How long do you have to work to qualify for unemployment in Washington - confused about work history requirements

What counts as sufficient wages? I made about $18/hour at both jobs so I think my wages were decent.

For 2025, you need at least $6,500 in wages during your base year, plus wages in at least two quarters of the base year. Your hourly rate sounds like it should meet the requirements if you worked consistent hours.

Oh no, does that mean I won't qualify at all? The manager at my old job was really making my life miserable.

Not necessarily. If you can document that you had good cause to quit (harassment, unsafe conditions, etc.), Washington ESD might approve it. You'll need to provide details and any evidence you have.

How does that work exactly? Is it expensive?

It's pretty straightforward - they handle the calling for you and connect you when they get through. The cost was worth it for me since I was getting nowhere on my own and needed to explain my work history situation.

Never heard of that service but honestly anything beats sitting on hold for hours just to get hung up on.

Right? I've been reading through their eligibility pages and my eyes are glazing over with all the technical language.

The key things to remember are: sufficient wages in your base year, lost your job through no fault of your own (or had good cause to quit), and you're able and available to work while searching for new employment.

What's an adjudication process? That sounds scary.

It's just Washington ESD's way of investigating claims that have potential issues. They'll contact you and possibly your former employers to get details about your work history and reasons for leaving. It can add a few weeks to the process but isn't necessarily bad.

Make sure you document everything about why you quit that previous job. Save any emails, text messages, or write down incidents with dates if you can remember them.

It's not about months specifically, it's about meeting the wage requirements in your base year. Six months might be cutting it close depending on your hours and pay rate.

I was working full time at $16/hour so hopefully that's enough. Guess I'll have to apply and see what happens.

Good luck! Remember to file as soon as possible since benefits are calculated from when you file, not when you lost your job.

Definitely keep Claimyr in mind if you need to speak with someone. I wish I had known about it earlier in my process - would have saved me a lot of stress.

Commission income still counts toward your wage requirements as long as it was reported properly by your employer. Washington ESD looks at total wages regardless of how they were structured.

That's a relief. I was worried they might not count it since the amounts varied so much month to month.

Three weeks?! I was hoping to hear back within a few days.

Unfortunately that's pretty normal, especially if there are any complications with your work history. The good news is that if you're approved, you'll get back pay for the waiting period.

Good to know! I would have probably stopped filing if I didn't hear back right away.

Yes, this is crucial advice. Always continue filing your weekly claims unless specifically told to stop by Washington ESD. It protects your benefit weeks.

Multiple employers actually doesn't complicate things - Washington ESD just adds up all your wages from all employers during your base year. As long as the total meets their requirements, you should be fine.

That's what I was hoping. I had three different part-time jobs last year so I was worried it would be too confusing for them to process.

I'm definitely keeping that as backup if I can't get through on my own. It sounds like trying to call directly is pretty frustrating.

It really is. I probably spent 20+ hours over two weeks just trying to get through on the phone. Claimyr got me connected within a day and the agent was able to answer all my questions about my work history requirements.

How many jobs do you have to apply for each week?

i think it's at least 3 job search activities per week but check the current requirements on the washington esd website since they change sometimes

That's encouraging! I'm definitely going to apply rather than assume I don't qualify.

Exactly! Let them make the determination rather than disqualifying yourself before you even try.

Do you know roughly how they calculate the weekly amount?

It's based on your highest quarter of earnings during the base year. I think the formula is roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter wages, but don't quote me on that exact percentage.

Yeah I definitely plan to be upfront about everything. I have nothing to hide, I just hope they understand that the situation was really unbearable.

If you can document harassment or unsafe working conditions, that usually helps your case. Washington ESD recognizes that sometimes quitting is the only reasonable option.

Thanks! I'm feeling more confident about applying after reading everyone's experiences and advice.

That's great to hear. Remember to keep copies of everything you submit and document all your interactions with Washington ESD in case you need to reference them later.

Yes, the appeal process exists for exactly these kinds of situations. You typically have 30 days from the denial notice to file an appeal, and you can present additional evidence or clarification about your work history.

That's reassuring to know there's a path forward even if the initial decision isn't favorable.

Thank you for saying that. I was feeling a bit guilty about filing but you're right that I paid into the system.

Exactly! That's what unemployment insurance is for - to provide a safety net when you lose your job through no fault of your own.