How long do you have to work to draw unemployment benefits in Washington?

Thanks! So it's not really about how long you worked but how much you earned in those quarters?

Exactly! It's based on wages earned, not time worked. You could work full-time for 3 months and potentially qualify if you earned enough, or work part-time for 2 years and not qualify if your wages were too low.

That benefit calculator is super helpful! I used it when I was laid off from my restaurant job. It walks you through all the requirements step by step.

I'll definitely check that out. Do you remember roughly how long it took to get approved after you filed?

Interesting, I've never heard of that service. Did you actually get through to someone?

Yeah, within like 20 minutes. I was shocked because I'd been trying to call ESD for days about my claim status with no luck.

How much does something like that cost? Seems too good to be true.

That's really detailed, thank you! I think I should qualify based on my current job, but I'm not 100% sure about the dollar amounts.

Yeah those dollar amounts change every year too, so make sure you're looking at current info. I got confused last year using old numbers I found online.

It depends on when you worked and how much you earned. If you worked across at least 2 calendar quarters and met the wage requirements, you should qualify. The key is having wages in multiple quarters, not just one.

oh ok that makes sense. i worked from like march to september so that should be multiple quarters right?

Yes, March to September would cover Q1 (partial), Q2, and Q3, so you'd have wages in multiple quarters.

Tell me about it! I spent hours trying to figure out if I qualified before just filing and letting them tell me yes or no.

That's actually not a bad approach. If you think you might qualify, it doesn't hurt to file and let ESD determine your eligibility. The worst they can say is no.

Right, I know about the job search requirements. Do they start those right away or is there a waiting period?

Job search requirements start immediately when you file your claim. You need to register with WorkSource and complete at least 3 job search activities per week.

And keep detailed records of your job search activities! ESD can audit your job search log at any time.

That's kind of my situation - I had that long gap between jobs. Did that affect your base period calculations?

It can, depending on when the gap was. They look at specific quarters, so if your gap happened during quarters that would be in your base period, it could impact your eligibility.

This is good advice but be careful with the timing. You want to file as soon as possible after becoming unemployed to avoid missing any potential benefits.

Absolutely! I'm talking about cases where someone is right on the edge and a week or two might put them over the threshold. Always file ASAP in most situations.

Military service can count for unemployment benefits, but it's through a different program called UCX (Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers). The eligibility requirements are similar but not identical to regular UI.

Thanks! I'll look into that. Sounds like I need to research the military-specific requirements.

If you need to check on your claim status and can't get through by phone, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier might help. I used it to get updates on my pending claim when I couldn't reach anyone at ESD.

I might have to try that. I've called ESD like 20 times and either get busy signals or get disconnected after waiting on hold.

The phone system is absolutely terrible. I spent entire days trying to get through when I had questions about my claim.

Thank you for the exact numbers! That helps me calculate whether I'd qualify based on my current earnings.

Where do you find the updated numbers each year? I always have trouble tracking down the current requirements.

They're usually posted on the Washington ESD website under benefit information, but sometimes it takes a while for them to update after the new year.

Good point! I had wages from Oregon and Washington and was able to combine them for my claim.

That's interesting. I've only worked in Washington but good to know for the future.

Yeah that's confusing! Like if you file in January, your base period doesn't include any of the work you did in October, November, or December of the previous year.

Exactly! That's why the alternate base period exists - to capture more recent wages if you don't qualify under the regular base period.

The ESD website has gotten better over the years but it's still pretty confusing to navigate. Sometimes calling is your best bet if you can actually get through.

That's where services like Claimyr come in handy - when you need to talk to a real person but can't get through the regular phone lines. Saved me so much frustration.