How long do I have to work to collect unemployment in Washington ESD?

You need to meet what's called the 'base period' requirements. Washington ESD looks at your earnings over a specific 12-month period, not just how long you worked. You need at least $3,804 in total earnings during your base period, with at least $2,536 earned outside your highest-earning quarter. The base period is usually the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file.

I think you should be fine with $18k but you really need to check your wage history on the Washington ESD website. Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and look at your quarterly earnings. That'll tell you exactly what they have on file.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check your eligibility, you might want to try Claimyr. I used them when I couldn't get through on the phone and they helped me reach an actual person at ESD who could look up my wage history. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works.

the earnings requirement isn't that hard to meet honestly. if you made 18k you should be good but you also have to be able and available for work and actively searching. that's the part that trips people up

I was in a similar situation last year. Had two part-time jobs and got laid off from both within a month of each other. Even though I didn't work full-time anywhere, I still qualified because my total earnings met the base period requirements. The key is making sure all your employers reported your wages correctly to Washington ESD.

The Washington state unemployment eligibility isn't just about how long you worked - it's about how much you earned and when. You need sufficient wages in your base period AND you need to have worked in at least two different quarters. With $18,000 over 8 months across two jobs, you should easily meet the monetary requirements.

Just apply! The worst they can do is deny you, and then you'll know for sure. The Washington ESD online application will tell you pretty quickly if you meet the basic requirements. Don't overthink it - if you worked and paid into the system, you probably qualify.

I had trouble reaching Washington ESD when I needed to verify my wage information before applying. Ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone who could pull up my account and confirm I met the base period requirements. Saved me weeks of trying to call on my own. The video demo on their site shows exactly how they help you get connected.

The base period earnings threshold changes every year but for 2025 it's $3,804 minimum total earnings with at least $2,536 outside your highest quarter. If you made $18k total you're definitely over that threshold. The bigger question is whether your lay-off qualifies you - if you were fired for misconduct or quit voluntarily, that's a different story.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing. i worked for like 2 years and still had trouble figuring out if i qualified when i got laid off. ended up calling like 20 times before getting through to someone who could explain it

Working 8 months with $18k in earnings should definitely qualify you. The work history requirement is really about having enough wages in the system, not the number of hours or months worked. Washington ESD cares more about whether unemployment taxes were paid on your behalf than how many hours you put in.

Don't forget that even if you qualify based on earnings, you still need to meet the ongoing requirements once you start collecting. That means filing weekly claims, reporting any work or income, and doing your job searches. Missing any of these can disqualify you from receiving benefits.

Based on what you've described, you should definitely apply. $18,000 over 8 months puts you well above the minimum wage requirements. The sooner you apply, the sooner you can start receiving benefits if you qualify. Don't let the complexity of the system scare you away from benefits you've earned.