How long you have to be on a job to get unemployment in Washington state

In Washington state, you need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period to qualify for unemployment benefits. The base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So 5 months should be enough if he worked consistently and earned enough wages.

Your husband should definitely apply! Washington ESD will calculate his base period automatically when he files. The system looks at wages from all employers during that time, so his previous job earlier in the year might help him qualify too.

I was in a similar situation last year. Had only worked 4 months at my new job when I got let go, but my previous employment helped me qualify. The Washington ESD website has a wage calculator you can use to estimate benefits before filing. Just make sure he applies as soon as possible since there's a waiting week.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone to ask questions about eligibility, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me connect with an agent much faster. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

the 5 months should be fine as long as he made decent money. i only worked 3 months at my last job but had other work earlier that year and still qualified. washington is pretty good about this stuff compared to other states

Don't forget he'll also need to meet the job search requirements once he starts receiving benefits. Washington requires 3 job search activities per week and you have to keep a log of everything you do.

I'm going through this right now actually. Filed my claim last week after being laid off from a job I'd only had for 4 months. Got approved yesterday! The key is having enough total wages in your base period from ALL jobs, not just the most recent one.

Just want to add that if there are any issues with the claim or if it goes into adjudication, those Claimyr people mentioned earlier can be really helpful. I used them when my claim got stuck and couldn't get anyone at Washington ESD on the phone for weeks. Finally got it resolved.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing. I still don't understand how they calculate the base period thing. why can't they just make it simple like 'worked 6 months = qualify

Your husband should definitely apply. Even if he's not sure about eligibility, let Washington ESD make that determination. Worst case they say no, but if he qualifies and waits too long to apply, he could lose out on benefits for those weeks.

Make sure he files online at esd.wa.gov rather than trying to call. The online system is available 24/7 and much easier than dealing with phone lines. He'll need his Social Security number, address for the last 18 months, and employer information for the last 18 months.

Been there! Lost my job after 6 months and was worried about qualifying too. Turned out my wages from a temp job earlier in the year put me over the threshold. The Washington ESD system looks at all your wages automatically, so don't stress too much about calculating everything yourself.

One thing to remember is that if your husband's claim gets approved, he'll need to file weekly claims every week to continue receiving benefits. It's pretty straightforward but you have to do it every single week or you won't get paid for that week.

If he worked consistent hours at the warehouse for 5 months, he should be fine. Washington is pretty reasonable about unemployment eligibility compared to some states. The main thing is just making sure he applies quickly and provides accurate information.

I had a friend who used that Claimyr service when he couldn't get through to ask about his eligibility. Turned out he qualified even though he thought he didn't have enough work history. Sometimes it's worth talking to an actual person at Washington ESD if you have questions.

Don't overthink it - just apply! The worst they can say is no, but from what you've described with 5 months of steady work plus the earlier restaurant job, he should qualify. Washington ESD will figure out all the calculations for you.

Just wanted to add that once he does apply and if he gets approved, make sure he understands the job search requirements. 3 activities per week and you have to keep detailed records. It's not hard but you have to stay on top of it.

Good luck with the application! Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like he should qualify. The 5 months plus the previous restaurant work should put him over the wage threshold for sure.

One last tip - if you run into any technical issues with the online application or need to speak with someone at Washington ESD for any reason, that Claimyr service really does work. Used it myself when I had questions about my base period calculation. Much better than trying to call during normal business hours.