How long to work at a job to get unemployment in Washington state?

In Washington, you need to have worked and earned wages in at least two of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. It's not about how long you worked at one specific job, but your total work history over those quarters.

i think you also need to make at least $1000 in your highest earning quarter during the base period, but dont quote me on that number

I was in a similar situation last year. Had to call Washington ESD multiple times to understand my eligibility. The phone system is absolutely terrible - kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a real person at claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that explains how it works.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I worked for 8 months straight and still got denied because of some technicality about my base period. Washington ESD makes it impossible to understand what you actually need.

Quick question - does it matter if you quit vs get fired for the work history requirements?

I remember when I first filed, I was so confused about the base period thing. Washington ESD uses the first four of the last five completed quarters, not including the quarter you're filing in. So if you file in January 2025, they look at wages from January 2024 through September 2024.

just went through this process myself. had to provide pay stubs from like 6 different jobs over 18 months. washington esd wanted documentation for everything

Something important to note - if you're thinking about quitting, you should document everything first. Washington ESD will investigate whether you had 'good cause' to quit, and having documentation helps your case significantly.

can you collect unemployment if you only worked part time jobs?

This thread is making me realize how little I understood about unemployment when I first applied. Wish I'd known about the base period calculation before I quit my last job.

For what it's worth, I used Claimyr again when I had questions about my weekly claims. Much easier than trying to get through to Washington ESD directly. The system is just not designed for people who need quick answers.

Don't forget you also have to be able and available for work and actively seeking work each week you claim benefits. It's not just about qualifying initially.

I worked at a job for only 2 weeks before getting laid off. Even though I had previous work history, Washington ESD still took forever to process my claim because they had to verify everything.

question about the quarters thing - if i worked seasonally last summer but haven't worked since then, would that count toward my base period if i file now?

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator that can give you a rough idea if you qualify based on your wage history. It's not perfect but it's a starting point.

Just remember that even if you qualify monetarily, you still need to meet all the other requirements. I've seen people get approved initially only to have issues later with the job search requirements or other eligibility rules.

pro tip: keep detailed records of all your employment from day one. pay stubs, offer letters, termination notices, everything. makes the whole process much smoother if you ever need to file

Washington ESD also has an alternate base period option if your standard base period doesn't qualify you but more recent wages would. It's worth asking about if you're close to qualifying.

I had to use that Claimyr service too when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my eligibility questions. Saved me days of calling and actually got me real answers about my specific situation.

Bottom line - you need work history in at least two quarters and sufficient wages during your base period. The exact amounts depend on what you earned, but Washington ESD has specific formulas they use to determine eligibility.