How long did you have to work to get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

The work requirement for Washington ESD unemployment isn't based on how long you worked, but on how much you earned during your base period. You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period and meet the minimum earnings threshold. Your base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim.

That's confusing - so it's not about months worked but about earnings? What's the minimum amount you need to have earned?

Right, it's earnings-based. For 2025, you need at least $7,800 in total base period wages, with at least $2,600 in your highest earning quarter. If you worked part-time for 8 months, you should check your pay stubs to see if you meet these thresholds.

I had a similar situation last year. Worked part-time for about 10 months and was worried I wouldn't qualify. Turns out I did because I had worked some overtime during the holidays which boosted my earnings. The key is looking at your actual wages, not just how many months you worked.

That's reassuring! Did you have any trouble with the application process or did it go smoothly once you met the earnings requirement?

The application went fine, but I did have to wait a few weeks for adjudication because they needed to verify my work history with my employer. Just make sure you have all your employment info ready.

honestly the whole system is confusing. i tried calling washington esd like 50 times to ask about this same question and could never get through. spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. super frustrating when you're trying to figure out if you even qualify

I feel you on the phone situation! I discovered this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

never heard of that before. does it actually work or is it one of those scam things? seems too good to be true

No it's legit - they basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. I used it to get clarification on my base period wages and it worked great.

The earnings requirement can be tricky if you had irregular hours. I worked seasonal retail and had some quarters with really low earnings and others with higher amounts. Washington ESD looks at your base period quarters, so if you had a few really good months that might be enough even if other months were slow.

That's a good point about irregular hours. I had some really busy months during back-to-school season where I got a lot more hours. Hopefully that helps with the earnings requirement.

Exactly! Those busy periods can really make a difference. Just gather all your pay stubs and add up your quarterly earnings to see where you stand.

Don't forget you also need to be able and available for work and actively seeking employment. The work history gets you qualified, but there are ongoing requirements too. You'll need to file weekly claims and do job searches.

Right, I heard about the job search requirements. How many jobs do you need to apply for each week?

It's 3 job search activities per week in Washington. Can be applications, interviews, networking events, etc. Keep good records because they do audit job search logs.

I've been working for 2 years and still got denied initially because of some issue with how my employer reported my wages. Had to appeal and provide additional documentation. The system isn't perfect even if you clearly qualify.

Oh no, that sounds frustrating! How long did the appeal process take?

About 6 weeks total. Had to submit pay stubs and tax documents to prove my earnings. Eventually got approved but it was a pain.

This is why it's important to keep detailed records of your employment and earnings. Makes the verification process much smoother.

wait so if I worked for like 4 months full time and then got laid off, would that be enough? or do you need the full year?

4 months of full-time work could potentially be enough if you earned enough during those months to meet the base period requirements. It's all about the dollar amounts, not the time period.

ok that makes more sense. i was thinking it was like you had to work a full year or something

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator where you can estimate if you qualify and how much you might receive. It's pretty helpful for figuring out if your earnings meet the requirements before you even apply.

I'll definitely check that out! That sounds like it would save a lot of guesswork.

Yeah, it's on their main website under 'Calculate Your Benefits' or something like that. Just need your quarterly earnings info.

Just want to add that if you don't qualify for regular UI, there might be other programs available depending on your situation. Don't give up if you get an initial denial - sometimes there are alternatives or you can reapply later if your work history changes.

Good to know there are other options. What kind of alternative programs are there?

Things like training programs or extended benefits during high unemployment periods. Really depends on current economic conditions and your specific circumstances.

I had trouble getting through to verify my work history too. Spent weeks trying to call. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got connected within a few hours. Wish I had known about it sooner!

How much does something like that cost? Seems like it might be expensive

Honestly the time saved was worth it for me. Beats sitting on hold for hours every day just to get disconnected.

The whole base period thing confused me at first too. I kept thinking about when I started my job, but what matters is which calendar quarters you worked in and how much you earned in each one.

So if I started working in March, would my base period include that quarter or not?

Depends on when you file your claim. The base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you apply. So timing matters.

Make sure you understand the difference between your base period and benefit year. I got confused about this when I first applied and it caused some delays in my claim processing.

What's the difference? I thought they were the same thing.

Base period determines if you qualify and how much you get. Benefit year is the 52-week period when you can collect benefits once approved.

ugh this is all so complicated. why can't they just make it simple like 'worked 6 months = qualified'? all these quarters and earnings calculations are confusing

I know it seems complex, but the earnings-based system is actually fairer because it accounts for different types of work situations - part-time, seasonal, etc.

i guess that makes sense when you put it that way

Pro tip: if you're close to the earnings threshold but not quite there, you might want to wait until you have another quarter of earnings before applying. Sometimes waiting a bit can make the difference between qualifying and not.

That's smart advice. Better to wait and qualify than rush and get denied.

Exactly. And once you're denied, you have to wait to reapply, so it's worth making sure you meet the requirements first.

I was in almost the exact same situation - part-time retail for about 8 months. Turned out I did qualify because I had picked up extra shifts during busy seasons. Check all your pay stubs carefully, especially if you worked any holidays or busy periods.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That gives me hope that my situation might work out too.

No problem! Just be thorough with documenting your earnings and you should be fine.

Also remember that if you do qualify, you'll need to register with WorkSourceWA and meet all the ongoing requirements. The work history gets you in the door, but there's more to it after that.

I keep hearing about WorkSourceWA but don't really understand what it is. Is it mandatory?

Yes, it's Washington's job search website and you have to register there as part of your unemployment claim. They use it to track your job search activities.

Bottom line - add up your quarterly earnings and see if you hit the thresholds. If you do, apply! If not, maybe work a bit longer until you qualify. The actual time worked matters less than the money earned.

Perfect summary! Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. I'm going to gather my pay stubs and do the math.

Good luck! Hope it works out for you.

One more thing - if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific work history, that Claimyr service people mentioned really does help with getting through. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked when I needed to verify some earnings info that wasn't showing up correctly in their system.

I might need to try that if I run into any issues with my application. Good to know it's a real solution.

Yeah, way better than trying to call on your own. Saves so much frustration with the busy signals and hold times.