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

You need to meet Washington ESD's base year earnings requirements, not just time worked. They look at your earnings in the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. You need at least $1,320 in your highest earning quarter AND total base year earnings of at least 1.25 times your highest quarter. So if your highest quarter was $2,000, you'd need at least $2,500 total for the base year.

wait but didn't they say they want to QUIT their job? you can't get unemployment if you quit unless it's for good cause

I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months trying to get through to someone about my claim status. If you're planning to file, be prepared for the runaround. I kept getting disconnected every time I called their main number. Finally found out about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to real agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me weeks of frustration.

The base year thing trips up a lot of people. If you don't qualify using the standard base year (first 4 of last 5 quarters), Washington ESD can use an alternate base year which is the last 4 completed quarters. This helps people who worked more recently. Also, if you're between jobs frequently, make sure all your employers reported your wages correctly to Washington ESD.

just file and see what happens, worst they can do is say no

Been through this before - the work requirements aren't as straightforward as just time on the job. I worked for 11 months at a low-paying job and didn't qualify because my total earnings were too low. Then I got a better paying job for just 4 months and qualified easily when I got laid off. It really is all about the money, not the months.

What about if you had a gap in employment? Does that reset everything or can you still use wages from before the gap?

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED ANYWAY. They make it so complicated that half the people who deserve benefits can't figure out if they qualify. Then they make you jump through hoops for months just to get what you're owed. I've been fighting with them for 8 weeks over a simple wage discrepancy.

Don't forget about the work search requirements too. Even if you qualify for benefits, you'll need to be actively looking for work and document your job search activities. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week.

also make sure you understand the waiting week. even if you qualify, you won't get paid for your first week of unemployment in washington

I'm in a similar situation but I've been at my current job for 2 years. The toxic management is affecting my mental health but I'm scared to quit without having something lined up. It's frustrating that the system makes it so hard to leave bad situations.

Check if your employer offers any kind of severance or voluntary layoff programs. Sometimes it's better to negotiate leaving rather than just quitting outright.

The earnings requirements can be tricky to calculate. I thought I qualified but it turns out one of my quarters was just under the threshold. Had to wait until the next quarter's wages were included to file. You can use the benefit calculator on Washington ESD's website to get an estimate.

Remember that if you quit for good cause, you still have to prove it to Washington ESD. They'll investigate and might contact your employer. Make sure you have solid documentation before you make the leap.

I used to work in HR and saw a lot of people get denied because they quit without exploring other options first. Washington ESD wants to see that you tried to resolve the issues before quitting. Document your attempts to work with management on the problems.

One more thing - if you do file and get approved, don't forget to report any part-time work or odd jobs. Even small amounts of income need to be reported on your weekly claims or you could get hit with an overpayment later.

If you do need to call Washington ESD about anything, definitely check out that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I finally got through to an agent last week after trying for a month on my own. Sometimes you just need that extra help to navigate their phone system.