How long do I have to be employed to collect unemployment in Washington?

Washington ESD doesn't have a specific minimum employment duration like some states do. What matters is your base period wages. They look at the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters and meet the minimum wage threshold.

The wage requirement is currently $5,616 in your base period OR you need at least $1,404 in your highest quarter AND total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your high quarter. It's confusing but those are the two ways to qualify financially.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to check my wage credits and it's impossible. The phone lines are always busy and when I do get through I get disconnected. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

Don't forget you also have to be unemployed through no fault of your own. Even if you meet the wage requirements, getting fired for misconduct or quitting without good cause will disqualify you.

i qualified with only working part time for like 10 months so dont worry too much about the time thing, its really about the money you made

The whole system is so confusing. I worked for 2 years and still had issues with my claim going into adjudication because they couldn't verify some of my wages. Even meeting the basic requirements doesn't guarantee a smooth process.

Just to clarify - the base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at January-March 2024, April-June 2024, July-September 2024, and October-December 2024. Your most recent quarter (October-December 2024) wouldn't count.

Been through this process twice. The wage requirements are just the first hurdle. Then you have to deal with weekly claims, job search requirements, and all the other rules. But to answer your original question - no minimum time employed, just meet the wage thresholds.

The Washington ESD website has all this info but good luck finding it easily. Their navigation is terrible and the search function barely works.

I had a friend who worked for 3 months at a high-paying job and qualified easily. Another friend worked part-time for over a year and didn't make enough. It really is all about the wages, not the time.

Don't forget about the waiting week. Even if you qualify, there's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits start. Plan your finances accordingly.

I'm dealing with Washington ESD right now and can't get anyone on the phone to explain my wage credits. Has anyone else tried that Claimyr thing mentioned earlier? Wondering if it actually works.

The monetary determination notice they send shows exactly what wages they have on file for each quarter. That's how you can verify if you meet the requirements. But you only get that after you file a claim.

Bottom line - no minimum employment period required. Just earn enough wages in your base period. The $5,616 threshold is pretty reasonable for full-time work, harder if you're part-time or low wage.

One more thing - if you're thinking about quitting, try to get laid off instead. Quitting makes it much harder to qualify even if you meet the wage requirements. Washington ESD will investigate and may deny benefits.

I was in a similar situation last year. Worked 7 months, got laid off, and qualified without any issues. Made about $35k during those 7 months which was well above the minimum. The key is consistent wages, not duration.