How long do you have to work before you can draw unemployment benefits in Washington?

You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters during your base period to qualify for Washington unemployment benefits. The base period is typically the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file your claim. So it's not just about how long you worked, but when you worked and how much you earned.

Also just FYI if you quit voluntarily you probably won't qualify anyway unless you have good cause. Washington ESD is pretty strict about that. You'd need to be laid off or fired for non-misconduct reasons to get benefits.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about my base period wages and it's impossible. Their phone system is completely overwhelmed. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an agent in like 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration!

The minimum requirement is having wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period AND earning at least $1,000 total during that base period. Plus you need to have earned at least $2,600 in your highest earning quarter. With 8 months full-time you should meet these requirements easily.

washington esd also looks at whether you're able and available to work so even if you qualify based on work history you still need to be actively looking for jobs and report that on your weekly claims

Just to clarify the job search requirement - it's currently 3 job search activities per week for most claimants. This can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking activities, etc. You have to keep a detailed log and be ready to provide it if Washington ESD asks.

Don't forget about the waiting week too. Even if you qualify, you won't get paid for your first week of unemployment. It's unpaid but you still have to file the claim for that week.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE IT AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO GET BENEFITS!! I had to wait 6 weeks for my claim to get approved even though I was clearly eligible. They make you jump through so many hoops.

If you do end up filing a claim, make sure you have all your employment information ready - dates of employment, employer addresses, reason for separation, etc. Having everything organized makes the process smoother.

One thing people don't realize is that your weekly benefit amount is based on your wages during the base period, not your most recent job. So even if your current job pays well, if you didn't earn much during your base period quarters, your benefit amount will be lower.

just wanted to add that if you worked in another state before washington you might be able to combine wages from both states to qualify. its called an interstate claim or something like that

I used Claimyr too when I needed to check on my adjudication status. Seriously worth it if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD. The regular phone number is basically useless with how busy they are.

Another thing to consider - even if you technically qualify, the whole process can take weeks or even months if there are any issues with your claim. Don't count on getting benefits immediately.

Also remember you have to file your weekly claims every week even while your initial claim is being processed. If you miss weeks you can lose benefits for those weeks.

My advice would be to really think hard about whether quitting is worth it. Even if you technically qualify based on work history, proving good cause for quitting is really difficult. Washington ESD will scrutinize every detail.

If you do end up needing to contact Washington ESD for any reason, definitely consider using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I spent literally days trying to get through on the phone before finding out about it.