How long do I need to work at a job to get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

So it's about total earnings across multiple jobs, not just one employer? That makes more sense. I think I should qualify then since I've been working consistently.

Yes exactly! And make sure you don't quit voluntarily without good cause or you might get disqualified. Washington ESD is pretty strict about voluntary quits.

If you don't have enough wages in the regular base period, Washington ESD can look at an alternate base period which uses more recent quarters. But you still need to meet the minimum wage requirements.

ok that helps thx

What counts as good cause? My situation is more about wanting to move cities for family reasons.

Moving for family reasons might qualify depending on the specifics. I'd suggest calling Washington ESD to ask about your particular situation before you quit.

Good luck getting through to them on the phone though. I've been trying to reach someone at Washington ESD for weeks about my adjudication and can't get past the busy signal.

Is that legit? I'm so desperate to talk to someone about my claim I'll try anything at this point.

Yeah it worked for me. They basically handle the calling and waiting so you don't have to sit there hitting redial all day.

The base period thing trips up a lot of people. It's designed that way to look at your work history over time, not just recent employment. The idea is to see if you've been consistently working and contributing to the UI system.

I wish they explained this stuff better on their website. Everything is buried in legal language.

How long did your appeal take? I'm worried about being without income if something goes wrong.

My appeal took about 6 weeks, but that was during a busy period. Some people get theirs resolved faster. Just have all your documentation ready if you need to appeal.

Good point, I forgot about the job search requirements. Is it hard to meet those requirements?

Not really hard, but you have to stay on top of it. Applying to jobs, networking events, even some online training can count as activities.

Part-time work counts! It's all about your total wages earned, not whether you worked full-time or part-time. As long as you meet the minimum wage threshold in your base period, you should be eligible.

oh ok cool i was worried about that

That sounds right for this year. They usually announce the new amounts in the fall for the following year.

That's scary. Is there anything you can do to avoid adjudication?

Not really, they have their algorithms that flag claims for review. Just be honest on your application and have documentation ready if they ask for it.

I used Claimyr to reach an agent when my claim was stuck in adjudication. Way better than trying to call on your own - they actually got me through to someone who could explain what was happening.

So even if everything goes smoothly, there's still a delay in getting paid?

Exactly. Plan for that gap in income when you're thinking about quitting.

I mean, it's unemployment INSURANCE. You pay into it while working, so it makes sense there are eligibility requirements.

Sure but they could make it less of a nightmare to navigate. The Washington ESD website is terrible and getting help is nearly impossible.

Good advice, I'll start gathering my paperwork now just in case.

I don't think my employer offers severance but I'll double-check my contract.

That's why services like Claimyr exist though. Sometimes paying a little to get through is worth it versus spending days trying to call.

true might be worth it if you really need answers

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much better prepared now to make this decision.

Good luck with whatever you decide! The unemployment system isn't perfect but it's there when you need it.