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

It's not really about months - Washington ESD looks at your earnings during what they call the 'base period.' You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period, and you need to meet minimum wage requirements. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file your claim.

I think you need to have worked at least 680 hours during your base period OR earned at least $5,265 in your highest quarter. There's also a requirement that your total base period wages be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter wages.

I was in a similar situation last year - only worked about 5 months before getting laid off. I didn't qualify initially but then I used the alternate base period and that worked. The alternate base period uses the last four completed quarters instead of the first four of the last five.

You might want to try Claimyr if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation. I used it recently at claimyr.com and actually got through to an agent who could look at my work history and tell me exactly what I needed. They have this video demo too that shows how it works - https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Way better than trying to call Washington ESD directly.

Just to clarify the requirements - you need wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period, AND you need to meet the monetary requirements. For 2025, you need either 680 hours of work OR wages of at least $5,265 in your highest quarter. Plus your total base period wages need to be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter.

this is why the unemployment system is so confusing!! why can't they just say 'work 6 months and you qualify' or something simple

One thing to keep in mind - even if you qualify monetarily, you still need to meet the other requirements when you're collecting benefits. Like being able and available for work, actively seeking work, and registering with WorkSource.

I worked 8 months and still got denied because I didn't work enough hours apparently. Make sure you check both the hours requirement AND the wage requirement.

Another thing - make sure all your employers reported your wages correctly. I had one employer who didn't report my wages and I had to get that fixed before I could qualify.

The easiest way to think about it is you need to have worked substantially for at least 6 months out of the past 15 months, with at least some work in 2 different quarters. The specific dollar amounts matter but that's the general idea.

ugh I hate dealing with all this bureaucracy. when I got laid off I just wanted to know if I qualified and it took forever to figure out

For what it's worth, the Washington ESD website has a benefits calculator that can help you estimate if you qualify and how much you might receive. It's under the 'Calculate Your Benefits' section.

Don't forget about the waiting week either. Even if you qualify, you won't get paid for your first week of unemployment.

Just to summarize for the OP - with 4 months of part-time work, you might qualify depending on your earnings. File your claim and let Washington ESD determine your eligibility. If you don't qualify with the standard base period, they'll automatically check the alternate base period.

I had to call Washington ESD like 50 times to get through and ask about my eligibility. If you need to talk to someone, definitely try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. Would have saved me hours of redialing.

One more tip - keep good records of all your employment. Pay stubs, W-2s, anything that shows when you worked and how much you earned. You might need them if there are any questions about your claim.

The requirements seem complicated but they're actually pretty reasonable when you think about it. They want to make sure you've actually been working and contributing to the system before you can collect benefits.

Hope this helps! The main thing is don't assume you don't qualify - let Washington ESD make that determination. You might be surprised and actually meet the requirements.

Good thread! This info will probably help other people in similar situations too. The work requirements are one of those things everyone wonders about but nobody really explains clearly.