How many weeks do you need to work to get unemployment in Washington?

Oh that makes more sense! So it's about how much I earned, not how many weeks I worked?

Exactly! You could work 20 weeks at high wages and qualify, or work 40 weeks at low wages and not qualify. It's all about meeting those dollar thresholds.

You're close! You need wages in at least 2 quarters, but one of them has to be outside your highest earning quarter. So if Q1 was your highest, you need wages in at least one other quarter too.

thanks for clarifying! unemployment rules are so complicated

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

It was worth it to actually talk to someone who could look at my specific situation. Much better than guessing based on the confusing website info.

Sounds like a scam to me. Why would you pay someone to call Washington ESD for you?

This is super helpful! Is there a way to calculate this myself or do I just have to apply and see?

You can estimate using your pay stubs, but Washington ESD will have the official wage records from employers. Sometimes there are discrepancies.

Right, I heard about the job search requirements. How many jobs do you have to apply for each week?

i think its 3 per week but check the washington esd website to be sure

That's frustrating, but the system is designed to ensure people paid enough into it through payroll taxes. It's not perfect but there's logic behind the requirements.

Logic? Tell that to someone who worked consistently but at lower wages. System is broken.

True, but I'd rather know if I have a chance before going through the whole process.

fair point. the application process can be a pain especially if you have to provide a bunch of documents

I didn't know they checked both automatically! That's good to know since I did get a raise a few months ago.

Yes, the alternate base period has helped a lot of people qualify, especially those with recent job changes or wage increases.

Another Claimyr testimonial? This is starting to sound like marketing.

I get the skepticism, but I'm just sharing what worked for me. The phone system is impossible otherwise.

That's encouraging! I've been pretty consistent with my part-time hours, so hopefully that helps.

Yeah, consistency is key. Even part-time can add up to the required amounts if you stick with it.

Nope! Part-time work counts toward your wage requirements just like full-time. It's all about total earnings, not hours worked per week.

oh wow i wish i had known this earlier! i might have qualified after all

I'll look for that! Do you remember where on the site it was?

i think its under the 'apply for benefits' section but dont quote me on that

Two part-time jobs actually helps because you're likely earning more total wages. Just make sure both employers are reporting your wages correctly to Washington ESD.

Good point about wage reporting! I'll double check that on my next pay stubs.

Commission income definitely counts as wages for Washington ESD purposes. It should show up on your wage records just like regular hourly or salary income.

Thanks! Sometimes my commission checks are in different quarters than when I earned them, so I wasn't sure how that worked.

Good luck getting through! I've been trying to call for weeks and just get busy signals or disconnected.

Yeah the phone system is terrible. That's why services like Claimyr exist I guess.

How much did they charge your friend?

not sure on the exact amount but she said it was worth it to actually talk to someone

Thanks for the encouragement! I think I'll go ahead and apply since it sounds like I have a good chance.

Absolutely! And remember, if you don't qualify now, you might qualify later as you earn more wages in future quarters.

Right, I forgot about that requirement! Fortunately my situation would be a layoff if it happens.

Good! That's the most important requirement after the monetary eligibility.

Glad we could help! The Washington ESD website can be pretty confusing to navigate.

This is why forums like this are so valuable. Real people explaining things in plain English!

Good point! I'll make sure to read up on that process if I get approved.

The weekly claims are pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it, but the first one can be confusing.