How long to be eligible for unemployment Washington ESD - confused about work requirements

Okay so if I file in January 2025, my base period would be January 2024 through December 2024? And I need to check if I made those dollar amounts?

Actually no - if you file in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. It's the first four of the last five COMPLETED quarters.

That's a different test. You can qualify either by meeting the wage requirements OR by working 680 hours during your base period. Most people qualify through wages since it's usually easier to track.

oh ok that makes sense. so its either/or not both

How long did it take you to get through when you called? I've heard the wait times are terrible.

I actually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an agent faster. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process much less stressful.

I feel your frustration but the rules are actually pretty consistent once you understand them. The problem is they use confusing language that doesn't make sense to normal people.

Maybe but when you're stressed about losing your job the last thing you want to do is decode bureaucratic nonsense

This is really helpful! So I should gather all my paystubs from the base period quarters to calculate this?

Exactly. Washington ESD will verify your wages with your employers, but having your own records helps you know where you stand before filing.

What if you worked multiple jobs during the base period? Do all the wages count?

Yes, all covered wages from all employers during your base period count toward meeting the requirements.

What matters more - the length of time or the amount of money earned?

It's the wages and quarters, not the length of employment. Someone could work one day in each of two quarters and qualify if they earned enough, while someone else could work every day for 6 months but not qualify if it was all in one quarter.

How do you request the alternate base period? Do you have to ask for it specifically?

Washington ESD will automatically check it if you don't qualify under the regular base period. But it's good to know about it going in.

Thank you! That's actually really helpful for visualizing it.

Same here - I kept thinking in terms of fiscal years or something. Calendar quarters is much easier to track.

How can you tell which quarter wages count for? Is it based on when you worked or when you were paid?

It's based on when you were paid, not when you worked the hours. So if you worked at the end of December but got paid in January, that counts toward Q1 of the new year.

Have you tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier? I used it last month to get help with my adjudication issue and actually got through to a real person. Might be worth checking out their demo video.

I haven't but I'm definitely going to look into it. This is too stressful to keep guessing about.

Right, I've heard about the job search requirements. How many jobs do you have to apply for each week?

It's 3 job search activities per week, but they don't all have to be applications. Can include networking, job fairs, skills training, etc.

Good to know! I'll try that once I figure out my base period wages.

Where do you find the benefit calculator? I can never navigate their website properly.

It's on the main Washington ESD homepage under 'Unemployment Benefits' - should be a link that says something like 'Calculate Your Benefits'.

That's good to know. I've been at my job since May so I should have wages in at least 2-3 quarters by now.

Yeah if you started in May 2024 and it's January 2025 now, you'd have wages in Q2, Q3, and Q4 of 2024. Should definitely meet the quarter requirement.

Yes, commission counts as wages as long as your employer reports it properly and pays unemployment taxes on it. It should show up on your wage record with Washington ESD.

Perfect, that makes me feel better about potentially qualifying.

What kind of issues can cause adjudication? I'm hoping for a clean layoff if it happens.

Could be anything - employer disputes the reason for separation, questions about misconduct, issues with your availability. Most get resolved eventually but it takes time.

That's when services like Claimyr really help - they can connect you with agents who can explain what's holding up your claim and help move things along.

You're welcome! Just remember to file right away if you do get laid off - benefits don't start until you file, even if you qualify retroactively.

Good point, I'll make sure to file immediately if it happens. Hopefully it won't come to that but at least now I know where I stand.