How long you have to work to qualify for unemployment in Washington - confused about work requirements

That's confusing though - what if I made more than $3,458 but only worked 6 months? Would I still qualify?

Yes, as long as you earned at least $3,458 total and had wages in 2 different quarters during your base period, you should qualify regardless of how many months you worked.

Yeah that makes sense, she moved here from Texas so maybe she was thinking of their rules.

Each state is totally different. I moved from Oregon and was surprised how much easier Washington's requirements seemed.

How much does that cost though? I'm already broke from being unemployed

It's worth checking out their site for the details, but for me it was way less stressful than spending weeks trying to get through to Washington ESD on my own. Plus I got my answer in like 2 days instead of waiting weeks.

Never heard of this but sounds interesting. Did they actually help you figure out if you qualified?

This is super helpful! So if I file in January 2025, my base period would be January 2024 through December 2024?

Not quite - if you file in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. They use completed quarters, so the most recent quarter when you file usually isn't included in the base period.

wait that doesn't make sense to me... why wouldn't they count the most recent work?

It's because wage data takes time to be reported and processed. But if you don't qualify using the standard base period, Washington ESD can use an 'alternate base period' which includes more recent quarters.

That's such a relief to hear! I was making about $18/hour for 25 hours a week, so hopefully that's enough.

That sounds like it should be plenty! You can always apply and see - if you don't qualify they'll tell you why.

I think I found it once but it was buried like 5 pages deep. Easier to just apply and let them tell you if you qualify or not.

The benefit calculator is under 'Estimate Your Benefits' but it's not always accurate for complex situations. Better to get an official determination.

Oh no, what are the work search requirements? Nobody mentioned that part.

You have to apply for 3 jobs per week and keep a log of your job search activities. There's training on WorkSourceWA you might need to do too.

The job search stuff isn't that bad once you get used to it. Just keep good records of everything you apply for.

1099 income is more complicated. You might not qualify for regular unemployment but could potentially qualify for other programs. You'd need to check with Washington ESD directly about self-employment eligibility.

My sister was 1099 and had to apply for something called SEUC or something like that? Different rules for contractors.

Good point - also check if you qualify for food assistance or other support while you're figuring out the unemployment stuff.

I felt the same way! That's actually why I ended up using Claimyr too - got tired of trying to decode everything myself. Having someone who actually knows the system look at your specific situation makes such a difference.

Maybe I should check that out too. This is giving me a headache trying to figure it all out on my own.

Good advice! I'll start gathering all that info now so I'm ready.

Also keep your pay stubs if you have them. Sometimes they ask for additional documentation.

There's typically a one-week waiting period for your first claim, but you still need to file that week. After that, benefits are usually paid weekly if you continue to meet all requirements.

Yeah I had to wait a week but then got paid for both weeks together. Just keep filing your weekly claims even during the waiting period.

Right? I was thinking the same thing about needing a full year of work. This thread has been so helpful!

This is the best advice. I wasted weeks trying to figure it out when I could have just applied and gotten an answer in days.

Exactly! Plus if you wait too long to apply you might miss out on benefits you could have been collecting.

Good luck! Hope it goes smoothly for you.

Let us know how it goes! Always helpful to hear about other people's experiences with the process.