How long do you need to work for a company to get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

The minimum work requirement isn't about how long you worked at your current job specifically. Washington ESD looks at your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $1,000 in your base period and your total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings.

i think you need to work at least 680 hours or something like that too, not just the dollar amounts

I was in a similar situation last year and had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify my eligibility. The phone lines are constantly busy and their online system doesn't always give clear answers about base period calculations. I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected with an actual agent who could review my work history. They have this video demo (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ) that shows exactly how it works.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator that can help estimate if you qualify, but honestly it's pretty confusing to use. You input your quarterly wages and it tells you potential weekly benefit amount and duration.

THIS SYSTEM IS SO STUPID!! Why can't they just make it simple - you work, you pay into it, you should get benefits! All these quarters and base periods and calculations are designed to confuse people and deny claims.

To directly answer your original question - there's no specific minimum time you need to work at your current job. What matters is your total earnings during your base period from all employers. Even if you only worked 1 day at your current job, you could still qualify if your previous employment meets the wage requirements.

One thing to watch out for is if you quit vs get fired. If you quit without good cause, you might face a disqualification even if you meet the wage requirements.

also remember you have to keep filing weekly claims and do job searches even after you qualify

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr thing I mentioned earlier. I know someone was skeptical but I used it again recently when my claim went into adjudication and couldn't get answers from Washington ESD. Got connected to an agent within an hour who explained exactly what documents they needed. Saved me weeks of waiting.

The key thing is understanding that unemployment insurance is exactly that - insurance. You and your employers pay premiums through payroll taxes, and the benefits are based on your wage history during the base period. It's not welfare, it's earned benefits.

quick question - does severance pay affect your unemployment claim?

For anyone still confused about base periods, I found this helpful: if you file your claim today, your base period is October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. That's the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed quarters. If you don't qualify under that, they'll check the alternate base period which is the last 4 completed quarters.

I went through this whole process last year and the hardest part was actually reaching someone at Washington ESD to ask questions. Their customer service is overwhelmed. Pro tip: if you do need to call, try right when they open at 8am.

Since we're talking about reaching Washington ESD agents, I'll mention Claimyr one more time. The thing that convinced me to try it was realizing I was spending hours every day trying to get through on the phone. Time is money, and this service actually saved me both.

Bottom line for the original poster: if you worked consistently at your previous job for 2 years, you almost certainly qualify for unemployment benefits regardless of how long you've been at your current job. The system looks at your total wage history, not individual job tenure.

One last thing - make sure you file your claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. There's no waiting period to file and you can't get retroactive benefits for weeks you didn't claim.

This has been really informative. I'm bookmarking this thread in case I ever need to reference it.