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

You don't need to work at one specific job for a certain amount of time. Washington ESD looks at your total earnings during your base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $7,000 during your base period and worked in at least 2 different quarters.

The minimum requirements are: 1) At least $7,000 in total wages during your base period, 2) Wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period, and 3) Your high quarter wages must be at least 1.5 times your lowest quarter wages. It's not about length of employment at one job.

I had trouble figuring out my base period when I applied last year. If you're having issues getting through to Washington ESD to check your wage history, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

ugh the whole base period thing is so confusing!! why can't they just make it simple like you worked X months you get benefits?? I'm stressed about whether I qualify too

Just file and let Washington ESD determine if you qualify. The worst they can say is no. I thought I didn't have enough work history but I actually qualified because of some temp jobs I'd forgotten about.

Your base period is key. Mine was January 2024 through December 2024 when I filed in January 2025. Check your wage history on the Washington ESD website to see if you meet the minimums.

I worked 2 jobs simultaneously for 6 months each and still qualified. It's about the wages reported to Washington ESD, not job duration. Both employers were reporting my wages so I had plenty in my base period.

The system is designed to help people who lose work through no fault of their own. As long as you have a decent work history in the base period, you should qualify. Don't stress too much about the exact calculations.

I got denied initially because I didn't understand the base period and thought I needed to count recent months. Turns out my base period was different than I thought. Had to appeal but eventually got approved.

The Washington ESD system crashed on me 3 times trying to check my wage history. Finally got through by calling but it took forever. Sometimes these third-party services like Claimyr are worth it just to save the hassle.

Been working gig economy jobs for 18 months, wasn't sure if that counted. Turns out it does as long as taxes were taken out and wages reported properly. Don't assume you don't qualify just because your work situation is non-traditional.

honestly just apply and see what happens. I spent weeks worrying about whether I qualified and then got approved no problem. The Washington ESD determination letter will tell you exactly what wages they counted.

The key thing is having wages reported to Washington ESD during your base period. If you worked legitimate jobs with proper payroll, you probably qualify. The duration at any single job doesn't matter as much as total earnings.

When I couldn't get through to Washington ESD to verify my wages, I ended up using Claimyr too. Really helped me get connected quickly to check my eligibility. The phone system at Washington ESD is just terrible during busy periods.

File your claim online through secure.esd.wa.gov as soon as possible. There's a waiting period anyway, so don't delay just because you're unsure about qualification. The system will tell you if you're eligible.