How many weeks do I need to work to collect unemployment benefits in Washington?
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits through Washington ESD. I've been working part-time at a retail job for about 8 months but I'm not sure if that's enough time to be eligible. I know there are work requirements but I can't find clear information about exactly how many weeks you need to work before you can collect unemployment. Can someone explain the Washington ESD work requirements? I'm worried I might not have worked long enough to qualify.
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Jordan Walker
The basic requirement in Washington is that you need to have worked in at least two of the last five completed calendar quarters before filing your claim. It's not really about the number of weeks but about your earnings in those quarters. You also need to have earned at least $1,000 in your highest earning quarter.
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Emily Sanjay
•So it's based on quarters, not weeks? That's confusing. What if I only worked in one quarter but made good money?
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Jordan Walker
•You need to have worked in at least two quarters to qualify. One quarter isn't enough even if you made a lot of money in that quarter.
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Natalie Adams
Wait I thought you needed to work 680 hours or something like that? I'm so confused about these requirements.
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Elijah O'Reilly
•The 680 hours requirement is for certain types of claims, but the standard qualification is based on quarterly earnings, not hours worked.
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Natalie Adams
•Thanks for clearing that up! The Washington ESD website is so confusing with all these different requirements.
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Amara Torres
I had a similar question when I first applied. The easiest way to check is to look at your wage history on the Washington ESD website. You need earnings in at least two of the last five completed quarters before you filed your claim.
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Emily Sanjay
•How do I check my wage history? Is there a specific section on the ESD site?
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Amara Torres
•Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and go to the unemployment services section. Your quarterly wage information should be there.
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Olivia Van-Cleve
I spent HOURS trying to get through to Washington ESD to ask about this exact question. The phone lines are always busy and when you do get through, you're on hold forever. I finally found a service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an ESD agent in like 10 minutes. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's even a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
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Mason Kaczka
•Is that service legit? I'm always skeptical of third-party stuff when it comes to government benefits.
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Olivia Van-Cleve
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They don't ask for any personal info, just help you get through the phone queue. Worth it when you can't get through otherwise.
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Emily Sanjay
•That might be helpful, I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days with no luck.
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Elijah O'Reilly
To be more specific about the Washington ESD work requirements: You need to have worked and earned wages in at least two of the last five completed calendar quarters. Your total earnings in those quarters must equal at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings. There's also a minimum of $1,000 in your highest quarter.
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Sophia Russo
•That 1.5 times rule is what trips people up. I thought I qualified but my second quarter earnings were too low compared to my best quarter.
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Exactly. It's not just about having any earnings in two quarters - the total has to meet that mathematical requirement.
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Evelyn Xu
ugh this is so complicated!! why cant washington esd just say you need X weeks of work like other states do
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Jordan Walker
•Different states have different systems. Washington uses the quarterly earnings method which can actually be more flexible than a strict weeks requirement.
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Evelyn Xu
•i guess but its still confusing as hell to figure out
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Dominic Green
I made the mistake of assuming I qualified because I worked for 6 months. Turns out my earnings were split across the wrong quarters and I didn't meet the base period requirements. Had to wait and reapply later.
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Emily Sanjay
•How do you know which quarters count as your base period?
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Dominic Green
•The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in March 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024.
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Hannah Flores
Another thing to remember is that if you don't qualify using the regular base period, Washington ESD will automatically check your alternate base period, which is the last four completed quarters. Sometimes that can help you qualify if your recent work history is stronger.
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Kayla Jacobson
•I didn't know they automatically check the alternate base period. That's good to know!
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Hannah Flores
•Yeah, they'll use whichever base period gives you the higher benefit amount or helps you qualify.
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William Rivera
Does anyone know if gig work counts toward these requirements? I did some DoorDash and Uber driving.
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Independent contractor work generally doesn't count for regular unemployment benefits unless you've been paying into the system as self-employed. Regular UI is for employees who have had payroll taxes withheld.
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William Rivera
•That's what I was afraid of. So my DoorDash earnings won't help me qualify?
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Not for regular unemployment, no. You'd need W-2 wages from traditional employment.
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Grace Lee
The Washington ESD monetary determination letter will tell you exactly whether you qualify and what your benefit amount would be. That's sent after you file your initial claim.
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Emily Sanjay
•So I should just file and see what happens? I'm worried about filing if I don't qualify.
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Grace Lee
•There's no penalty for filing and not qualifying. Better to file and find out than to miss out on benefits you might be entitled to.
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Mia Roberts
I used Claimyr twice last month when I had questions about my claim. First time was to check on my adjudication status, second time was about my job search requirements. Both times got through to an actual ESD agent within minutes instead of calling for hours.
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The Boss
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money.
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Mia Roberts
•I don't want to get into specific pricing but it was worth it for the time saved. When you're unemployed, spending hours on hold isn't really an option.
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Evan Kalinowski
Just to add - if you worked in multiple states, you might need to file an interstate claim. The work requirements can get more complicated in those situations.
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Emily Sanjay
•I only worked in Washington so that shouldn't apply to me, but good to know.
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Evan Kalinowski
•Yeah, for Washington only it's much simpler. Just focus on those quarterly earnings requirements.
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Victoria Charity
One more thing - make sure you're looking at the right quarters. I was counting my current quarter which hadn't ended yet, but you can only use completed quarters for the base period calculation.
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Jasmine Quinn
•That's a really important detail. The current quarter doesn't count even if you've already earned money in it.
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Victoria Charity
•Exactly. It has to be a completed calendar quarter to be part of your base period.
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Oscar Murphy
The whole system is designed to make sure you have a substantial work history before qualifying. It's not just about working a few weeks - you need consistent earnings over multiple quarters.
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Emily Sanjay
•That makes sense from a policy perspective. Thanks everyone for explaining this so clearly!
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Oscar Murphy
•No problem! The Washington ESD system can be confusing but once you understand the quarterly earnings approach it makes more sense.
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Nora Bennett
I keep seeing people get confused by this. It's not about weeks worked, it's about quarterly earnings. You could work 50 weeks but if your earnings are concentrated in one quarter, you still wouldn't qualify.
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Ryan Andre
•That's a great point. The distribution of earnings across quarters is just as important as the total amount.
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Nora Bennett
•Exactly. You need to have worked and earned wages in at least two separate quarters to show consistent work history.
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Lauren Zeb
For anyone still confused, I'd recommend calling Washington ESD directly or using something like Claimyr to get through to an agent. They can look at your specific wage history and tell you exactly whether you qualify.
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Emily Sanjay
•I think I'm going to try that Claimyr service. I've been on hold for hours multiple times this week with no luck.
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Lauren Zeb
•It's definitely worth it when you can't get through the regular way. Much faster than sitting on hold all day.
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Daniel Washington
Just remember that even if you qualify for benefits, you still need to meet the ongoing requirements like job search activities and filing weekly claims. The work requirement is just the first hurdle.
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Emily Sanjay
•Good point. I should probably research those requirements too once I figure out if I qualify.
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Daniel Washington
•Yeah, the ongoing requirements are a whole different set of rules. But first things first - see if you meet the initial work requirements.
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Aurora Lacasse
Hope this thread helps clear things up for you! The quarterly earnings system takes some getting used to but it's not as complicated as it first seems.
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Emily Sanjay
•It definitely helps! I feel like I understand the requirements much better now. Going to check my wage history and see if I qualify.
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Aurora Lacasse
•Good luck! Feel free to come back and let us know how it goes.
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