How many months do I have to work to get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

That's confusing... so if I made $3,600 in my best quarter, I'd need total wages of $4,500? And what if I haven't worked a full year yet?

Exactly on the math! If you haven't worked long enough for the standard base period, Washington ESD can sometimes use an alternate base period - the last 4 completed quarters. But you still need to meet those minimum wage requirements.

Oh no, I started working in May 2024 so I definitely don't have earnings going back to October 2023. Does that mean I'm out of luck?

Not necessarily! Ask about the alternate base period when you apply. It uses more recent quarters which might work better for your situation.

Really? How does that work exactly? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my own situation.

It basically handles the calling process for you and gets you connected to an actual Washington ESD representative. Way better than sitting on hold forever or getting the busy signal.

I tried looking for that but couldn't find it. Do you remember where on the site it was?

I think they're referring to the benefit calculator, but that's more for figuring out your weekly benefit amount after you already know you qualify.

I mean, there has to be some requirements or everyone would just file for unemployment after working one week...

Sure but the current system penalizes people who are just starting their careers or getting back into the workforce. It's not fair.

Good point. In my case it would be a layoff due to budget cuts, so I think I'd be okay on that front.

That should definitely qualify as long as you meet the wage requirements. Budget cuts/layoffs are exactly what unemployment is designed for.

Applying won't hurt your chances - worst case they say no and you can try again later if your situation changes. But with $8,000 over 10 months you might actually qualify depending on how it's distributed across quarters.

That's reassuring, thanks. I was worried there might be some kind of penalty for applying too early or something.

I'm not in school currently but good to know for others reading this thread.

Yeah the student thing is tricky. I think you can sometimes get benefits if you're in an approved training program but it's complicated.

Right? Why can't they just say 'you need to have worked X months and earned $X total'? The quarter system makes it so much harder to understand.

I think it's because they want to make sure you have recent work history, not just that you worked at some point in the past. But yeah, it's definitely confusing.

How much does that cost? I'm already worried about money...

They focus on helping you get through to Washington ESD rather than charging high fees. Check out their site for details, but it was worth it for me to get actual answers instead of guessing.

That's smart. I should probably gather all my pay stubs just in case.

Definitely! And if you've had multiple jobs, make sure you get records from all of them. Sometimes people forget about short-term jobs that might actually help them qualify.

Gig work usually doesn't count because you're considered an independent contractor, not an employee. But there might be some exceptions depending on how it's classified and whether you paid into the UI system.

Ugh, that's what I was afraid of. So all those hours driving probably don't help me qualify.

So if I'm planning to file soon, should I wait until after the quarter ends in March?

It depends on your specific situation. If you've been earning more recently, waiting might help. But if you're unemployed now, you probably don't want to wait 2 months.

That's encouraging! My earnings are lower but spread across more months, so maybe I have a chance.

Yeah definitely apply if you think you might qualify. The worst they can do is say no, and then you'll know for sure where you stand.

Good point. I've heard the job search requirements can be pretty strict too.

Yeah you typically need to make 3 job search contacts per week and keep detailed records. But cross that bridge when you come to it - first figure out if you qualify based on your work history.

Yikes, that sounds expensive. I assume they have ways to detect patterns like that.

Oh yeah, they definitely do. And the penalties can be severe - interest, fines, even criminal charges in extreme cases.

That sounds like exactly what I need. I hate not knowing where I stand.

Yeah, there's something to be said for getting official answers instead of trying to piece together information from forums and websites. The peace of mind was worth it.

Thanks everyone for all the help! I think I'm going to try to get through to Washington ESD to get a definitive answer before I potentially lose my job.

Smart move. Good luck with everything!