How long do you have to be a job to get unemployment benefits in Washington state?

You need to have worked in at least two quarters during your base period to qualify for Washington ESD benefits. Your base period is typically the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. The 8 months you've worked should definitely count toward your eligibility.

The gap in employment shouldn't matter as long as you have enough wages in your base period. I had a similar situation and still qualified. What matters is that you earned enough wages during the quarters Washington ESD looks at.

I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my own claim status and it's been impossible. The phone lines are always busy and I keep getting disconnected. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

To answer your original question - in Washington state you need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period AND have total wages of at least 680 times the state minimum wage. For 2025 that's around $11,000-12,000 total. Your 8 months should easily meet this if you were working full-time.

honestly the whole system is confusing as hell. I worked for 2 years straight and they still made me jump through hoops for weeks before approving my claim. The adjudication process took forever

Adjudication happens when there are questions about your separation from work or eligibility. Not everyone goes through it, but if you quit your job or were fired for cause, expect additional review. If you're laid off due to lack of work, the process is usually smoother.

Back to the Claimyr thing - I actually tried that service last month when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my weekly claim certification. It worked really well! They called me back within a few hours and connected me to an actual person at Washington ESD. Saved me so much time and frustration.

I'm in a similar boat - been at my job for about 10 months but there were some weeks where I was only part-time. Does that affect anything?

Don't forget about the work search requirements if you do file for unemployment. You have to actively look for work and keep a log of your job search activities. It's not just about qualifying initially - you have to maintain eligibility.

Wait, so if I worked seasonal jobs with gaps in between, that might hurt my eligibility? I worked ski season and then summer jobs but had breaks between them.

I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months and still can't get clear answers about my claim. The online system is confusing and calling is impossible. Anyone else having trouble with the SecureAccess Washington portal?

For anyone still struggling to reach Washington ESD by phone, I had success with Claimyr recently. They called me back and got me connected to resolve an issue with my payment that had been pending for weeks. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person instead of dealing with the automated system.

Just want to add that even if you qualify for benefits, there's often a waiting period before you start receiving payments. Don't expect money immediately after filing - it can take several weeks for the first payment.

the whole process is such a nightmare. worked for years paying into the system and then when you actually need help they make it as difficult as possible. washington esd needs to do better

One thing that helped me was creating an account on WorkSourceWA before I needed it. If you end up filing for unemployment, you'll need to register there anyway for the job search requirements. Might as well set it up now while you're not stressed about it.

To summarize for the OP: 8 months of work should definitely qualify you for Washington ESD benefits. You need wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period and minimum total wages around $11,000-12,000. The employment gap before your current job won't hurt you. Just make sure you understand the work search requirements if you do file.

Just filed for unemployment last week after being laid off. The process was actually smoother than I expected, probably because it was a clear lack of work situation. But yeah, calling Washington ESD is still a pain if you have questions.

One last thing - if you do get laid off, make sure you apply for unemployment benefits as soon as possible. You can't get benefits for weeks before you file, so don't wait thinking the layoff might be temporary. You can always stop claiming if you get called back to work.