How long do you have to work with a company to get unemployment benefits in Washington?

In Washington state, you need to have worked in at least two of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. It's not about how long you worked for one specific company, but about your total work history and earnings during those quarters. You also need to have earned a minimum amount during your base period.

The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. You need to have earned at least $1,000 in your highest quarter and total earnings of at least 1.25 times your highest quarter amount.

I had a similar worry last year when I was only 6 months into a job. The good news is Washington ESD looks at your entire work history, not just one employer. As long as you've been working and paying into the system for the required quarters, you should be fine. Have you been checking your quarterly wage reports?

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify your eligibility, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps people get connected to ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak to someone directly about your specific situation.

dont stress too much about it if youve been working steady for 8 months plus whatever you did before that you should be good. the washington esd system is designed to help people who lose jobs through no fault of their own

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A NIGHTMARE ANYWAY! I had to wait 6 weeks for my claim to get approved even though I worked for 3 years straight. Washington ESD makes it so complicated with all these base period calculations and quarterly requirements. Why can't they just say 'worked 6 months, you're eligible'???

Quick question - do temp jobs count toward the work requirements? I did some temp work between my last job and current one.

One thing to keep in mind is that even if you qualify for UI, your benefit amount depends on your wages during the base period. Higher earnings mean higher weekly benefits, up to the state maximum. The formula is pretty complicated but Washington ESD calculates it automatically when you file.

I was in a similar spot and used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Really helped me get through to an actual person at Washington ESD to verify my eligibility before I even got laid off. Worth the peace of mind to know where you stand.

Also remember that if you don't meet the regular UI requirements, Washington might have an alternate base period calculation that uses more recent quarters. Sometimes people qualify under the alternate calculation even if they don't under the standard one.

Just wanted to add that you also need to be able and available for work to collect benefits. So even if you qualify based on work history, you still need to meet the ongoing requirements like job searching and being ready to accept suitable work.

this whole thread is making me realize i should probably check my own eligibility lol. been at my job for like 10 months but never looked into any of this stuff

Something else to consider - if you get severance pay, that might affect when your benefits start. Washington ESD has rules about how severance is treated, so make sure to report it accurately when you file your claim.

Update for anyone still following - I ended up using Claimyr again yesterday to get through to Washington ESD about a different issue. Still works great for avoiding the busy phone lines. Really recommend it if you need to talk to someone there directly.

The 8 months you mentioned should definitely be enough combined with your previous job. I qualified with only 7 months total work in my base period, but I had earned pretty good wages during that time. The earnings threshold is usually the bigger hurdle than the time requirement.

One last tip - if you do end up filing a claim, make sure you keep detailed records of everything. Your job search activities, any correspondence with Washington ESD, wages from all employers during your base period. Having good documentation makes everything smoother if any issues come up.

just want to say thanks to everyone who explained this stuff. i was confused about the base period thing too but now i get it. this forum is actually helpful unlike most places online lol

Does anyone know if the work requirements are different for part-time vs full-time employees? I've been working part-time at my current job but had full-time work before that.

I went through something similar last year and the anxiety was terrible. Turns out I qualified easily and got approved within a week. Don't let yourself spiral with worry until you know the facts about your specific situation.

Final thought - even if there are questions about your eligibility, you should still file a claim if you lose your job. Let Washington ESD make the determination rather than assuming you don't qualify. Sometimes people are surprised by what they're eligible for.