How many hours do you have to work to be eligible for Washington ESD unemployment?

It's not actually about total hours worked - Washington ESD looks at your wages earned during your base period. You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period, with total wages of at least $3,850 in your base period. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed quarters before you filed your claim.

It's not actually about total hours worked - Washington ESD looks at your wages during what they call the 'base period'. You need to have earned at least $7,000 in covered wages during your base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim.

There's also the alternate base period if you don't qualify under the regular one. That uses the last 4 completed quarters instead of the first 4 of the last 5. Washington ESD will automatically check both for you when you apply.

That's confusing - so it's about money earned not hours? What if I made decent wages but only worked part-time hours?

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to get your exact wage information, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me when I couldn't get through the phone lines.

Exactly right - part-time workers can definitely qualify for UI benefits as long as they meet the wage requirements. Your weekly benefit amount will be based on those wages you earned.

i think you also have to be able and available to work full time hours though? like if youre only looking for part time work you might not qualify

This is partially correct. You do need to be able and available for suitable work, but 'suitable work' can include part-time positions if that matches your work history. Washington ESD won't require you to accept full-time work if you've been consistently working part-time.

oh ok that makes sense, thanks for clarifying that

I was in a similar situation last year - working about 28 hours a week at a coffee shop when they cut me down to 15 hours. I qualified for partial unemployment benefits even while still working those reduced hours. The key thing is you have to report your earnings each week when you file your weekly claim, and they'll reduce your benefit amount accordingly.

Also remember that even if you qualify based on wages, you still need to be able and available for work, actively seeking work, and meet the weekly job search requirements. It's not just about past earnings.

I was working 30 hours a week and still qualified no problem. Like others said, it's really about the wage amount not hours. Check your quarterly statements to see if you hit that $7,000 threshold.

Wait, you can get unemployment while still working some hours? I didn't know that was possible!

Don't forget about the weekly benefit amount calculation too. Even if you qualify, your benefit amount depends on your highest earning quarter. Higher wages = higher weekly benefit up to the maximum.

Yes! It's called partial unemployment. As long as your weekly earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount plus $5, you can still get some UI benefits. Really helped me when my hours got cut.

This is huge - I had no idea you could get benefits while still working reduced hours. Going to look into this for my situation.

Have you tried calling Washington ESD directly to ask about your specific situation? I know their phone lines are always busy but they can give you the most accurate info about whether you qualify. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual person at ESD - they have this callback system that saved me hours of trying to call. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Just make sure all your work was covered employment. Some jobs like independent contractor work might not count toward your base period wages unless you paid into the system.

Pro tip: file your claim as soon as you become unemployed even if you're not 100% sure you qualify. Washington ESD will determine eligibility and you don't want to lose out on benefits while you're figuring it out.

I've tried calling but can never get through! Always get that busy signal or the automated message saying call volume is too high. How much does that Claimyr service cost?

It was totally worth it to avoid the calling nightmare. Much easier than spending entire days redialing Washington ESD. The agent I spoke with was able to review my work history and confirm I qualified for benefits.

The Washington ESD website has a tool where you can estimate your potential benefits based on your earnings history. You should try that first before filing - it'll give you an idea if you meet the wage requirements. Just search for 'benefit calculator' on their site.

Good idea, I'll check that out. Do you know if the calculator is accurate or just a rough estimate?

Washington ESD also has a benefit calculator on their website that can give you an estimate based on your wages. Might be worth checking out before you file.

If you do qualify, remember you have to file weekly claims every week to actually get paid. Don't miss those deadlines or you'll lose benefits for that week.

One more thing - keep ALL your pay stubs and employment records. If there's ever a question about your eligibility or if you get audited, you'll need that documentation.

The whole system is honestly pretty straightforward once you understand it's about wages not hours. I was overthinking it too when I first applied.

It's pretty accurate as long as you enter your wage info correctly. Uses the same formulas that Washington ESD uses for actual benefit determinations.

If you run into any issues with your claim getting stuck in adjudication or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I used it when my claim was pending for weeks with no explanation.

You should also know that if you're denied initially, you can appeal the decision. Don't give up if the first determination doesn't go your way.

