How many weeks of work do you need to collect unemployment benefits in Washington?
I've been working part-time for about 8 months at two different jobs and just got laid off from both. I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits but I'm confused about the work requirements. How many weeks of work do you actually need to be eligible for Washington ESD unemployment? I've heard different things from people - some say 12 weeks, others say you need to work a full year. Can someone clarify what the actual requirement is?
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Caleb Stark
The requirement isn't based on weeks of work exactly. Washington ESD looks at your earnings during your base period, which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $5,265 during your base period and have worked in at least 2 quarters with earnings of at least $1,755 in your highest quarter.
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Harper Thompson
•Thanks! So it's more about how much I earned rather than how many weeks I worked?
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Caleb Stark
•Exactly. As long as you meet the earnings requirements, the number of weeks doesn't matter as much. But you do need to have worked in multiple quarters to show regular employment.
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Jade O'Malley
i think its 20 weeks but not sure, my cousin got unemployment after working like 6 months so maybe it depends
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Hunter Edmunds
•It's not about weeks specifically - it's about quarterly earnings as mentioned above. Your cousin probably met the dollar requirements even if they only worked 6 months.
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Ella Lewis
I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about my eligibility requirements when I was trying to figure this out last year. Ended up using Claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent who could look at my work history and tell me exactly what I needed. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call for hours.
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Harper Thompson
•Never heard of that service before. Is it legit? I'm worried about giving my information to third parties.
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Ella Lewis
•Yeah it's legitimate - they just help you get through to Washington ESD faster. You still talk to actual ESD agents, not them. Really helped when I couldn't get through on my own.
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Andrew Pinnock
DON'T TRUST THE SYSTEM! They'll find any excuse to deny your claim even if you worked for years. I worked 40 hours a week for 18 months and they still made me jump through hoops and wait weeks for adjudication. The whole thing is designed to discourage people from applying.
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Caleb Stark
•While the system can be frustrating, the eligibility requirements are pretty straightforward. If you meet the earnings requirements, you should qualify regardless of any processing delays.
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Brianna Schmidt
•Sorry you had such a bad experience! The adjudication process can definitely be slow but that doesn't change the basic eligibility rules.
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Hunter Edmunds
Just to clarify the specific numbers since there seems to be some confusion: For 2025, you need at least $5,265 in total earnings during your base period AND at least $1,755 in your highest earning quarter. You also need earnings in at least 2 different quarters. It doesn't matter if you worked 10 weeks or 50 weeks as long as you hit those dollar amounts.
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Harper Thompson
•This is super helpful! I think I meet these requirements based on my two jobs. Do I count earnings from both jobs together?
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Hunter Edmunds
•Yes, absolutely! All your W-2 earnings count toward the totals, regardless of how many different employers you had.
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Alexis Renard
can you work part time and still get unemployment? I only worked like 25 hours a week at my job
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Caleb Stark
•Part-time work counts toward your earnings just like full-time work. As long as you meet the dollar requirements, it doesn't matter if you were part-time or full-time.
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Alexis Renard
•ok good because I was worried they would say I didn't work enough hours
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Jade O'Malley
What if you worked but got paid under the table for some of it? Does that count?
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Hunter Edmunds
•Only wages that were reported to Washington ESD (W-2 wages) count toward your base period earnings. Cash payments that weren't reported won't show up in their system.
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Camila Jordan
•Yeah you need actual payroll records. Washington ESD gets your wage information directly from employers.
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Brianna Schmidt
I was in a similar situation last year with multiple part-time jobs. The key thing is making sure all your employers reported your wages correctly. You can check this by looking at your wage and potential benefit information on the Washington ESD website before you file your claim.
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Harper Thompson
•How do you check that? I want to make sure everything shows up correctly before I apply.
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Brianna Schmidt
•Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and go to the unemployment services section. There should be an option to view your wage history.
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Tyler Lefleur
just file and see what happens, thats what I did lol. if you dont qualify they'll tell you
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Caleb Stark
•While that's one approach, it's better to check your eligibility first to avoid potential issues or delays in processing.
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Ella Lewis
Another thing to keep in mind - if you're close to the earnings requirements but not quite there, you might want to wait a bit if you're still working or recently worked. Sometimes waiting can put you into a different base period that includes more recent earnings.
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Harper Thompson
•That's a good point. How do I figure out what my base period would be?
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Ella Lewis
•If you file now, your base period would be the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed quarters. So if you file in Q1 2025, it would be Q4 2023 through Q3 2024. You can also request an alternate base period if that would help you qualify.
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Madeline Blaze
I worked seasonal jobs for like 3 years but never really kept track of my earnings. Am I screwed?
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Hunter Edmunds
•Not at all! Washington ESD has records of all your reported wages from employers. You don't need to track it yourself - they'll calculate your base period earnings when you apply.
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Madeline Blaze
•Oh thank god, I was panicking thinking I needed pay stubs from 2 years ago or something
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Camila Jordan
One thing that trips people up is thinking they need consecutive weeks of work. You don't! You could work 2 weeks in one quarter, 8 weeks in another, and still qualify if you meet the earnings thresholds. The work doesn't have to be continuous.
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Harper Thompson
•That's really good to know! I had some gaps between jobs so I was worried that would disqualify me.
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Max Knight
Does anyone know if gig work counts? Like Uber or DoorDash?
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Caleb Stark
•Gig work typically makes you an independent contractor, not an employee, so those earnings usually don't count toward regular unemployment eligibility. You'd need W-2 wages from traditional employment.
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Max Knight
•Dang, that's most of my income from last year. Guess I need to find a regular job first.
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Emma Swift
The whole system is confusing. I tried calling Washington ESD like 50 times to ask about my specific situation and could never get through. Finally someone told me about that Claimyr service and I was able to talk to an agent in like 10 minutes. Cost some money but was worth it to get a real answer about my eligibility instead of guessing.
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Harper Thompson
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already out of work so money's tight.
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Emma Swift
•I don't remember the exact amount but it wasn't too bad considering how much time it saved me. Plus I got a definitive answer instead of stressing about it for weeks.
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Isabella Tucker
Quick question - if I worked in multiple states, do those wages count toward Washington requirements?
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Hunter Edmunds
•You can potentially combine wages from multiple states, but you'd need to file an interstate claim. Washington ESD can help you with that process when you apply.
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Jayden Hill
I'm so glad I found this thread! I was worried I hadn't worked long enough but based on what everyone's saying, I think I do meet the earnings requirements. Going to check my wage history online first before applying.
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Brianna Schmidt
•Smart approach! Always good to verify your information first.
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LordCommander
Just remember that even if you qualify based on work history, you still need to meet all the other requirements like being able and available for work, actively seeking employment, etc. The work requirement is just the first hurdle.
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Harper Thompson
•Good point! I'll make sure I understand all the ongoing requirements too before I file.
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Lucy Lam
This has been super helpful everyone! I feel much more confident about applying now that I understand it's about earnings rather than weeks worked.
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Caleb Stark
•Glad we could help clarify things! The Washington ESD website also has a benefits calculator tool that can give you an estimate of your weekly benefit amount if you want to see what you might receive.
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Ella Lewis
Final tip for the OP - when you do apply, make sure you have all your employment information handy including employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. Having everything organized will make the application process much smoother.
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Harper Thompson
•Perfect timing on that advice! I'm going to gather all that info this weekend and then file my claim. Thanks everyone for all the help!
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