How long do you have to work at a job for Washington ESD unemployment eligibility?

In Washington, you don't need to work a full year at one job. Washington ESD looks at your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. You need wages in at least 2 quarters and must have earned at least 680 hours worth of wages (currently around $7,500 total). So if you worked 4 months, it depends on when you worked and how much you earned.

The quarter system is really confusing but basically Washington ESD wants to see you worked consistently, not just at one job. I qualified after working 3 different jobs over 6 months because my wages were spread across multiple quarters.

I was in a similar situation last year and couldn't get through to Washington ESD to verify my eligibility. Spent hours on hold just to get hung up on. Finally used Claimyr.com to get connected to an actual person who could look up my wage history. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way easier than dealing with the phone system.

the wage requirement changes every year btw. i think its like $8100 now or something? you should check the washington esd website for current numbers

Don't forget you also have to meet the weekly benefit amount requirements. You need to have earned at least 30% of your total base period wages in your highest earning quarter. This trips up a lot of people who assume they qualify just based on total wages.

I worked for 6 months and didn't qualify because all my wages were in one quarter. The quarter distribution requirement got me even though I made good money. Make sure your wages are spread across at least 2 quarters!

THE WASHINGTON ESD PHONE SYSTEM IS ABSOLUTELY USELESS. I've been trying to get through for weeks to ask about my eligibility and either get busy signals or get disconnected after waiting on hold. This system is broken!

Just to clarify the math for everyone - you need wages totaling at least 680 hours worth at minimum wage. With Washington's $16.28 minimum wage in 2025, that's about $11,070. But this amount gets adjusted annually.

i worked part time for like 8 months and still qualified so dont assume you need full time work. its all about the total wages and quarter distribution thing

Here's what I wish someone had told me: even if you think you don't qualify, file anyway. Sometimes Washington ESD can use an alternate base period if your regular one doesn't work. I almost didn't file and would have missed out on benefits I was actually entitled to.

Does anyone know if internships or temporary work count toward the wage requirements? I had a mix of different work situations last year.

Just went through this process myself. Filed online and got approved even though I was worried about not working long enough. The key is making sure you have wages in multiple quarters like everyone said. Don't overthink it too much.

Be careful about the job separation reason too. Even if you qualify based on wages, you won't get benefits if Washington ESD determines you were fired for misconduct or quit without good cause. The work duration requirements are just the first hurdle.

Anyone else find it ridiculous that you can work full time for several months and still not qualify if the timing doesn't line up with their quarter system? The whole thing seems arbitrary.

Pro tip: if you're unsure about qualifying, the Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator that can give you an estimate. Not perfect but better than guessing.

Bottom line from my experience: 4 months of work CAN qualify you if you earned enough and worked across multiple quarters. Don't let people tell you definitively yes or no without knowing your specific wage history and timing.