How long before you qualify for unemployment in Washington - work history requirements?
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for Washington ESD unemployment benefits. I've been working at my current job for about 8 months now, but before that I had a gap where I wasn't working for like 6 months. Does anyone know exactly how long you need to work before you can get UI benefits? I'm worried I might get laid off soon and want to know if I'd even be eligible.
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Miles Hammonds
You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. So it's not just about how long you worked, but when you earned wages and how much.
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Isla Fischer
•What's a quarter? Like 3 months? I'm confused about how they calculate this stuff.
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Miles Hammonds
•Yes, a quarter is 3 months. January-March is Q1, April-June is Q2, etc. Washington ESD looks at your wage history in these quarters to determine eligibility.
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Ruby Blake
The general rule is you need to have earned at least $1,005 in your highest earning quarter AND have total base period earnings of at least 1.5 times your high quarter earnings. Plus you need wages in at least 2 quarters like the previous poster said.
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Isla Fischer
•That sounds complicated. Is there an easier way to check if I qualify without doing all that math?
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Micah Franklin
•honestly the washington esd website has a benefit calculator but good luck getting through to anyone if you have questions about it
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Ruby Blake
•The online eligibility tool on the Washington ESD website can give you a rough idea, but calling them directly is usually more accurate for your specific situation.
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Ella Harper
I had a similar situation last year and couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about my eligibility. Kept getting busy signals or getting hung up on after waiting on hold forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to a real person at Washington ESD. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works.
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PrinceJoe
•Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it some kind of scam?
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Ella Harper
•It's legit. They basically keep calling Washington ESD for you until they get through, then connect you to the agent. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.
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Brooklyn Knight
•How much does something like that cost though? I can't afford to pay extra just to talk to unemployment.
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Owen Devar
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I've been trying to get answers about my claim for MONTHS and can never reach anyone. It's like they don't want people to get benefits.
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Isla Fischer
•That's exactly what I'm worried about. Even if I do qualify, will I be able to actually get help when I need it?
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Miles Hammonds
•The phone system is definitely frustrating, but Washington ESD does have other ways to get help. You can message them through your online account, though responses can take a while.
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Micah Franklin
just file and see what happens, they'll tell you if you don't qualify. worst case scenario you wasted some time filling out forms
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Ruby Blake
•That's not great advice. If you file when you're not eligible, it can create issues later. Better to understand the requirements first.
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Micah Franklin
•fair point, didn't think about that
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Daniel Rivera
The work history requirements are pretty specific. You mentioned working 8 months - when did you start? If you started in like March 2024, your base period might not include enough quarters yet depending on when you file.
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Isla Fischer
•I started in May 2024, so I've been working through May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, and now January. Does that help?
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Daniel Rivera
•That would likely give you wages in Q2 2024 (May-June), Q3 2024 (July-September), and Q4 2024 (October-December). If you file now in Q1 2025, your base period would be Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. So you'd have wages in 3 of those 4 quarters.
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Miles Hammonds
•Exactly. With wages in 3 quarters, you'd meet the 2-quarter minimum. The question is whether you meet the dollar amount requirements.
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Sophie Footman
I remember when I was trying to figure this out and couldn't get clear answers anywhere. The Washington ESD website has information but it's confusing and doesn't really explain it in plain English.
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Isla Fischer
•Yeah that's exactly my problem! All the official info is written like legal documents.
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Connor Rupert
•Try the FAQ section on their site, it's a bit more user-friendly than the main eligibility pages.
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Molly Hansen
Another thing to consider - even if you qualify based on work history, you also need to be unemployed through no fault of your own. If you quit or get fired for misconduct, you won't be eligible regardless of your work history.
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Isla Fischer
•Good point. I mentioned I might get laid off, so that should be okay right? It's not my choice.
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Molly Hansen
•Right, layoffs typically qualify as long as it's due to lack of work and not performance issues or misconduct.
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Brady Clean
The monetary eligibility is just one part. You also have to be able and available for work, actively seeking work, and meet the weekly job search requirements once you start claiming.
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Isla Fischer
•What are the job search requirements exactly?
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Brady Clean
•You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log of your activities. Washington ESD can audit your job search at any time.
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Skylar Neal
•And you have to register with WorkSource Washington within a certain timeframe after filing.
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Vincent Bimbach
I went through this exact same thing about 6 months ago. Couldn't figure out if I qualified and spent days trying to call Washington ESD. A friend told me about Claimyr and I was skeptical at first but decided to try it. Got connected to an actual Washington ESD rep within like 30 minutes and they walked me through my whole eligibility situation.
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Isla Fischer
•Did they charge you a lot for that service?
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Vincent Bimbach
•I don't want to get into specifics about cost, but it was worth it for me to get clear answers instead of guessing. The peace of mind was valuable.
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Kelsey Chin
•I might look into that if I can't get through the normal way. The thought of waiting on hold for hours is stressing me out already.
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Norah Quay
Don't forget about the waiting week! Even if you qualify, there's usually a one-week waiting period before you can start receiving benefits.
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Isla Fischer
•Wait, so even if I'm approved I don't get paid right away?
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Norah Quay
•Correct. The first week you file is typically a waiting week with no payment. You start getting benefits from the second week onward if approved.
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Leo McDonald
my advice is to gather all your pay stubs and employment records before you even think about filing. Washington ESD might ask for documentation to verify your wages and work history
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Isla Fischer
•Good tip. I should probably get organized with my paperwork just in case.
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Jessica Nolan
•Also keep records of any severance pay or vacation payout if you get laid off. That can affect your eligibility timing.
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Angelina Farar
The base period calculation is the most confusing part of the whole system. I had to call Washington ESD three times before I found someone who could explain it clearly. Each rep gave me slightly different information which was frustrating.
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Isla Fischer
•That's what I'm worried about - getting different answers depending on who I talk to.
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Sebastián Stevens
•That's why I ended up using Claimyr when I had questions. At least I knew I was talking to an actual Washington ESD agent, not a contractor or someone who might not have complete information.
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Angelina Farar
•I should have thought of that. Would have saved me a lot of confusion and multiple phone calls.
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Bethany Groves
Bottom line - if you've been working steadily for 8 months and earning decent wages, you probably qualify. The exact dollar amounts depend on what you were making, but the work history sounds sufficient.
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Isla Fischer
•That's reassuring. I guess I should just file when the time comes and see what happens.
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Ruby Blake
•Just make sure you understand the ongoing requirements too - weekly claims, job search, etc. Qualifying initially is just the first step.
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KingKongZilla
Whatever you do, don't delay filing if you do get laid off. Benefits are only backdated to the week you actually file, not when you became unemployed.
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Isla Fischer
•Good to know! I'll file right away if it happens.
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Rebecca Johnston
•Yes, this is super important. I waited a week to file thinking I needed to get my paperwork perfect first, and lost out on a week of benefits.
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Nathan Dell
Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. This thread has been way more useful than anything I found on the official Washington ESD website. At least now I have a better idea of what to expect.
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Isla Fischer
•Agreed! I feel much more prepared now.
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Miles Hammonds
•Glad we could help. These eligibility questions come up a lot and it's always good to share knowledge.
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