How long do u have to be at a job to get unemployment benefits in Washington?

It's not about how long you work at ONE job, it's about your total earnings over what's called the 'base period.' Washington ESD looks at the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $3,850 during your base period AND earned at least 680 hours of work OR earned wages in at least 2 quarters.

Also just FYI - if you quit your job voluntarily, you probably won't qualify for unemployment unless you have 'good cause.' Washington ESD is pretty strict about that. You'd need to be fired or laid off to get benefits in most cases.

I had a similar situation last year where I needed to check my work history to see if I qualified. Couldn't get through to Washington ESD on the phone for weeks though - their lines are always busy. Eventually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it so much easier to get my questions answered about eligibility.

just looked this up and the minimum wage requirement is actually higher now - its $4,320 for 2025. but yeah the 680 hours thing is still the same

Honestly the whole system is confusing as hell. I worked part time for 8 months and they said I didn't qualify because I didn't have enough hours even though I made decent money. Makes no sense to me.

OP - before you do anything drastic, check your work history on the Washington ESD website. You can see your reported wages and hours to get an idea if you'd qualify. Better to know for sure before making any decisions about quitting.

wait are you thinking about quitting because of the work environment or just because you dont like it? because theres a big difference in terms of unemployment eligibility

I've been working for 15 years and still get confused by unemployment rules lol. But the quarter thing is key - they dont just look at your current job

To be clear about the timeline: your base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters. So if you filed today (January 2025), they'd look at January-December 2024. If you haven't worked much in 2024, you might not qualify regardless of your current job.

Just remember even if you qualify based on work history, voluntarily quitting usually disqualifies you. You'd need to be terminated or have documented good cause to quit.

If you do end up needing to contact Washington ESD about eligibility or any other questions, seriously consider using Claimyr. I wasted so many hours trying to get through on my own. Their service connects you directly to agents and saves tons of time and frustration.

honestly the unemployment system in this state is so backed up that even if you qualify it takes forever to get benefits. just something to keep in mind

thanks everyone this has been really helpful. sounds like i need to check my wage history first and then really think about whether i want to quit knowing i probably wont get unemployment

just wanted to add that if your employer misrepresented the pay during hiring that MIGHT be considered good cause but youd need documentation. like if they put one salary in writing then paid you less

pro tip: if you do decide to apply for unemployment later, keep detailed records of everything. job search activities, any contact with employers, etc. they require a lot of documentation

still think the whole system is overly complicated but at least now i understand the quarters thing better. wish they explained this stuff more clearly on their website

Final thought - if you do need to contact Washington ESD for any reason (checking eligibility, asking about good cause, etc.), don't waste weeks trying to get through on your own. Services like Claimyr exist because the phone system is so overloaded. Sometimes it's worth paying a little to actually get answers.

Hope it works out for you OP. Remember you can always look for another job while you're still employed at this one. Might be better than quitting and hoping for unemployment.