How long do you have to work to receive Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

In Washington state, you need to have worked and earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period to qualify. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. You also need to have earned at least 680 hours of work OR earned wages equal to at least 1.25 times your highest quarter earnings.

yeah you should be fine with 8 months, I got approved with only 6 months of work but i had to appeal initially because they said i didnt meet the earnings requirement

I had a similar situation last year and couldn't get through to Washington ESD to verify my eligibility. The phone lines are constantly busy and I was getting frustrated trying to reach someone. I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me get through to an actual agent who could review my work history and confirm I qualified. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

The 680 hours rule is what trips people up. Even if you worked 8 months, if you were part-time or had reduced hours, you might not hit that threshold. You can check your quarterly earnings on your Washington ESD account to see if you meet the monetary requirements too.

OMG this is so confusing!!! I'm in the same boat and I keep reading different things online. Some sites say you need 12 months of work, others say 6 months, and now I'm seeing quarters and hours. Why can't Washington ESD just make this simple???

Just apply anyway. The worst they can say is no, and then you'll know for sure. I was convinced I didn't qualify but ended up getting approved. Washington ESD will review your case and let you know.

Wait, I thought you needed a full year of work to qualify for unemployment? That's what my friend told me when I got laid off last year. Are the rules different now?

Another thing to consider is that even if you qualify based on work history, you still need to meet the ongoing requirements like being able and available for work and actively seeking employment. The job search requirements are pretty strict in Washington.

I had to call Washington ESD multiple times to get clarity on my work history because I had worked for two different employers during my base period. The representatives were helpful but it took forever to get through. That Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier actually sounds pretty useful for situations like that.

just a heads up that even if you worked 8 months you might not qualify if you quit voluntarily. you have to be laid off or fired for reasons not related to misconduct

The Washington ESD website has a pretty good benefits calculator that can help you estimate if you qualify and how much you might receive. It's under the 'Calculate Your Weekly Benefit Amount' section. Worth checking out before you apply.

For what it's worth, I applied with about 7 months of work and got approved pretty quickly. Didn't have to appeal or anything. As long as you were working full-time and earning decent wages, 8 months should definitely be enough.

Don't forget that Washington has an alternate base period if you don't qualify under the regular one. So even if your initial application gets denied, you might still have options. The alternate base period uses more recent wages.

Just want to add that the sooner you apply after becoming unemployed, the better. There's no waiting period for benefits to start, but they won't backdate your claim very far. So if you think you qualify, don't wait too long to file.

I tried using that Claimyr service mentioned earlier and it was actually really helpful. I was stuck in adjudication for weeks and couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD. They helped me reach an agent who was able to explain what documentation I needed to submit to resolve my case. Definitely worth considering if you run into issues.

Make sure you have all your employment information ready when you apply - employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. Having everything organized will make the application process much smoother.

One more thing - if you do qualify and start receiving benefits, make sure you report any earnings from part-time work or odd jobs. Washington ESD is pretty strict about overpayments, and you don't want to deal with having to pay money back later.

Good luck with your application! Based on what you've shared, it sounds like you should qualify without any issues. The 8 months of full-time work at a decent salary should easily meet Washington's requirements.

Just to wrap up for anyone else reading this thread - the key requirements in Washington are: wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period, at least 680 hours of work OR wages equal to 1.25 times your highest quarter earnings, and you must be unemployed through no fault of your own. Most people who worked full-time for 6+ months will qualify.