copies of the paystubs, W-2 Forms or other related information listed in Step 1.

For more information, see the law 192-120 WAC.