How long do you have to be with an employer to get unemployment in Washington?

It's not about how long you've been with ONE employer - Washington ESD looks at your total earnings over what they call the 'base period.' You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period to qualify for UI benefits.

You also need to meet Washington's minimum earnings requirement. For 2025, you need at least $7,000 in total base period earnings, with at least $1,000 in each of two different quarters.

I had this same worry when I got laid off after only 4 months at my job. Washington ESD approved my claim because I had worked at other places during my base period. The frustrating part was trying to get through to someone at Washington ESD to verify my wage history - their phone lines are always busy.

wait so it doesnt matter if you quit or get fired from your most recent job? i thought you had to be employed for at least a year somewhere

This is really helpful everyone. I was stressing about the 6 months thing but it sounds like my 3 years of work history should cover me. Is there anything else I should know about Washington ESD requirements?

One thing to keep in mind - if you have gaps in employment, those might affect your base period earnings. Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter, so consistent work history helps.

I got laid off after 3 months at my job last year and still qualified because of my previous work. The Washington ESD system is confusing but they have all your wage info from different employers automatically.

Also worth mentioning - if you don't have enough wages in your regular base period, Washington ESD can sometimes use an 'alternate base period' which looks at more recent quarters. This helps people who just started working or had recent job changes.

The whole system is so complicated! I wish they would just make it simple - like you work for 6 months anywhere and you qualify. Instead we have to figure out quarters and base periods and all this stuff.

If you do end up needing to file a claim, definitely use Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD if you have questions. I learned about it from someone on here and it saved me hours of frustration trying to reach them.

Just to add - make sure you file your claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. You can't get benefits for weeks before you file, even if you were eligible.

washington esd denied my claim even though i worked for 2 years because i quit my job. they said i needed 'good cause' but wouldnt explain what that meant

The earnings requirement confused me too when I first filed. I thought I needed to make a certain amount at my last job, but it's actually spread across all your jobs during the base period.

I've been through this process twice now and the key thing is having your wage history accurate in Washington ESD's system. Sometimes employers are slow to report wages and it can delay your claim.

Don't forget about the waiting week! Washington has eliminated it for most claims now, but it's good to know you might not get paid for your first week depending on when you file.

One more plug for Claimyr - if you end up in adjudication or have wage issues, being able to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD makes a huge difference. Way better than waiting weeks for a callback that might never come.

Bottom line for OP - 6 months at your current job plus 3 years total work history should definitely qualify you for unemployment if you get laid off. Just make sure it's not a quit or firing for misconduct.

This thread was really helpful! I had the same question and was worried about my job situation too. Good to know Washington ESD looks at total work history.

Just remember to keep good records of all your employment - pay stubs, W-2s, etc. Makes the claim process much smoother if Washington ESD needs to verify anything.