How many hours do you need to get unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

It's not actually about 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, and your total wages need to meet minimum thresholds. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file.

yeah i was confused about this too when i first applied. i worked like 25 hours a week but made decent money so i qualified no problem

The wage requirements can be tricky to calculate on your own. If you're having trouble figuring out if you qualify or getting through to Washington ESD to check your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that helps people get through to ESD agents by phone. 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 was stuck trying to reach someone about my eligibility.

The Washington ESD system is SO confusing! I've been trying to figure out my base period wages for weeks. They use these weird quarters that don't match up with regular calendar months and it's driving me crazy.

Don't forget that you also need to be able and available for work to maintain your benefits once approved. The wage requirements are just for initial eligibility. You'll also need to do job searches every week and report any work you do.

been on unemployment twice and the hours thing always confuses people. its about the $$ not the hours!

Also want to mention that if you worked for multiple employers like you did, make sure Washington ESD has wage information from ALL of them. Sometimes wages don't get reported properly and you might need to provide pay stubs or W-2s to prove your earnings.

the whole system is a mess tbh. took me 3 weeks just to get my initial claim processed and another 2 weeks for my first payment

One more thing to consider - if you don't meet the regular UI wage requirements, you might still qualify for alternative base period calculations. Washington ESD can use a more recent four-quarter period if it helps you qualify.

OMG the base period thing is such a headache! I worked mostly seasonal jobs last year and trying to figure out which quarters counted nearly gave me a migraine. But once I got it sorted out with Washington ESD everything went smoothly.

Speaking of calling Washington ESD - if anyone is having trouble getting through like I was, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier was a lifesaver. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you so you don't have to sit on hold for hours. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your wage calculations.

honestly just apply and see what happens. worst case they deny you and you know for sure. the application will tell you if you meet the wage requirements

Just remember that once you apply, you need to continue filing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is under review. Don't skip any weeks or you could lose benefits for those periods.

also make sure you register with WorkSourceWA right away if you get approved. they require it for job search tracking

The wage calculation stuff gave me such anxiety when I first applied! Turns out I was worrying for nothing - I had way more than enough wages to qualify. Sometimes we stress about these things more than we need to.

One last tip - if you do get approved but then have questions about your weekly claims or benefit amount, don't hesitate to call Washington ESD for clarification. And if you can't get through on your own, remember that Claimyr option I mentioned. Better to get accurate information than to guess and potentially mess up your claim.

Good luck with your application! Remember that even if you think you might not qualify, it's worth applying anyway. The worst they can say is no, and you might be surprised by the outcome.

Hope it works out for you! The whole process can be overwhelming at first but once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims it becomes pretty straightforward.

Just saw this thread and wanted to add that you should also keep track of all your job search activities from day one. Even if you're still waiting for your claim to be approved, start documenting your job searches right away.

good thread! learned some stuff i didnt know even though ive been through this before