How to qualify for unemployment in Washington - need help understanding requirements

The main requirements for Washington unemployment are pretty straightforward. You need to have worked and earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period (usually the first four of the last five completed quarters). For 2025, you need at least $2,613 in your highest quarter and total wages of at least $3,919. Since you made $2,800/month for 8 months, you should easily meet the wage requirements. Being laid off due to store closure definitely qualifies as involuntary separation, so you should be good there too.

You also need to be able and available for work, which means you can work full-time and are actively looking for jobs. They'll require you to register with WorkSource Washington and do job search activities every week. Make sure you meet the physical and mental ability requirements too.

Just went through this process myself last month. One thing to know is that calling Washington ESD can be a nightmare - I spent hours trying to get through to someone to ask questions about my claim. If you run into issues reaching them by phone, I found a service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration.

Don't forget about the waiting week! Washington has eliminated the waiting week for most claims, but you still need to file your initial claim and then file weekly claims every week to get paid. Miss a week and you won't get benefits for that period. Also, any severance pay or vacation payout might delay when your benefits start.

The main requirements for Washington unemployment are pretty straightforward. You need to have worked and earned wages in at least two quarters during your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). You also need to have earned at least $3,850 total during your base period, with at least $1,250 in your highest quarter. Plus you have to be unemployed through no fault of your own.

ugh the whole system is so complicated, why cant they just make it simple for people who lost their jobs

Don't forget you also have to be able and available to work, and actively looking for work. That means registering with WorkSource and doing job search activities every week.

Another important thing - make sure you're honest about everything on your application. Washington ESD will verify your employment history and wages with your employers. If there are any discrepancies, it can delay your claim or even result in an overpayment situation later. Better to be upfront about everything from the start.

I qualified last year but the adjudication process took forever. They had questions about why I left my previous job and it took 6 weeks to get approved. Make sure you have all your employment documentation ready in case they need to review your claim.

Quick question - do you have to be a US citizen to qualify? I'm a permanent resident and lost my job too.

One more thing to consider - if you're thinking about going back to school while on unemployment, be careful. Washington ESD has specific rules about attending school while receiving benefits. You generally need to be available for full-time work, which can conflict with class schedules.

I had such a hard time getting through to Washington ESD when I first applied. Spent hours on hold trying to get basic questions answered about eligibility. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an agent quickly. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier.

The wage requirements can be tricky to calculate. Washington ESD looks at your highest quarter earnings and your total base period earnings. If you worked part-time or had irregular hours, you might still qualify but your benefit amount will be lower.

ugh the whole system is such a mess. i applied 3 weeks ago and still havent heard anything back. how long does it usually take to find out if youre approved??

The benefit amount is based on your wages during the base period. For Washington, the weekly benefit is about 3.85% of your wages in the highest quarter, up to a maximum of $999 per week in 2025. So if you made $2,800/month, you're looking at maybe $400-500 per week depending on your exact wage history.

File as soon as possible! Benefits don't start until the week you file, so don't wait. I made the mistake of waiting a couple weeks thinking I'd find a job quickly, and I lost out on those benefits.

You can check your wage history by logging into your Washington ESD account online. It'll show all the employers who reported wages for you and the amounts by quarter. This is the same information they'll use to determine your eligibility and benefit amount.

washington esd system was down for like 3 hours yesterday when i tried to file my weekly claim, so frustrating when you need the money

Also make sure you apply as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. Benefits are only paid from the week you file your claim, not retroactively to when you lost your job.

One thing that confused me was the difference between being fired and being laid off. I got fired but it was because they eliminated my position, not because I did anything wrong. Does that count as being laid off for unemployment purposes?

Make sure you understand the work search requirements before you start. Some people think they can just apply to any job, but Washington ESD expects you to look for work that matches your skills and experience. They can ask for your job search log at any time.

The job search requirement is really important. You have to keep a log of all your job search activities and be prepared to show it if they ask. Don't skip this part or you could lose your benefits.

wait i thought you had to be totally unemployed to get benefits? can you still get unemployment if youre working part time?

I tried calling Washington ESD so many times to ask about my eligibility and could never get through. The phone system is absolutely terrible. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got connected to an agent in like 10 minutes. Totally worth it just to get actual answers instead of guessing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you quit your job, you generally won't qualify unless you had 'good cause' like unsafe working conditions or significant changes to your job duties. The burden is on you to prove good cause.

The whole process seems really complicated. I just want to know if I can get help paying my bills while I look for a new job. Why does it have to be so confusing?

Don't forget about the waiting week! In Washington, you have to serve one waiting week before you can receive benefits. So your first payable week is actually your second week of unemployment.

i been on unemployment before and the hardest part was dealing with all the paperwork and requirements. make sure you keep track of everything - when you applied, what documents you submitted, all your job search activities. they can ask for any of it at any time

The benefit amount is based on your highest quarter earnings during the base period. In Washington, you can get up to about $844 per week maximum, but most people get less than that. There's a calculator on the Washington ESD website to estimate your benefit amount.

One more thing - if you're denied initially, don't give up! You can appeal the decision. Sometimes they make mistakes or don't have all the information they need. I got denied first time but won on appeal.

honestly the best thing you can do is just apply and see what happens. the online application walks you through all the questions and they'll tell you if you qualify or not. no point in worrying about it when you can just find out for sure

Just wanted to add that if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, that Claimyr service really does work. I was skeptical at first but when I couldn't get through on my own, I tried it and got connected right away. Saved me so much time and stress.

I had to appeal my initial denial last year because of a misunderstanding about why I left my job. The appeal process took months but I eventually won. Don't give up if you get denied initially - sometimes it's worth fighting.

Watch out for scam emails and texts claiming to be from Washington ESD. They've been going around asking for personal information or bank details. Always go directly to the official website or call the official number.

Does anyone know if part-time work affects your benefits? I might be able to get a few hours at another store while I look for full-time work.

Been there, done that. The whole process seems scary at first but it's really not that bad once you get started. Just be honest, keep good records, and file your weekly claims on time. You'll be fine.

One last thing - if you end up needing to contact Washington ESD and can't get through on the phone, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I used it when I had questions about my claim being held up in adjudication. Much better than spending hours on hold.