How long do you have to be working to get unemployment benefits in Washington?

It's not about how long you worked at one job - it's about your total earnings during what's called the 'base period.' For Washington ESD, you need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period (which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file). You also need to have earned at least $3,500 total in your base period.

wait thats not right i thought it was the last 4 quarters not some weird period from 2 years ago?

I had this same question when I got laid off last year. The earnings requirement isn't too hard to meet if you've been working regularly. What matters more is that you lost your job through no fault of your own. Even if you meet the work requirements, you won't get benefits if you quit without good cause or got fired for misconduct.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check your eligibility, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a human agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of busy signals when I needed to check on my claim status.

The work requirements aren't that strict compared to other states tbh. As long as you've been working somewhat regularly over the past year or two you should be fine. The bigger issue is usually proving you're actively looking for work once you start collecting benefits.

honestly just apply and see what happens. worst case they say no and you know for sure. the online application will tell you pretty quick if you dont meet the basic requirements

Just to clarify the specific numbers for 2025: You need at least $3,500 in total base period earnings AND you need to have earned wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period. There's also a formula that determines your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter.

The quarters thing confused me too when I first looked into it. But basically if you've been working pretty much any job for the last year you're probably fine. The system is designed to help people who've been in the workforce, not to keep people out.

One thing to watch out for - if you're thinking about quitting your job, DON'T do it expecting to get unemployment. You have to be laid off or lose your job through no fault of your own. Quitting usually disqualifies you unless you have a really good reason.

Also worth mentioning - even if you don't qualify under the standard base period, Washington ESD will automatically check the alternate base period (most recent 4 quarters) to see if you qualify that way. So you get two chances basically.

I was in a similar situation and used Claimyr to get through to an actual person at Washington ESD who could look up my work history and tell me right away if I qualified. Way better than trying to figure it out myself or waiting weeks for a determination.

For what it's worth, 8 months at your current job plus other work over the past 2 years sounds like you'd easily meet the requirements. I qualified with less work history than that.

tbh the washington system is pretty generous compared to other places. as long as youve been working and paying into unemployment insurance you should be good

The key thing is don't wait if you do get laid off. File immediately even if you're not 100% sure you qualify. It's better to file and get denied than to wait and lose out on benefits you were entitled to.

Something else to keep in mind - once you do qualify and start collecting, you'll need to file weekly claims and meet the job search requirements. Don't just assume you can collect without doing anything.

I had to use Claimyr twice - once to check my eligibility when I first got laid off, and again later when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Both times it was way easier than trying to navigate the phone system myself.

Bottom line - if you've been working regularly for the past year or two, you almost certainly qualify. The earnings threshold isn't that high and you just need wages in 2 quarters. Don't stress too much about it.

One last thing - make sure to keep good records of all your employment if you do file. Pay stubs, W-2s, anything that shows when you worked and how much you earned. Makes the process much smoother.