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

What's considered a quarter? Like January-March, April-June, etc? And do you know what the minimum earnings requirement is?

Yes exactly - quarters are Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, Oct-Dec. For 2025, you need to have earned at least $8,019 total during your base period, with at least $2,673 in your highest-earning quarter.

What exactly counts as a quarter? Is that like every 3 months?

Yes, quarters are Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, and Oct-Dec. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would typically be Jan 2024 through Dec 2024.

Oh crap really? Even if it's for family care reasons? I thought there might be exceptions for that kind of thing.

There are some exceptions for quitting with good cause, including compelling family reasons in certain situations. You'd need to check with Washington ESD about whether your specific family situation would qualify.

OMG yes the phone situation is terrible! I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to an agent in like 20 minutes. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Totally worth it when you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. How does it work exactly?

They basically call for you and wait on hold, then connect you when they get through. Super simple and way better than sitting on hold for hours yourself.

So if I started working in August, would I have enough quarters by now? This is confusing.

If you started in August 2024, you'd have earnings in Q3 and Q4 of 2024. That's two quarters, so you'd meet the quarters requirement. Just make sure your total earnings hit those dollar thresholds.

Oh no, that's another requirement? This is getting complicated. How do I even check what I earned in each quarter?

You can request a wage and hour statement from Washington ESD to see your quarterly earnings. They have it all on file from your employers' reports.

Nope, it's based on quarters and dollar amounts, not a full year. As long as you meet the wage requirements in at least two quarters during your base period, you can qualify.

That sounds helpful! Was it expensive to use?

They focus on just getting you connected to agents, so it saved me tons of time instead of trying to call over and over. Worth it for the peace of mind knowing I could actually talk to someone about my specific situation.

I've heard of services like that but always wondered if they're legit. Good to know it worked for someone.

How do I check if my wages were reported correctly? Is there a way to see that online?

Yes, you can check your wage history through your SecureAccess Washington account. Look for the quarterly wage reports to make sure everything matches up with your pay stubs.

Oh wow, so the amounts the previous person mentioned might be outdated? How do I find the current requirements?

Check the Washington ESD website directly - they post the current year's wage requirements. The amounts do increase most years.

This is exactly why I had such a hard time getting through to someone at Washington ESD last month. I kept calling and calling but could never get past the busy signal. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me connected to an agent who explained my wage requirements clearly. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Wait, so they check both automatically? That's actually reassuring.

Yes, they'll use whichever base period gives you a valid claim if you meet the requirements under either one.

Yeah, the earnings threshold can be tough for part-time workers. You need that minimum dollar amount, not just time worked. It's based on your actual wages earned during the base period.

wish someone had told me that before i bothered filing. wasted so much time

That's reassuring! I have been working full time so hopefully the dollar amounts work out.

I think it's because they want to make sure people actually contributed enough in taxes to fund their benefits. The quarter system helps ensure you had substantial employment.

i guess that makes sense but its still frustrating when youre trying to figure out if you qualify

I had no idea there was an alternate base period! That's really helpful to know.

yeah they did that for me automatically when i applied, didnt even know it was happening until i got approved

Good point. I'm hoping it won't come to that but better to know all the requirements ahead of time.

That covers the basic monetary requirements. You also need to be unemployed through no fault of your own and be able and available for work when you file.

and dont forget you have to do the job search requirements once youre approved - 3 job contacts per week minimum

That's good to hear! I'm making about $18/hour so hopefully that's enough to meet the thresholds.

Yeah that should definitely be enough if you've been working consistently for 8 months.

Tell me about it! I remember being so stressed about whether I'd worked long enough.

exactly! and getting through to someone who could actually explain it was nearly impossible

Oh perfect! I'll definitely check that out. Thanks for all the help everyone.

Good to know about filing right away. I'll keep that in mind.

Yeah, that's why they base it on wages earned rather than just time worked. Makes sense when you think about it.

This is super helpful, thank you! So even if I meet the wage requirements, quitting without good cause would still disqualify me?

Correct. Quitting without good cause results in disqualification. However, compelling family reasons CAN sometimes qualify as good cause - you'd need to provide documentation and Washington ESD would make the determination.

I'm not planning to quit or anything, just want to know in case something happens with layoffs at my company.

Smart thinking ahead! At least now you know what to expect if you do need to file.

That's a relief! I was worried I hadn't worked long enough but the math makes sense when you put it that way.

Good cause for family reasons typically includes things like domestic violence, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or following a spouse who must relocate for work. Each case is evaluated individually.

