How long you have to be at a job to get unemployment - Washington ESD requirements?
I'm trying to figure out the minimum time you need to work at a job before you can qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington. I've been at my current job for about 8 months but things aren't looking good and I might get laid off soon. I know there's some kind of work history requirement but I can't find clear info on the Washington ESD website. Does anyone know how long you have to work before you can file for UI benefits? Also worried because I had a gap in employment last year when I was between jobs for a few months.
47 comments
Join the conversation
Leslie Parker
The requirement isn't about how long you work at one specific job, it's about your total earnings over what's called the 'base period.' For Washington ESD, you need to have earned at least $3,800 in your base period AND have worked in at least two quarters of that period. Your base period is typically the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file your claim.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•Oh that makes more sense! So it's not just about one job but all my earnings over that time period. What if I worked part-time at multiple jobs during some of those quarters?
0 coins
Leslie Parker
•Part-time work absolutely counts toward your earnings requirement. Washington ESD looks at all covered employment, whether it was full-time, part-time, or multiple jobs. As long as your total earnings hit that $3,800 threshold across at least two quarters, you should meet the basic requirement.
0 coins
Sergio Neal
yeah i was worried about the same thing when i got fired last year but turned out my 8 months was plenty, just make sure you report ALL your jobs when you file the claim because they cross-reference everything anyway
0 coins
Freya Ross
•Good to know! Did you have any issues with the application process or did it go pretty smoothly?
0 coins
Sergio Neal
•mostly smooth but took forever to get through on the phone when i had questions about my weekly claims
0 coins
Savanna Franklin
Here's what I learned when I had to figure this out - Washington ESD has an alternative base period calculation too. If you don't qualify under the standard base period, they'll automatically check if you qualify using the alternative base period which includes more recent work. This helps people who recently started working or had employment gaps.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•That's really helpful! I was worried my gap last year would hurt me but sounds like the alternative calculation might cover that.
0 coins
Juan Moreno
•The alternative base period saved me when I got laid off. My standard base period didn't have enough earnings but the alternative one included my most recent job and I qualified.
0 coins
Amy Fleming
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify your work history or get specific answers about your situation, I had good luck using claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you actually reach a real person at ESD. I was on hold for literally hours trying to get through the normal way, but they got me connected to an agent in like 20 minutes. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•Never heard of that before but might be worth trying if I need to call. The phone system is so frustrating.
0 coins
Alice Pierce
•Is that legit? Seems too good to be true that someone can just skip the phone queue like that.
0 coins
Amy Fleming
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They basically handle the waiting on hold part for you and then connect you when an agent is available. Way better than sitting there listening to the same hold music for hours.
0 coins
Esteban Tate
DONT PANIC about the work history thing! I thought I was screwed because I only worked 6 months at my last job but turns out I had earnings from a previous job that counted toward my base period. The Washington ESD system automatically calculates all of this when you apply - you don't have to figure out the math yourself.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•That's reassuring! I was trying to calculate it myself and getting confused about which quarters counted.
0 coins
Esteban Tate
•Yeah don't stress about the calculations, just make sure you report all your employers accurately when you file. The system does the rest.
0 coins
Leslie Parker
Just to clarify one more important point - even if you meet the earnings requirement, you also need to be unemployed through no fault of your own. So if you quit without good cause or get fired for misconduct, you might not qualify regardless of your work history. But layoffs, reduction in force, or other business-related separations usually qualify.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•In my case it would likely be a layoff due to budget cuts, so that should be okay.
0 coins
Ivanna St. Pierre
•What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? I've been thinking about leaving my job because of unsafe working conditions.
0 coins
Leslie Parker
•Good cause includes things like unsafe working conditions, significant changes to your job duties or pay, harassment, or certain personal/family emergencies. But you usually need to document that you tried to resolve the issue with your employer first.
