How long you have to work to collect unemployment in Washington - confused about base period requirements
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits but I'm really confused about the work requirements. I've been at my current job for about 8 months but before that I had a few months gap when I moved here from out of state. I keep seeing different information about base periods and quarters - some say you need 680 hours, others mention earnings requirements. Can someone explain in simple terms how long you actually have to work to collect unemployment in Washington? I'm worried I might not qualify even though I've been working steady for most of the past year.
51 comments
Join the conversation
Mei Liu
Washington ESD looks at your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. You need wages in at least 2 quarters AND total base period wages of at least 1.25 times your highest quarter. The 680 hours thing is just one way to qualify - there are actually multiple wage/hour combinations that work.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•So if I started working in March 2024 and file now, would my base period include the quarters when I wasn't working at all?
0 coins
Mei Liu
•Yes, that's exactly right. Your base period would include some quarters with zero wages, which makes it harder to qualify. You might want to wait until your base period shifts to include more of your recent work.
0 coins
Liam O'Donnell
ugh the whole base period thing is so confusing!! i've been trying to call washington esd for weeks to ask about this exact same question but can never get through
0 coins
Amara Nwosu
•I had the same problem with getting through to them. I actually found this service called Claimyr that helps you reach Washington ESD agents by phone. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it way easier to get my questions answered about base period calculations.
0 coins
AstroExplorer
The minimum is usually around $3,000-4,000 in total base period wages depending on your highest quarter. But honestly the Washington ESD website has a calculator that's pretty helpful if you can find it buried in there somewhere.
0 coins
Giovanni Moretti
•I tried that calculator but it gave me some weird error message. The Washington ESD website is terrible to navigate.
0 coins
Fatima Al-Farsi
Just to clarify - you need EITHER 680 hours of work in your base period OR wages in 2+ quarters that meet the earnings test. Most people qualify through the earnings test since Washington minimum wage is pretty high now.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•What's the earnings test exactly? And does it matter if some of my work was part-time vs full-time?
0 coins
Fatima Al-Farsi
•Doesn't matter if it was part-time or full-time, just that you earned enough. The earnings test is basically: wages in at least 2 quarters AND total base period wages of at least 1.25x your highest quarter wages.
0 coins
Dylan Cooper
Wait I thought you needed to work for a full year to get unemployment? That's what my supervisor told me when I asked about it
0 coins
Mei Liu
•That's not accurate. You don't need a full year of work - you just need sufficient wages/hours in your base period, which could be less than a year if you earned enough.
0 coins
Dylan Cooper
•oh wow my supervisor was totally wrong then. good to know!
0 coins
Amara Nwosu
Here's the deal - if you're close to qualifying but not quite there, you might want to consider waiting to file until your base period includes more recent work quarters. Sometimes waiting a few months can make the difference between qualifying and not qualifying.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•That makes sense but what if I get laid off now? Can I still wait to file or do I have to file right away?
0 coins
Amara Nwosu
•You can file whenever you want after becoming unemployed, but your base period is determined by when you file. So if waiting would give you a better base period, that could be worth it.
0 coins
Sofia Perez
The whole system is designed to screw over people who don't have perfect work histories. I had to jump through so many hoops just to prove I worked enough quarters.
0 coins
Dmitry Smirnov
•I feel you on that. The adjudication process took forever for me too when they questioned my work history.
0 coins
Liam O'Donnell
•adjudication is the worst part! mine's been pending for weeks
0 coins
ElectricDreamer
For what it's worth, I qualified with only about 6 months of work but I was making decent money. Made around $15,000 in my base period spread across 3 quarters.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•That's helpful context. I think I'm probably around that same amount so maybe I do qualify after all.
0 coins
Ava Johnson
•yeah don't stress too much about it, just file and see what happens. worst they can say is no
0 coins
Miguel Diaz
Actually used Claimyr myself when I needed to talk to someone about my base period calculation. The Washington ESD rep was able to look at my actual wages and tell me exactly where I stood. Saved me a lot of guessing - definitely recommend it if you want a definitive answer.
0 coins
Zainab Ahmed
•How much does that service cost though? I'm already broke which is why I need unemployment lol
0 coins
Connor Byrne
The 680 hour rule is actually pretty generous if you think about it. That's only like 17 weeks of full-time work spread over 4 quarters.
0 coins
Yara Abboud
•But it has to be in the right quarters though right? Like you can't just work 680 hours in one quarter and qualify.
0 coins
Connor Byrne
•Correct, you still need wages in at least 2 quarters even with the 680 hour rule.
0 coins
PixelPioneer
I was in a similar situation - worked 8 months but had gaps before that. Ended up qualifying because my wages were high enough in the quarters I did work. Don't assume you won't qualify until you actually check.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•That's encouraging! Did you file right away or wait to see if your base period would be better later?
0 coins
PixelPioneer
•Filed right away since I needed the money. Turned out fine but everyone's situation is different.
0 coins
Keisha Williams
PRO TIP: Keep all your pay stubs and tax documents. Washington ESD sometimes needs verification of your wages and having everything organized makes the process way smoother.
0 coins
Paolo Rizzo
•This is so important! I had to scramble to get old pay stubs when they questioned my wages during adjudication.
0 coins
Amina Sy
•Same here. Took me forever to track down paperwork from a job I had 6 months ago.
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
honestly just go ahead and apply, the worst thing that happens is they say no and then you know for sure. the application process itself will show you if you meet the requirements
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•True, I guess I'm overthinking it. Better to know for sure than keep wondering.
0 coins
Natasha Ivanova
•exactly! and if you don't qualify now you might qualify later when your base period changes
0 coins
NebulaNomad
One thing to remember is that your benefit amount is based on your base period wages too, not just eligibility. So even if you qualify, a shorter work history might mean lower weekly benefits.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•Good point. Do you know what the minimum weekly benefit amount is in Washington?
0 coins
NebulaNomad
•I think it's around $295 per week minimum but don't quote me on that. The maximum is much higher though.
0 coins
Javier Garcia
I had to use Claimyr too when I got confused about my base period dates. The Washington ESD agent walked me through exactly which quarters counted and why. Super helpful when you're dealing with gaps in employment like you described.
0 coins
Emma Taylor
•That sounds like exactly what I need. Getting a straight answer from someone who actually knows the rules.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•Yeah I think I'm going to try that service. This thread has been helpful but I still want to talk to an actual Washington ESD person about my specific situation.
0 coins
Malik Robinson
The key thing is that Washington uses a 'lag quarter' system so your most recent quarter of work might not even count in your base period when you file. It's super confusing but that's how they do it.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•Wait what? So if I file in January 2025, my work from October-December 2024 doesn't count?
0 coins
Malik Robinson
•Exactly! Your base period would be July 2024 through September 2024, April-June, Jan-March, and Oct-Dec 2023. The most recent quarter is the 'lag quarter' and doesn't count.
0 coins
Isabella Silva
This is why I hate the unemployment system - they make it so complicated that people who deserve benefits can't figure out if they qualify. Just another way to discourage people from applying.
0 coins
Ravi Choudhury
•I mean, I get why it's complicated though. They have to have some way to verify people actually worked and aren't just trying to scam the system.
0 coins
Isabella Silva
•Sure but they could explain it better. The website is impossible to understand.
0 coins
CosmosCaptain
Bottom line - if you've worked 8 months recently at a decent wage, you probably qualify. The system is designed to help people who have a recent work history, even if it's not perfect.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•Thanks everyone for all the help! I feel much more confident about applying now. Going to gather my pay stubs and give it a shot.
0 coins
Freya Johansen
•Good luck! Hope it works out for you.
0 coins