How long do you need to work somewhere to collect unemployment in Washington?

What exactly is the base period? Is that just the last few months I worked?

The base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January 2024 through December 2024.

This is confusing. So if someone worked part-time for 6 months but made good money, they could qualify? But someone who worked full-time for 2 months might not?

Exactly! It's all about the dollar amounts you earned, not the duration at any specific job.

How much does that service cost? I'm already worried about money if I lose my job.

It's worth checking out their site for details, but honestly getting through to verify your earnings is crucial. A lot of people get denied because their work history isn't complete in the system.

Yes, as long as you were paid wages that get reported to Washington ESD, it counts toward your base period earnings regardless of how short the employment was.

But being fired might affect your eligibility for other reasons, like if it was for misconduct.

I tried that calculator but it asks for specific quarter earnings and I don't have all those records readily available.

You can request your wage history from Washington ESD or check with your previous employers for pay stubs from each quarter.

Because it's designed to help people who might have worked multiple part-time jobs or had variable income. The earnings-based system can actually be more inclusive.

I guess that makes sense but it's still really hard to figure out if you qualify without doing a bunch of math.

How do you request the alternate base period? Do they automatically check that if you don't qualify the regular way?

You have to specifically request it when you file your claim or appeal if you get denied. They don't automatically check it.

Only if you paid into the unemployment system. Most gig work is considered self-employment and doesn't contribute to UI eligibility unless you specifically opted in.

Ugh, so all that work basically doesn't count? That seems unfair.

You can potentially combine wages from different states, but it gets complicated. You'd need to file in the state where you worked most recently or earned the most.

This is getting way too complicated. I think I need to talk to someone at Washington ESD directly.

Did they help you figure out which state to file in? I'm in a similar situation.

Yes, the Washington ESD agent was able to see my wage history from other states and helped me determine I should file in Washington since I earned more here.

Thanks! That's reassuring. I was making about $3,200 a month at my previous job and about the same at my current job.

Yeah, you'd definitely qualify. Those earnings put you well above the minimum thresholds.

But what about people who just started working? Like new graduates?

New graduates might not have enough work history in their base period, which is why the alternate base period option exists.

How many jobs do you have to apply for each week? I heard it's pretty strict.

You need to make at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a log. Washington ESD can audit your job search records.

What happens if they find problems with your job search log?

They can make you pay back benefits or disqualify you from future weeks. It's serious business.

That's the maximum though. Most people get way less than that depending on their earnings.

True, your weekly benefit is calculated as about 3.85% of your average quarterly wages in your base period.

They do have some explanatory materials, but you're right that it's not very user-friendly for first-time filers.

That's government websites for you. Never designed with actual users in mind.

How quickly do you need to file after losing your job?

File as soon as possible. There's a one-week waiting period before benefits start, and delays in filing just push back when you'll receive money.

I was skeptical about using a third-party service at first, but honestly Washington ESD's phone system is so overloaded that it was worth it.

Exactly. Time is money when you're unemployed, and getting your claim processed quickly is crucial.

Agreed! I feel much more confident about the process now. Hopefully I won't need to use this information anytime soon.

Save this thread just in case. You never know when employment situations might change.