Bottom line: 25 hours per week for 8 months should definitely put you over the $7,000 wage requirement if you were making decent money. You're probably fine to apply.

dont forget you also have to meet the separation requirements - like you cant quit without good cause or get fired for misconduct. but if your hours are being cut thats usually considered an involuntary separation so you should be ok

Right, I'm not quitting - they're just reducing my hours drastically. Sounds like that should count as involuntary then.

Correct - substantial reduction in hours can qualify as constructive dismissal under Washington unemployment law. You'd still need to meet the wage requirements though.

I went through this exact same thing 6 months ago. Worked about 30 hours a week at Target, they cut me to 12 hours, and I qualified for partial benefits. The process was pretty straightforward once I got my claim approved. Just make sure you keep track of all your earnings and report them accurately on your weekly claims.

How long did it take to get approved? I'm worried about paying rent while waiting for benefits to start.

Took about 3 weeks from when I filed to when I got my first payment. There's usually a one-week waiting period plus processing time. File as soon as possible!

3 weeks is pretty fast actually - mine took over a month because they had to verify my employment history with multiple employers

Just to clarify the exact requirements: you need wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period, total base period wages of at least $3,850, and wages in your highest quarter must be at least 1.5 times your wages in another quarter. These are the three main monetary eligibility requirements for Washington UI benefits.

That last part about 1.5 times is confusing - can you explain what that means exactly?

Sure! If your highest-earning quarter you made $4,000, then you need at least $2,667 in wages in at least one other quarter during your base period. It's to ensure you have consistent work history.

Washington ESD is so backed up right now. I filed 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything back about my claim. The waiting is killing me financially.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone. The waiting was making me crazy anxious about whether my claim was even being processed. Worth every penny to get actual answers from a real person.

Maybe I should try that... I've called probably 50 times and never gotten through to anyone

OP your situation sounds similar to mine - part time retail worker with reduced hours. I qualified for benefits even though I was only working 25-ish hours before my reduction. The key is meeting those wage requirements, not specific hour minimums.

That's reassuring! I've been working consistently for over a year so hopefully my wages are high enough.

You should be fine then. I'd recommend filing your claim soon since there can be delays in processing right now.

Make sure you understand the job search requirements too. You'll need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log of your activities. Washington ESD can audit your job search records at any time.

What counts as a job search contact? Just applying for jobs or other activities too?

Applying for jobs, contacting employers directly, attending job fairs, networking events, even some training activities can count. Check the WorkSource website for the full list.

I got audited on my job search log last year - they wanted to see detailed records going back 6 months. Keep good records from day one!

The whole system is such a mess. I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status and it's impossible. At least there are services like Claimyr that can help you actually reach someone.

I was skeptical about using a service to help with calling but honestly it was so much better than the endless busy signals. Got connected to an ESD agent within a few hours instead of days of trying.

Yeah, I'm definitely going to try that. This is ridiculous that we need a service just to talk to our own state agency.

dont forget that if youre still working some hours you might not qualify for the full weekly benefit amount. they reduce your benefits based on what you earn each week

Right, that makes sense. Better to get partial benefits than nothing though.

exactly, and you can still qualify for additional benefits like food assistance too

I'm a former Washington ESD employee and can confirm that eligibility is based on wages earned, not hours worked. Many part-time workers qualify for benefits, especially if they've been working consistently. Your reduced hours situation should definitely qualify you for at least partial benefits if you meet the wage requirements.

That's really helpful to hear from someone who worked there! Any other tips for filing my claim?

File online if possible, have your employment history and wages ready, and be completely honest about your work situation. The system is designed to help people in your exact situation.

Washington state unemployment laws are actually pretty worker-friendly compared to other states. The fact that you can get partial benefits while working reduced hours is really helpful for people in situations like yours.

That's good to know! I was worried I wouldn't qualify for anything since I'm still technically employed.

Nope, reduced hours absolutely count. Washington recognizes that people need income stability even if they're still working some hours.

Based on everything everyone's said here, it sounds like you should definitely apply! Your situation with the hour reduction should qualify you for partial unemployment benefits as long as you meet the wage requirements. Don't wait too long to file since benefits are only backdated to when you first file your claim.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I'm going to check that benefit calculator first and then file my claim this week.

Good plan! And don't hesitate to use one of those callback services if you need to talk to ESD directly. The phone system is really broken right now.

Definitely file soon - I made the mistake of waiting a few weeks and lost out on benefits for that time period. You can't get backdated benefits for delays caused by waiting to file.