How long do you have to be employed for unemployment benefits in Washington?

You don't need to work for a full year straight. Washington ESD looks at your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $1,685 during your base period and have worked in at least 2 quarters. Your 8 months of work should definitely count.

I was in a similar situation last year and had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify my eligibility. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Just to clarify the base period thing - they calculate it based on when you file your claim. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. Make sure you have pay stubs or tax info from those quarters.

The minimum earnings requirement is actually $1,685 total in your base period, but you also need to earn at least $1,010 outside your highest earning quarter. It's not just about working a certain amount of time - it's about meeting these dollar thresholds.

I think people get confused because they mix up the work requirements with the job search requirements once you're actually getting benefits. You don't need to work for a year straight, but you DO need to do job searches every week while claiming.

Your friend might be thinking of other states? Some places have different rules. Washington is pretty reasonable about the work requirements compared to other states I've lived in.

Don't forget you also have to be unemployed through no fault of your own. Even if you meet the work requirements, getting fired for misconduct or quitting without good cause will disqualify you.

If you're still unsure about your eligibility, you can always file and let Washington ESD make the determination. They'll look at your work history and tell you if you qualify. Better than guessing.

I had a similar work pattern - worked 8 months, had a gap, then worked again. Washington ESD approved my claim no problem. Your total earnings matter more than continuous employment.

Just make sure you apply as soon as you become unemployed. There's no waiting period requirement, and you can't backdate benefits very far. Don't wait thinking you need more work history.

Another thing - if you don't meet the regular base period requirements, Washington ESD will automatically check your alternate base period (the last 4 completed quarters). So even if your timing is weird, you might still qualify.

The whole base period thing used to confuse me too. I actually used Claimyr to get connected to an agent who explained it all clearly. Much better than trying to figure it out from the website.

OP, based on what you described (8 months of work), you should definitely qualify unless your wages were really low. Don't let your friend's misinformation stop you from applying if you need benefits.

For what it's worth, I've been on unemployment twice in Washington and both times the eligibility determination was pretty straightforward. If you worked steadily for 8 months you should be fine.

Don't forget you'll also need to register with WorkSourceWA if you do file. That's separate from the initial eligibility requirements but required to keep getting benefits.

The key takeaway is that Washington looks at your earnings history, not just how long you worked continuously. Your 8 months should easily meet the requirements as long as you made decent wages.