How long do you have to work at a job to collect unemployment in Washington?

Thanks! So if I've been working steadily for 8 months, I should be okay then? I haven't had any gaps in employment.

Yes, 8 months of steady work should definitely meet the requirements. Just make sure you weren't working under the table or anything like that - Washington ESD needs to see reported wages.

That's a relief! Did you have any trouble with the application process?

Not really, just had to provide my work history and wait for them to verify everything with my employers.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual person. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?

It's worth it just to avoid the endless calling. I was able to get my questions answered in one call instead of spending days trying to reach them.

Close but not quite right. For 2025, you need to earn at least $1,056 in your highest quarter OR earn 1.25 times your highest quarter earnings in your entire base period. The $3,000 figure you're thinking of might be from a different calculation.

thanks for the correction! I knew it was something like that but couldn't remember the exact numbers

That's reassuring. I've been stressing about this for weeks thinking I might not qualify.

Yeah, don't stress too much. As long as you've been working and paying into the system, you should be fine.

It would be a layoff due to downsizing, not performance related. Should be okay on that front.

Perfect, then you should be golden. Layoffs due to lack of work are exactly what unemployment is designed for.

Good point. I did work at another place for about 6 months before my current job, so that should help too.

Exactly! All your covered wages count, not just your most recent job.

That can happen but it's usually fixable. Washington ESD will contact employers to verify wages, and if there's a discrepancy, they'll work with you to resolve it. Just keep your pay stubs as backup documentation.

Good advice, I'll make sure to keep everything organized just in case.

Yes, part-time wages count the same as full-time wages. It's all about the total dollar amount you earned, not whether you worked 20 hours or 40 hours per week. As long as taxes were taken out and it was reported employment, it counts.

That's a huge relief! I was worried my part-time retail job wouldn't count.

I had the same problem until someone recommended Claimyr to me. They actually get you through to Washington ESD agents who can access your account and give you real answers. Much better than the runaround you get calling directly.

I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. How does it work exactly?

You basically give them your info and they call Washington ESD for you, then conference you in once they get an agent on the line. No more waiting on hold for hours just to get hung up on.

Yes, temp agency wages count as long as they were reported properly and taxes were withheld. The temp agency would be considered your employer for those periods.

Perfect, thanks! I was worried those jobs wouldn't count since they were so short-term.

Yeah, I've heard you have to apply for jobs and keep a log. Is that still required?

Yes, you typically need to make 3 job search contacts per week and keep records. But that's after you're approved and collecting benefits, not part of the initial qualification requirements.

Is there an easy way to figure out what my base period would be?

Generally it's the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in March 2025, they'd look at Oct 2023 through Sept 2024. But there's also an alternate base period if you don't qualify under the standard one.

Right, in my case it would be a layoff due to company downsizing, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Good, that's the ideal situation for unemployment benefits. Just make sure you get the layoff notice in writing if possible.

It's based on your highest quarter. They take 1/26th of your highest quarter earnings, up to the maximum weekly benefit amount. For 2025, the max is around $999 per week depending on your dependents.

Thanks! So working more hours in one quarter could actually increase my weekly benefit amount.

I'm in the same boat. Hopefully it's more straightforward than it seems.

Yeah, I guess we'll figure it out when the time comes. At least now I know the work requirements aren't as strict as I thought.

I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully I won't need it, but it's good to know there are options if I can't get through on my own.

Exactly. Better to know about it ahead of time than waste weeks like I did trying to call repeatedly.

You're welcome! With 8 months of steady work, you should be fine. Just make sure to file your claim as soon as possible after the layoff - there's no waiting period to apply.

Will do. Hopefully it won't come to that, but it's good to be prepared.