How long do you have to work for someone to get unemployment in Washington?

So if I worked 4 months at one place and 8 months at another, that should count as long as I earned enough total?

Exactly! It's about your total earnings across all jobs during that base period, not employment duration at a single employer.

It's actually based on earnings, not time worked. The minimum is $1,005 in the base period, but you also need to have worked in at least two quarters of that period.

oh ok that makes more sense then

How much does that cost though? I'm already worried about money.

It's worth it if you're unsure about your eligibility. Getting a definitive answer from ESD directly saved me weeks of wondering.

That sounds complicated. Is there an easy way to check if I qualify?

You can use the benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website, or file your claim and they'll determine eligibility based on your work history.

While the system can be complex, it's actually designed to help people who've lost work through no fault of their own. Temp work absolutely counts toward your base period earnings.

Yeah but they sure don't make it easy to understand the rules

If those earnings were during your base period and you worked in at least two quarters, yes you'd meet the basic requirements. You'd also need to meet the weekly benefit calculation I mentioned earlier.

Thanks, that helps a lot!

If it was a paid internship where you received wages and had taxes withheld, it should count toward your base period earnings.

cool thanks

Part-time work counts too! As long as you hit the earnings threshold. If you're really worried, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier can help you get clarity from ESD directly.

I might have to try that. This whole process is overwhelming.

Gig work is trickier. If you were classified as an independent contractor, those earnings typically don't count for regular unemployment benefits. You'd need to look into other programs.

that sucks, i did a lot of gig work

That's unfortunately correct. The employer needs to have paid into the unemployment insurance system for those wages to count toward your base period.

Yeah, learned that lesson the expensive way

Seasonal work absolutely counts as long as the employers paid unemployment taxes and the wages were during the base period.

Good to know, thanks!

That's confusing. So recent work might not count?

Right, but Washington has an alternate base period option if you don't qualify under the regular one.

That's a perfect example of how the system works - it's about total earnings, not job duration.

yeah it was a relief when i found out

Federal employment has different rules. You'd need to file for unemployment compensation for federal employees (UCFE), which has its own requirements.

Thanks, I'll look into that

That's exactly the kind of complex calculation where talking to an actual ESD agent helps. Claimyr made it easy for me to get those details sorted out.

I should have done that from the start instead of guessing

Yes, there's a separate program called Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX) with different eligibility requirements.

Good to know, thanks

Yes, Washington ESD can combine wages from other states. You'll need to provide information about your out-of-state employment when you file.

That's great, I was worried those wages wouldn't count

That's exactly why I used Claimyr. The phone lines are impossible, but their service actually gets you connected to talk to real ESD agents.

might have to try that, this is driving me crazy

Educational institution employment has special rules about when you can collect benefits, usually related to whether you have reasonable assurance of returning to work.

Yeah, it's complicated. Wish they made these rules clearer

That's a good summary. It's about meeting the earnings threshold across all your jobs during the base period.

Thanks everyone, this really helped clear things up!

Always good to see these discussions help multiple people understand the requirements better.

definitely, should have looked this up sooner