0 coins
Sergio Neal
btw if you do end up filing make sure you keep track of all your job search activities because they require you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and document everything in WorkSourceWA
0 coins
Freya Ross
•Good point, I should start familiarizing myself with those requirements now just in case.
0 coins
Elin Robinson
•The job search requirement kicked my butt when I first started filing. Wish I'd known about WorkSourceWA ahead of time.
0 coins
Savanna Franklin
Another thing to keep in mind - your benefit amount is calculated based on your earnings during the base period, so higher earnings generally mean higher weekly benefits (up to the maximum). With 8 months of work you should have decent earnings to base your benefits on.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•That makes sense. Is there a way to estimate what my weekly benefit amount might be?
0 coins
Savanna Franklin
•Washington ESD has a benefit calculator on their website, but it's pretty basic. Your weekly benefit is roughly 3.85% of your total base period wages, divided by 52, up to the state maximum.
0 coins
Atticus Domingo
I was in a similar situation last year and kept putting off filing because I wasn't sure if I qualified. Turns out I should have filed right away because you can't get benefits for weeks before you actually file your claim, even if you were eligible.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•Oh wow, so timing really matters then. I'll make sure to file immediately if I do get laid off.
0 coins
Beth Ford
•Yes! File as soon as possible after your last day of work. Don't wait to see if you find another job quickly.
0 coins
Morita Montoya
Quick question - does anyone know if contract work counts toward the earnings requirement? I did some freelance stuff between jobs last year but wasn't sure if that shows up in the Washington ESD system.
0 coins
Leslie Parker
•Contract work only counts if you were classified as an employee and had taxes withheld. True independent contractor work (1099) generally doesn't count toward regular UI benefits, but there might be other programs available.
0 coins
Morita Montoya
•Ah okay, mine was 1099 work so probably doesn't count. Good to know though.
0 coins
Kingston Bellamy
The Washington ESD website is so confusing about this stuff. I spent hours trying to figure out my base period before I just called and asked them directly. Took forever to get through but the agent was actually really helpful in explaining how it all works.
0 coins
Joy Olmedo
•How long did you have to wait on hold? I've been trying to call for a week but keep giving up after an hour.
0 coins
Amy Fleming
•This is exactly why I ended up using that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. The regular phone lines are just impossible to get through on.
0 coins
Isaiah Cross
Don't forget that if you've worked in multiple states recently, you might need to file in a different state or could be eligible for benefits from multiple states. The rules get complicated if you've moved around.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•All my work has been in Washington so that shouldn't be an issue for me, but good to know.
0 coins
Kiara Greene
•I had to deal with that when I moved from Oregon to Washington mid-year. What a headache trying to figure out where to file.
0 coins
Evelyn Kelly
Just want to add that even if you think you might not qualify, it's worth applying anyway. The worst they can say is no, and you might be surprised. I thought for sure I wouldn't qualify because of some gaps in my work history but ended up getting approved.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•That's encouraging! I'll definitely apply if I end up getting laid off rather than assuming I won't qualify.
0 coins
Paloma Clark
•Exactly! Let Washington ESD make the determination rather than self-rejecting.
0 coins
Heather Tyson
One more tip - if you do get denied initially, don't give up. You can appeal the decision and sometimes they overturn it, especially if there was missing information or a misunderstanding about your work history. The appeal process gives you a chance to provide additional documentation.
0 coins
Freya Ross
•Good to know there's an appeal option. Hopefully won't need it but nice to have that backup.
0 coins
Raul Neal
•The appeal process saved me. My initial denial was based on incorrect information from my former employer and I was able to get it overturned.
0 coins
Jenna Sloan
Thanks everyone for all this info! Really helpful to understand that it's about total earnings over the base period rather than just how long you've been at one job. Feeling much more confident about my situation now.
0 coins
Leslie Parker
•Glad we could help clarify things! Remember to keep all your employment records handy in case you need them for the application.
0 coins
Christian Burns
•Good luck with everything! Hope you don't end up needing to file but at least now you know you're likely eligible if you do.
0 coins