How long do I have to work to get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

In Washington, you need to have worked in at least two quarters of your base period and earned a minimum amount. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. You also need to have earned at least $3,800 total in your base period, with at least $1,000 in your highest quarter.

8 months should be enough if you've been working consistently. I qualified after working about 6 months full-time. The key is making sure you hit those wage requirements in different quarters.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check your eligibility, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It's a service that helps you actually reach an agent instead of sitting on hold forever. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I used it last month when I couldn't get through to verify my wage history.

You can also check your eligibility by looking at your wage history on the Washington ESD website. Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and look for the wage and potential benefit inquiry tool.

just file and see what happens lol if you dont qualify theyll tell you

The Washington ESD system is so confusing with all these base periods and alternate base periods. I had to file three times before I figured out I was using the wrong dates.

I worked part-time for 10 months and still didn't qualify because I didn't make enough in any single quarter. It's not just about time worked, it's about how much you earned.

The minimum wage requirements change every year too. Make sure you're looking at current 2025 requirements, not old information.

If you end up needing to call Washington ESD about your eligibility, definitely try that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. I wasted so many hours trying to get through on my own before someone told me about it.

Don't forget about the work search requirements too. Even if you qualify for benefits, you'll need to be actively looking for work and logging your job search activities.

THE SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN!!! I had enough work history but they still denied me for some random technicality. Took months to get it sorted out.

I qualified after working just 6 months but I was full-time. The key is making sure your wages are reported correctly and you meet both the total wage requirement and the high quarter requirement.

Pro tip: if you're close to qualifying but not quite there, you might want to wait a few more weeks or months before filing. Sometimes it's worth working a bit longer to ensure you have enough wage history.

Check if your state has any special programs for part-time workers too. Some states have different rules for people who were working part-time.

I used one of those online unemployment calculators to estimate my benefits before filing. Helped me understand if it was worth it.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr thing - I've recommended it to three people now and they all got through to Washington ESD within a day or two instead of waiting weeks. Really helps when you need to verify your wage history or ask specific eligibility questions.

Make sure all your employers have your correct Social Security number on file. A mismatch can cause your wages not to be reported properly, which would affect your eligibility.

The 8 months you mentioned should be plenty if you've been consistently earning decent wages. I've seen people qualify with less time if they had good earnings.

Remember that if you do qualify, you'll need to file your weekly claims on time every week to keep getting benefits. Missing even one week can cause issues.