How long do u have to work at a job to get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

ok so its not about staying at one job for a certain time? what if i had like 3 different jobs in that time period?

Correct, it doesn't matter if you had multiple jobs. Washington ESD looks at your total earnings from all employers during your base period. As long as you earned wages in at least two quarters, you may qualify.

Yes, you need to have earned at least $4,500 during your base period, with at least $2,250 earned outside your highest-earning quarter. These amounts can change yearly so always check the current requirements.

wow thats more complicated than i thought. how do i even figure out what my base period is?

what counts as good cause for quitting? like if your boss is being a jerk?

Good cause usually means things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to your job duties or pay, or health issues. Just not liking your boss probably wouldn't qualify, but documented harassment might.

This is where it gets tricky and you might need to talk to someone at Washington ESD directly. I tried calling for weeks to get clarification on my situation but could never get through.

Wait, really? How does that work exactly? Is it legit?

Yeah it's totally legit. They basically handle the calling process for you so you don't have to sit on hold forever or deal with busy signals. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked.

thats good to know! i was worried because i only worked part time at my last job

I had to use the alternate base period because I started working later in the year. Definitely ask about it if the regular base period doesn't work for you.

how do you request the alternate base period? is that something you do when you first apply?

You can request it during the application process or after if your initial claim is denied due to insufficient wages. Washington ESD will automatically consider it in some cases.

That's frustrating! Did you end up winning your appeal?

Yeah eventually but it took forever. Had to provide pay stubs and everything to prove when I worked.

what if you get fired? is that different?

Getting fired for reasons beyond your control (like layoffs or business closure) is usually fine. But if you're fired for misconduct, that's different and could disqualify you from benefits.

Define misconduct though because that seems pretty subjective

Honestly, I'd recommend it. I wasted so many hours trying to call on my own before I used their service. Worth it just for the time savings alone.

How much does something like that cost though?

I don't want to get into specifics about pricing here, but for me it was worth it to actually get my questions answered instead of being stuck in phone tree hell.

what kind of job search activities? like how many jobs do you have to apply to?

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log of your activities. This includes things like applying for jobs, attending job fairs, or networking events.

so if i made good money but only worked for like 3 months i might still qualify?

Potentially, yeah. It really depends on your total earnings during the base period and which quarters you worked in.

Exactly! I see this confusion all the time. People think if they only worked at their last job for 2 months they can't get unemployment, but they might have worked other places during their base period.

good point, i should probably gather up all my old pay stubs before applying

That's smart. Having your employment dates and earnings ready will make the application process much smoother.

Yes! This is called 'standby' or partial unemployment. A lot of people don't know about this option.

oh interesting, i didnt know that was a thing

This is good advice. I almost didn't apply because I wasn't sure if I qualified, but it turned out I did. Better to try than to assume you won't qualify.

thanks everyone for all the help! i think i have a better understanding now

got it, thanks for the reminder about filing quickly

And if you run into issues with your claim or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, that Claimyr service really does work. I used it last month when my claim was stuck in adjudication.