I quit to take care of my mom when she had cancer and Washington ESD approved it as good cause. Had to provide medical documentation though.

That's correct - they use completed quarters, so there's always a lag. You can sometimes use an alternate base period if you don't qualify with the standard one, which would be more recent quarters.

Oh that's good to know about the alternate base period. How do you request that?

Oh that's a great idea! I'll look that up. Thanks for the tip.

just remember the calculator is just an estimate - the actual determination happens when you file your claim

Yeah, if layoffs happen it would definitely be due to budget cuts, not performance issues.

All wages from covered employment count toward your base period earnings, regardless of how many employers. Washington ESD will total everything up when determining eligibility.

Perfect, that should help me qualify then. I was worried they might only count my main job.

Commission earnings count just like regular wages as long as they were reported properly by your employer. The key is when they were actually paid to you, not when you earned the commission.

Good to know, thanks. My company sometimes pays out commissions the quarter after they're earned so I'll need to check the timing.

That gives me hope! I was worried the 6-month gap before my current job would hurt me.

As long as you have the required earnings in the quarters that count for your base period, gaps in between shouldn't matter.

Getting through is the hardest part! I've heard people mention using that Claimyr service to skip the phone wait times.

Oh yeah, I've seen that mentioned in other threads. Might be worth looking into if you need to talk to someone quickly.

Smart move. If you need to talk to Washington ESD about your specific situation, I'd definitely recommend using Claimyr to get through their phone lines. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed answers about my claim.

I'll check that out, thanks for the tip!

Yes, part-time work absolutely counts as long as you earned wages that were reported to Washington ESD. It's all about the total earnings, not whether it was full-time or part-time.

Good to know! I was worried my part-time earnings wouldn't help.

That makes sense. I feel much better about my situation now after reading everyone's responses.

Good reminder! I'll keep that in mind if I need to file.

Thanks! Yeah, hopefully it won't come to that but at least I know I'd have some income support if needed.

I'll definitely look into that if the situation arises. Thanks for thinking of that detail!

Yeah I'm starting to think I need to explore other options. Maybe see if I can work out some kind of leave arrangement with my employer instead of quitting outright.

That would definitely be better for unemployment eligibility if you end up needing benefits later.

Right, I've heard about the job search requirements. How many jobs do you have to apply for each week?

It varies based on your situation and what Washington ESD determines, but typically 3 job search activities per week. They have to be documented in WorkSourceWA.

The amounts are adjusted annually based on average wages in the state. It's meant to keep pace with wage inflation, but you're right that it can make qualification more difficult for some workers.

Makes sense I guess, but still frustrating for people who are already struggling financially.

Washington participates in interstate wage transfer programs, so wages from other states can potentially be combined. You'd need to provide information about your out-of-state employment when filing.

That's helpful to know. The whole multi-state thing seemed really complicated when I was looking into it.

Seriously! And when you try to call them for help, good luck getting through. That's why I ended up using Claimyr - at least then you can actually talk to someone who can look at your specific situation.

might have to try that. this is way more complicated than it should be

That's a really good point. I should check our employee handbook and maybe talk to HR about what options might be available.

Definitely worth exploring. Even if they don't have formal policies, they might be willing to work something out given your circumstances.

It's always better to understand the requirements ahead of time. Too many people assume they'll qualify without checking the specifics first.

Exactly. Better to be prepared than get an unpleasant surprise when you're already dealing with job loss.

What kind of documentation would they typically want for family care situations?

Usually medical records, doctor's statements, things that prove the serious nature of the family member's condition and your need to provide care. Each case is different though.

Was that the Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier? I'm starting to think that might be worth it just for peace of mind.

Yeah, exactly. Sometimes it's worth it just to talk to someone who can give you definitive answers instead of guessing.

Good point! I'll keep that in mind if anything happens with my job.

Yeah I made that mistake and lost out on a week of benefits because I waited too long to file.

That makes sense. I feel better about my situation after reading everyone's responses.

Good! The system is designed to help people who lose jobs through no fault of their own, so if that's your situation you should be fine.

Hopefully I won't need to worry about appeals, but good to know there are options if something goes wrong.

appeals can take a while though so its better to get everything right the first time if possible

Yeah, I feel much more prepared now. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information!

no problem! thats what this community is for - helping each other navigate the unemployment system

Great advice! I should probably start keeping better records of my employment history.

yeah pay stubs and tax documents are really helpful when filing a claim

That's reassuring! Hopefully I won't need to find out, but at least I know what to expect now.

fingers crossed you wont need it but good that youre informed just in case