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

You need to have worked in covered employment during your base period to qualify for Washington ESD unemployment. The base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. 8 months should definitely cover that requirement, but if you quit voluntarily you probably won't qualify unless you have good cause.

dont quit if u want unemployment!!! i made that mistake last year and got denied. they only give it to you if you get fired or laid off, not if you quit on your own

I had a similar situation last year where I couldn't get through to Washington ESD to ask about my eligibility before making a decision. The phone lines are always busy and it's impossible to get a human. I found this service called Claimyr that helped me actually talk to an agent - you can check it out at claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was really helpful to get my questions answered before I made any job decisions.

For the work requirement, Washington ESD looks at your wages during the base period. You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period, and your total wages need to be at least 680 times the state minimum wage. At $18/hour for 8 months you should easily meet the monetary requirements.

Why don't you try to get yourself fired instead? Stop doing extra work, show up late, that kind of thing. Then you'll definitely qualify for unemployment.

If you're dealing with a toxic work environment, start documenting everything NOW. Keep records of incidents, emails, witness statements if possible. If you do decide to quit for good cause, you'll need proof during the adjudication process. Washington ESD takes these claims seriously but they need evidence.

i was in a similar situation and ended up staying at my horrible job for 2 more years because i was scared about unemployment. looking back i wish i had just quit and dealt with the consequences

One more thing to consider - even if you don't qualify for regular unemployment, you might be able to get benefits later if your work situation deteriorates further. Sometimes it's worth consulting with an employment lawyer about your options, especially if there's genuine harassment or unsafe conditions.

The washington esd website has a tool where you can estimate your benefits but it doesnt tell you about the quitting issue. i used claimyr to actually talk to someone about my specific situation when i was considering leaving my job

Just want to point out that even if you qualify for unemployment, the weekly benefit amount is only about 60-70% of your regular wages. At $18/hour you'd probably get around $400-500 per week before taxes. Make sure you can survive on that before you make any decisions.

whatever you decide make sure you file your claim right away if you do end up leaving. theres a waiting period and delays are common with adjudication when you quit voluntarily

Have you considered talking to HR about the management issues first? Sometimes they can resolve problems or transfer you to a different department. Might be worth trying before you quit.

The system is so messed up. You can work somewhere for years and pay into unemployment insurance but if you quit because your boss is abusive they make you prove it was their fault. Meanwhile the employer who created the toxic situation gets off free.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr thing since a few people mentioned it - I used it again recently when I had questions about my weekly claims and it really saved me a lot of time. The Washington ESD agents are actually pretty knowledgeable when you can get through to them, it's just the getting through part that's impossible without help.

Another thing to think about is job searching while you're still employed vs unemployed. It's usually easier to find a new job when you already have one, even if it sucks.

if u do quit make sure u understand the job search requirements for unemployment. u have to apply to a certain number of jobs each week and keep a log

I was in almost the exact same situation - toxic manager, 8 months on the job, considering quitting. I ended up using Claimyr to talk to Washington ESD about my options before making the decision. Turned out I didn't have enough documentation for a good cause quit so I started keeping detailed records and eventually found a new job before I had to quit. Sometimes just knowing your options helps you make better decisions.

Bottom line - 8 months is plenty of work history for the monetary requirements, but quitting voluntarily is risky unless you have rock solid documentation of good cause. Talk to Washington ESD directly about your specific situation before making any decisions.