How long do you have to work for a company to collect unemployment in Washington state?

It's not about how long you worked for one specific company. Washington ESD looks at your total earnings during what they call your 'base period' which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file your claim. You need to have earned at least $1,036 in your highest earning quarter AND have total base period earnings of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings.

I was in a similar situation last year - worked at 3 different places over 18 months and still qualified for benefits. The key thing is making sure you have enough total wages reported to Washington ESD during your base period quarters.

You should be fine with 8 months at your last job. I think there might be some confusion here though - there's no minimum time requirement for working at one specific company. What matters is your total earnings during the base period like others mentioned.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about my base period earnings. Kept getting busy signals or hung up on after waiting on hold. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier.

this is so confusing!! i thought you had to work at a place for like a year to get unemployment. so if i worked 6 months at walmart and 4 months at target i could still qualify?? that seems too good to be true

Just to clarify - there's also the 'alternate base period' option if you don't qualify using the standard base period. That uses the last 4 completed quarters instead of the first 4 of the last 5. Sometimes this helps people who had more recent employment.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator where you can estimate if you qualify and how much you might receive. Might be worth trying that before you file your actual claim.

Don't forget you also need to be 'able and available' for work and actively seeking employment. Meeting the wage requirements is just one part of qualifying for UI benefits.

I've been unemployed for 2 months and still haven't figured out if I qualify. This thread is actually really helpful - I was also confused about the work history requirements.

Another thing to consider - if you quit your job voluntarily or were fired for misconduct, that can affect your eligibility regardless of your work history. Make sure you understand the separation reason requirements too.

The UI system is so complicated! I wish they would just make it clearer on their website. Half the time I can't even understand what they're asking for.

Quick tip - when you do file your claim, make sure you have all your employer information ready including dates of employment and reasons for separation. It'll speed up the process.

I had a friend who worked seasonal jobs and still qualified for unemployment. As long as you meet the wage requirements during your base period, the type of work doesn't really matter.

One more thing - if you're not sure about your wage history, you can request a wage statement from Washington ESD before filing your claim. That way you'll know exactly what earnings they have on file for you.

Based on what you described with 8 months at your last job plus the other work history, you should definitely qualify. The total time you worked sounds like it would easily meet the requirements.

I was in adjudication for weeks because I had multiple employers and they needed to verify my separation reasons. Just be prepared that it might take some time to process if you have a complex work history.

Don't forget to keep filing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still being processed. You can't get paid for weeks you don't claim, even if you're later approved.

Honestly, dealing with Washington ESD can be frustrating but the people in this thread have given you great advice. You definitely sound like you qualify based on your work history. The hardest part is often just getting through the application process and staying on top of the weekly requirements.

For what it's worth, I also used Claimyr when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD directly. Really helped me get answers about my base period wages and eligibility. Sometimes paying for help is worth it when you're dealing with these complex government systems.

Bottom line - you don't need to work for any specific company for a minimum amount of time. It's all about your total earnings during the base period. With 18+ months of work history, you should be fine. Just file your claim and see what happens!

Just wanted to add that I went through something similar last year. I had worked at 4 different jobs over 15 months - some only for a few weeks, others for several months. I was worried I wouldn't qualify because I kept switching jobs, but it turned out my total earnings during the base period were more than enough to meet the requirements. The application process was pretty straightforward once I gathered all my employer information and separation details. Don't let the multiple jobs discourage you from applying - Washington ESD really does just care about your total wages during those specific quarters, not how long you stayed at each place.