How long do you have to work to apply for unemployment in Washington ESD?

Thanks! So if I file in March 2025, they'd look at my earnings from October 2023 through September 2024?

Exactly right. And you need earnings in at least two different quarters during that period, not just one job the whole time.

The 680 hours requirement is for certain federal programs, not regular Washington state unemployment. For regular UI benefits, it's based on wages earned during your base period quarters.

oh ok good to know, i was worried i didnt have enough hours

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents without all the waiting and busy signals. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration.

Good point. Where can I find the most current wage requirements?

Check the Washington ESD website or your account on esd.wa.gov. They update it annually based on average weekly wages.

Yes, part-time work counts as long as you meet the wage requirements. It doesn't matter if you worked 20 hours a week or 40 hours - what matters is your total wages during the base period.

thats a relief i was worried since i never worked full time

Temp work counts the same as any other employment. The temp agency should have reported your wages to Washington ESD. You might have multiple employers listed during your base period if you worked different assignments.

That makes sense. I worked through three different agencies last year so I wasn't sure how that would show up.

I understand the frustration, but the quarterly system actually helps people who might have gaps in employment. As long as you worked in two different quarters and met the wage threshold, you can qualify even with irregular work patterns.

Yeah but try explaining that to someone who just lost their job and is panicking about paying rent!

Seasonal work definitely counts. Construction workers often use unemployment during winter layoffs. Your summer wages would be included in your base period calculation just like any other job.

Good to know. I file every year around November and never had issues, just wanted to make sure the rules hadn't changed.

Both jobs would count as long as they fall within your base period timeframe. The unemployment gap between jobs doesn't matter - Washington ESD just looks at wages earned during quarters when you did work.

Perfect, that gives me some peace of mind about meeting the requirements.

Commission income counts as wages for unemployment purposes. Your employer should have been withholding unemployment taxes from your commission payments just like regular salary.

makes sense, just wanted to double check since my income varied so much month to month

Self-employment generally doesn't count toward regular unemployment benefits unless you were paying into the system voluntarily. However, if you had employees and were paying unemployment taxes on yourself, that might qualify. You'd need to check with Washington ESD directly.

I tried calling about this exact situation but couldn't get through. Might have to try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier to actually talk to an agent.

Yeah, I'm starting to understand it better now. So even if my current job is only 8 months, my previous job from last year would also count?

Exactly! As long as both jobs fall within your base period quarters, they both count toward meeting the wage requirement.

Out-of-state work can sometimes be transferred to Washington through interstate agreements, but it's complicated. You'd definitely need to speak with a Washington ESD representative to see if your Oregon wages can be combined with any Washington work.

sounds like another reason i need to actually get through to someone on the phone

They use your gross wages, not take-home pay. So if you earned $5000 gross, that's what counts toward the $4,840 requirement, regardless of how much was withheld for taxes.

That's good news! I was worried I might be cutting it close on the minimum.

Glad we could help clarify! The Washington ESD system isn't as straightforward as it could be, but once you understand the base period concept, it makes more sense.

Same here, I was worried about the same thing. Good to know part-time work over a longer period can still qualify you.

How does that service work exactly? Do they just keep calling for you?

They have a system that navigates the phone menu and waits in queue for you, then connects you when an agent is available. Way better than sitting on hold for hours yourself.