How long do you need to be employed to qualify for unemployment in Washington?

That's helpful, thanks! So if I've been working steadily for 8 months I should be fine then?

As long as you've earned over $1,000 total in those qualifying quarters, yes. Washington ESD will calculate your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter too.

How do I check that? Is there a way to see if I qualify before I actually need to file?

You can log into your Washington ESD account online and view your wage and employment history. It shows all the wages employers have reported for you.

Wait, 680 hours? That's only like 4 months of full-time work. Why do people think you need to work a whole year?

That's a common misconception. The 680 hour requirement is pretty easy to meet if you're working regularly. The confusion comes from people mixing up the base year period with actual work requirements.

This is exactly why I had trouble when I got laid off last year - I thought I needed a full year at one job and almost didn't apply. Turns out my part-time work from different jobs all counted toward the requirements.

I had the same problem trying to reach someone at Washington ESD. Kept getting busy signals or disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Super frustrating when you just need a simple question answered.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD, you might want to try Claimyr. It's a service that helps you actually connect with an agent - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and redialing.

Never heard of that but I'll check it out. At this point I'm willing to try anything to avoid calling Washington ESD directly again.

This is getting complicated. So they don't count the most recent quarter when you file?

Right, because that quarter isn't complete yet when you file. That's why it's the first 4 of the last 5 quarters. There's also an alternate base year if you don't qualify under the standard one.

That makes me feel better. I've been working 40+ hours a week so I should be good on both the hours and earnings.

Yeah you should be fine. I think the requirements are designed to make sure people actually worked a reasonable amount, not to keep everyone out.

Right, I'm potentially looking at layoffs so that should be fine. Just trying to prepare in case it happens.

Layoffs definitely qualify. Just make sure to file as soon as possible after your last day - benefits don't backdate to before you file your claim.

What's the alternate base year? I've never heard of that.

If you don't qualify under the standard base year, they'll check using the most recent 4 complete quarters instead. It can help people who started working more recently.

Exactly. The alternate base year uses quarters 2-5 instead of quarters 1-4 (counting backward from when you file). It's automatic - Washington ESD will check both if needed.

Good to know! I only have one job but it's reassuring that they count everything together.

Yeah they definitely combine all your wages. I had like 4 different jobs over the year and they all counted toward my eligibility.

I'll have to look for that. Is it easy to find on their site?

It's in the 'Before You Apply' section I think. You just enter your quarterly wages and it estimates your weekly benefit amount.

How many job searches do you need to do per week?

It's usually 3 job search activities per week, but it can vary based on your situation. WorkSourceWA has tools to help track your searches.

The requirements can be different for different people based on their background and local job market. Washington ESD will tell you exactly what you need to do when you file.

How does that work? Do they just call for you or something?

They have a system that gets you connected to an actual Washington ESD agent when one becomes available. No more endless busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting forever.

Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. I feel much more confident about the requirements now.

Yeah this thread was way more helpful than trying to decode the Washington ESD website. Good luck with everything!

Good point. I'll make sure to file right away if it happens. Better to start the process and find out than wait and wonder.

Definitely. And keep all your employment documents - pay stubs, termination letter, etc. You might need them during the process.

That's reassuring. I've been making decent money so hopefully that helps if I do need to file.

Higher wages definitely help. Your weekly benefit amount is based on your highest earning quarter, so good wages make a difference both for eligibility and benefit calculation.