How many days do you have to work to qualify for unemployment in Washington?

It's not based on days worked - Washington ESD looks at your earnings during your base period. You need to have earned at least $1,000 in total wages during your base period, and you need wages in at least 680 hours of work. The base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim.

You also need to have worked in at least two different quarters during your base period. So if you only worked during one quarter, even if you made enough money, you won't qualify. The quarters are Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, and Oct-Dec.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about my eligibility when I was applying. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really saved me a lot of frustration.

The 680 hours requirement is key. That's roughly 17 weeks of full-time work or 34 weeks of 20-hour part-time work. If you worked 8 months part-time, you probably meet this requirement, but it depends on how many hours per week you were working.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing! why cant they just say work X days and youre good instead of all this base period quarter nonsense

Also worth noting that if you don't qualify using the standard base period, Washington ESD can sometimes use an alternate base period which looks at more recent quarters. This helped me when I had a weird employment gap.

I was in a similar situation last year. Part-time work for about 7 months. Ended up qualifying no problem. As long as you hit those wage and hour thresholds across multiple quarters, you should be fine. The application process will tell you right away if you meet the basic requirements.

One thing to watch out for - if you quit your job voluntarily, you might not qualify even if you meet the wage and hour requirements. Washington ESD is pretty strict about the reason for separation from employment.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator that can help you estimate if you qualify and how much you might receive. It's under the 'Apply for Benefits' section. Might be worth checking out before you submit your actual application.

Had to deal with Washington ESD phone lines myself recently and it was a nightmare. Kept getting busy signals or hung up on after waiting forever. Someone mentioned Claimyr earlier - I tried it and actually got through to talk to someone about my claim status. Worth considering if you need to speak with someone directly about your eligibility.

Don't forget that you also need to be able and available for work when you apply. Even if you meet the wage requirements, you have to be actively looking for employment and ready to accept suitable work.

Another tip - make sure Washington ESD has your current contact information before you apply. I had to update my address and it delayed my application processing because they were trying to mail stuff to my old place.

If you worked for multiple employers during your base period, make sure you list ALL of them on your application. Washington ESD needs the complete picture of your work history to determine your eligibility and benefit amount.

The system will automatically calculate your base period when you apply, but it's good to understand how it works ahead of time. Your base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. So if you're filing in January 2025, your base period would likely be January 2024 through December 2024.

I've been through this process twice now and the key thing is just to apply if you think you might qualify. The worst they can do is say no, and if you meet the basic requirements it's usually pretty straightforward. Don't overthink it too much.

One last thing - if your claim gets approved, make sure you understand the weekly claim filing requirements. You have to file every week to continue receiving benefits, even if you don't have any work to report.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! This thread has been way more useful than trying to navigate the Washington ESD website on my own. I feel much more confident about applying now.

For anyone else reading this thread later - I used Claimyr again recently when I had questions about my continuing claim requirements. Really helpful for getting through to Washington ESD when you need clarification on something specific. The phone system is just too frustrating to deal with on your own.

Just wanted to add that if you're still working part-time while applying for unemployment, you can still potentially qualify for partial benefits. Washington ESD has rules about how much you can earn and still receive some unemployment compensation.

Bottom line: 680 hours of work, $1000 minimum in wages, work in at least 2 quarters, and separated from work through no fault of your own. If you check all those boxes, you should qualify. The Washington ESD application will verify all this information when you submit it.