How long do u have to work to get unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Washington ESD looks at your base period which is typically the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $3,400 in your base period and worked in at least two quarters. Since you worked 8 months plus 3 months, you should have enough quarters covered.

I had a similar situation last year - worked part time at two different places. The key thing is you need to have earned enough wages during your base period AND you can't have quit your last job without good cause. Since you mentioned quitting because of a bad manager, make sure you have documentation if ESD asks about it during the adjudication process.

Been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks about my own claim issues. The phone lines are absolutely impossible! If you're having trouble reaching them, I recently found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to ESD agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

The minimum earnings requirement in Washington is $3,400 during your base period, but you also need to earn at least $680 in your highest quarter. Part-time work can definitely qualify you as long as you meet these wage thresholds. The quit from your previous job might complicate things though - ESD will likely put your claim into adjudication to review the circumstances.

honestly the whole system is confusing as hell. I worked for 2 years and they still made me jump through hoops to prove I qualified

Just to clarify - when you quit your job 'because the manager was terrible,' what specifically happened? Washington ESD considers things like harassment, unsafe working conditions, or significant changes to your job duties as potential good cause. But personality conflicts or general dissatisfaction usually won't qualify as good cause for quitting.

wait so if you quit a job you can still get unemployment?? I thought you had to be fired or laid off

The whole adjudication thing is such a nightmare. Mine took 6 weeks and I barely had any money left by the time it got approved. Make sure you file your weekly claims even while it's pending or you'll lose those weeks

Speaking of adjudication delays - that's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to get through to an ESD agent. I needed to check on my adjudication status and couldn't get through on the phone for literally weeks. The service got me connected same day and the agent was able to tell me exactly what was holding up my claim.

To answer your original question more directly - 8 months of part-time work plus 3 months at another job should give you enough quarters to qualify, assuming you earned enough wages. The bigger issue will be explaining why you quit that previous job. Be prepared for your claim to go into adjudication and have documentation ready to support your case.

One more thing to keep in mind - Washington ESD also requires you to be actively searching for work and able to work while collecting benefits. Make sure you understand the job search requirements and keep detailed records of your search activities. You'll need to log them in the WorkSourceWA system.

Also worth mentioning that Washington ESD will send you a monetary determination letter after you file that shows exactly how much you earned in each quarter of your base period and what your weekly benefit amount will be. That'll give you a clear picture of whether you met the earnings requirements.

this thread has been really informative! I'm in a similar boat and wasn't sure if my part time work would qualify

just file the claim and see what happens. worst case they deny it and you can appeal if you think they're wrong

Final thought - if you do run into issues getting through to Washington ESD about your claim status or have questions during the process, don't waste weeks calling like I did. That Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work and can save you a lot of frustration. The phone system at ESD is just overwhelmed most of the time.

good luck with your claim! the process can be stressful but if you have enough work history and a valid reason for leaving your job you should be fine

Remember to file your claim as soon as possible - benefits start from the date you file, not from when you became unemployed. And keep filing those weekly claims even if your initial claim is under adjudication review.

Best of luck with your claim! You seem to have enough work history based on what you described. Just be thorough in documenting the hostile work environment from your previous job and you should be good to go.