How long do you have to work somewhere to qualify for unemployment in Washington?

It's not about how long you work at one specific job - Washington ESD looks at your total earnings during what they call the 'base period.' This is typically the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file your claim. You need to have earned at least $1,056 in your base period and worked in at least two quarters to qualify.

I think you also need to have earned at least $1,820 total OR earned 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings. There's multiple ways to qualify but the base period thing is key.

You can create an account on the Washington ESD website and it will show you your wage history. That's the best way to see exactly what quarters and earnings they have on file for you. Just don't file a claim unless you're actually unemployed!

I was in a similar situation last year trying to figure out if I'd qualify. Spent hours on hold trying to get through to Washington ESD to ask questions about my base period. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at ESD who could review my account. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really saved me the headache of calling over and over.

Just to be clear on the requirements: You need at least 680 hours of covered employment OR earnings equal to at least 680 times the state minimum wage during your base period. Plus you have to have worked in at least two quarters of your base period.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you get laid off, you should file your claim right away. Benefits don't start until you actually file, so don't wait around thinking about whether you qualify.

The base period thing can be tricky if you haven't been working very long. Sometimes people qualify for an alternate base period if they don't have enough earnings in the regular one.

been thru this whole thing before and honestly the washington esd website is your best bet for checking eligibility. they have a calculator tool somewhere on there.

Just remember that even if you qualify monetarily, you still have to meet all the other requirements like being able and available for work, actively seeking work, etc. The earnings are just the first hurdle.

If you do end up needing to call Washington ESD with questions, prepare for a long wait. I've had better luck calling right when they open at 8am or using that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. Regular calling is just brutal.

The thing that surprised me was that they count ALL your employers during the base period, even if you only worked somewhere for a few weeks. As long as they reported your wages to Washington ESD, it counts toward your qualification.

Double check that your employers have been reporting your wages correctly too. Sometimes there are delays or errors that could affect whether you qualify.

I qualified with just over a year of work history across three different jobs. Your 8 months plus the previous 6 months sounds like it should put you in good shape, especially if you were making decent wages.

Don't forget that if you do qualify and file a claim, you'll need to file weekly claims to actually receive benefits. And you'll need to do job search activities - usually 3 job contacts per week.

One last thing - if you're worried about qualifying, you might want to consider talking to someone at WorkSource. They can help you understand the requirements and might have other resources available if you don't qualify for regular unemployment.

Bottom line is that 14 months of total work history should put you in a good position to qualify, assuming your wages were reported correctly and you meet the dollar thresholds. The key is that it's not about one job but your total earnings during the base period.