How many months you have to work to get unemployment benefits in Washington?

Thanks! So if I've been working 8 months that should cover two quarters right? What's the minimum wage requirement?

Yes, 8 months should definitely cover two quarters. For 2025, you need at least $7,695 in total base period wages and wages in at least two quarters with one quarter having at least $2,565.

Wait, so if I started working in March 2024 and file now, would my base period include the time I wasn't working at the beginning of 2024?

Exactly - your base period includes quarters when you may not have been working. That's why they only require wages in at least two quarters, not all four.

Interesting, I've never heard of that service. Did they charge you for it?

They do charge but it was worth it to avoid the endless phone tree and busy signals. Much faster than trying to call Washington ESD directly.

I used Claimyr too when I had questions about my claim status. Worked exactly like they said it would - got connected right to a real person at Washington ESD.

That's reassuring! I was worried being part-time would disqualify me automatically.

yeah part time counts as long as you meet the wage requirements, had a friend who worked part time at two different jobs and still qualified

It's actually designed to ensure people have a substantial work history and contribution to the unemployment insurance system. The quarterly system aligns with how employers report wages.

I guess that makes sense from an administrative standpoint, just wish it was easier to understand as a regular person trying to figure out if I qualify.

How do you request the alternate base period? Do you have to ask for it specifically?

Usually Washington ESD will automatically check the alternate base period if you don't qualify under the standard one. But you can request it if needed.

The alternate base period uses the last four completed quarters instead of the first four of the last five. Can be helpful for people who recently started working.

I agree the website could be clearer. The eligibility requirements are buried in dense policy language that's hard to understand.

exactly! like why cant they just have a simple calculator where you put in when you started working and it tells you if you qualify

Any specific ones you'd recommend? I'd love to check before going through the whole application process.

I don't want to recommend specific third-party tools since they're not official, but searching for 'Washington unemployment eligibility calculator' should give you some options.

Good point, I hadn't thought about the ongoing requirements yet. How many jobs do you have to apply for each week?

In Washington, you need to make at least three job contacts per week and keep a log of your job search activities. There are specific requirements about what counts as a valid job contact.

The job search requirements can be tricky to navigate. When I had questions about what counted as valid job contacts, that's another time Claimyr helped me get through to someone at Washington ESD for clarification.

There aren't really exceptions to the base period wage requirements, but there might be other programs available depending on your specific situation. Students might have different options.

Thanks, I'll look into that. I was in school for part of last year so my work history is a bit scattered.

That's encouraging! I was making about $15/hour for most of those 8 months, working around 20-25 hours per week. Hopefully that's enough to meet the wage requirements.

That sounds like it should meet the minimums, but you can always call Washington ESD to verify before filing if you want to be sure.

Good advice! I've kept most of my pay stubs but I'll make sure I have them all organized before I file.

Yes, definitely keep good records. I had to provide pay stubs during my claim and it made the process much smoother.

Really? I didn't know that was possible. How does that work with the weekly job search requirements?

You still need to meet the job search requirements unless you're on standby with your employer. The partial benefits help make up for lost wages when your hours are reduced.

Partial unemployment can be really helpful in situations like yours. You report your earnings each week and Washington ESD reduces your benefit amount accordingly.

How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm worried about the wait time.

Mine took about 2-3 weeks to get fully processed. Some claims go faster, others take longer depending on if they need to verify information.

Thanks for the reminder! My hours were cut about a week ago so I should file soon.

Definitely don't wait. Even if you're not sure you qualify, it's better to file and find out than to miss out on potential benefits.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much more confident about filing my claim now.

Good luck with your claim! Hope everything works out smoothly for you.

I'll check that out, thanks! Every bit of information helps when you're trying to navigate this system.

The eligibility section is helpful, though if you run into specific questions that aren't answered there, that's when calling or using something like Claimyr to reach an agent becomes really valuable.

Absolutely worth applying. The worst they can do is say no, but if you meet the requirements you'll get the benefits you've earned through your work history.

That's what I figured. Better to try and find out than assume I don't qualify and miss out on help I might be entitled to.