How long do you have to work at a place to get unemployment in Washington?

It's not about how long you work at one specific job. Washington ESD looks at your total earnings during your 'base period' which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. You need at least $1,000 in wages during your base period to qualify.

To break it down simply - quarters are 3-month periods. Q1 is Jan-Mar, Q2 is Apr-Jun, etc. If you file in December 2025, your base period would typically be July 2024 through June 2025. As long as you earned $1,000 total during that time from any qualifying job, you meet the minimum.

Just a heads up - there's also the 'alternative base period' if you don't qualify under the regular one. Sometimes that helps people who had recent job changes. But honestly, calling Washington ESD to verify your specific situation is probably your best bet since everyone's work history is different.

I qualified with just 6 weeks of work at my last job because I had worked other places earlier in the year. The key thing is Washington ESD pulls your wage history automatically from employers who report to them, so you don't have to prove each job individually.

dont forget you also have to meet the earnings requirement not just the $1000 minimum. you need to earn at least 1.5 times your highest quarter OR earn wages in at least 2 quarters with total wages at least 1.5 times the highest quarter

Also remember you have to be unemployed through no fault of your own. If you quit without good cause or get fired for misconduct, you won't qualify regardless of your work history.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator where you can estimate if you qualify and how much you might get. Just search 'unemployment benefit calculator' on their site.

One more thing - if you do end up filing, make sure you apply right away after becoming unemployed. There's no waiting period to apply and benefits are backdated to when you file, not when you became unemployed.

The short answer is there's no minimum time at one job - it's all about your total earnings over the base period. Two months at your current job plus previous work history should be fine if you meet the dollar requirements.

Just went through this myself last month. Had only worked 6 weeks at my last job but qualified because of wages from earlier in the year. The Washington ESD system pulls all your wage info automatically so don't stress about documenting every single job.

washington esd is actually pretty good about this stuff compared to other states. the base period system makes it fair for people who switch jobs or have gaps in employment

Pro tip: if you're close to not qualifying under the regular base period, ask about the alternative base period when you file. It uses more recent wages and sometimes that makes the difference.

The system really is designed to help people who work regularly but might have job instability. As long as you've been working and earning wages, duration at any single job usually isn't the deciding factor.

For what it's worth, I used Claimyr when I had questions about my base period wages and they got me through to someone at Washington ESD in minutes instead of hours. Really worth it if you need to talk to someone about your specific situation.

Bottom line - work history across multiple jobs counts toward qualification, not just your current job. You're probably fine as long as you've been working regularly over the past year or so.