How long do you have to work at a job before you can get Washington ESD unemployment?

It's not about how long you worked at one specific job - Washington ESD looks at your total earnings over what they call the 'base period.' You need to have earned at least $1,000 in your base period and worked in at least 680 hours. The base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file your claim.

I had the same worry when I got laid off after only 6 weeks at my job. But since I'd been working steadily for years before that, my UI claim went through fine. Washington ESD approved it within about 2 weeks.

Just to clarify what the previous poster said - the minimum is actually $1,000 in your base period OR you need to have worked at least 680 hours AND earned at least $1,000 in your base period. There's also an alternative base period if you don't qualify under the standard one. The key thing is you don't need to work any specific length of time at your current job.

I was stressing about this same thing last year when I got let go after just 3 months at a job. Couldn't get through to Washington ESD on the phone for weeks to ask about my eligibility. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent at claimyr.com. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Got my questions answered in one call instead of weeks of busy signals.

wait so if i worked for like 6 months total this year but at 3 different jobs would that count? i keep getting conflicting info about this

This whole system is so confusing. I've been trying to figure out if I qualify for weeks. The Washington ESD website has all this information but it's written in such complicated language. Why can't they just say 'you need X amount of work to qualify' instead of all this base period nonsense?

The base period thing tripped me up too. Just remember it's the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January-December 2024. If you file in February 2025, it's still January-December 2024 because they use completed quarters.

I got burned by this once. Had steady work for 2 years, then took a 3-month break to care for my sick mom. When I got laid off from my new job after just 6 weeks, I thought I wouldn't qualify. Turns out all my previous work history still counted and I got approved. The break didn't matter as long as my base period had enough earnings.

One thing to keep in mind - even if you qualify based on your work history, you still need to be available for work and actively seeking employment. And if you quit your job (even the one you only worked at for 8 weeks), you might face a disqualification. But if you're laid off, that shouldn't be an issue.

I was in almost exactly the same situation as you. Been working in Washington for several years, started a new job, got laid off after 10 weeks due to company restructuring. Had no problems getting approved for UI benefits. Filed online and was approved within about 10 days.

The 680 hours requirement is important too. That's about 17 weeks of full-time work. With 3 years of steady employment, you definitely have that covered, but it's worth knowing the specifics.

Just want to add that if you're worried about your eligibility, you can always file a claim and let Washington ESD make the determination. There's no penalty for filing if you end up not qualifying. Better to apply and find out than to assume you don't qualify and miss out on benefits you're entitled to.

I had a friend who was in a similar situation and was able to use Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD to verify his eligibility before filing. Saved him a lot of worry about whether he'd qualify or not.

Don't forget that Washington has some of the more generous unemployment benefits in the country. If you do qualify, the weekly benefit amount is calculated based on your highest-earning quarter in your base period. With 3 years of steady work, you should get a decent benefit amount too.

Just went through this process myself. The online application asks for your employment history for the past 18 months, so have that information ready. Include all employers, even if you only worked there briefly. They use all of it to calculate your base period eligibility.

The key thing everyone's mentioned is right - it's about your total work history in Washington, not just your current job. I got laid off after 4 weeks at a new job last year and had no issues getting approved for UI benefits. The system is designed to help people who have been working steadily, regardless of job-hopping.

One more thing - if you do get laid off, file your claim as soon as possible. Benefits start from the week you file, not from when you lost your job. So don't wait around hoping you'll find something quickly.

this thread has been super helpful. i was worried about the same thing since i switch jobs kinda frequently but sounds like as long as you keep working in washington it all counts toward your eligibility

I used to work in HR and can confirm everything people are saying here. The length of time at your current job is irrelevant for Washington ESD eligibility purposes. It's all about your base period earnings and hours. With 3 years of steady work, you're definitely covered.

Final thought - even though you're worried about layoffs, try not to stress too much about it. You've got 3 years of work history, which means you're definitely eligible for benefits if you need them. Focus on doing good work at your current job and cross the unemployment bridge if you come to it.