Washington ESD - how long must you work to collect unemployment benefits?

In Washington, you need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period and meet the minimum earnings requirement. Your base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $3,850 in your base period and at least $2,567 in your highest earning quarter.

I had the same question when I got laid off last year. The wage requirements can be confusing but basically you need enough earnings spread across multiple quarters. If you worked 8 months continuously you probably qualify, but it depends on your wages.

Just went through this whole process myself. The hardest part isn't qualifying, it's actually getting through to someone at Washington ESD when you have questions! I spent hours trying to call them about my claim status. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to actual agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

The Washington ESD website has a tool where you can estimate your benefits and see if you qualify before filing. Look for the benefit calculator on their site. It will give you a rough idea based on your earnings history.

dont quote me on this but i think you need like 600 hours or something? my friend told me that but not sure if thats right

I had to learn this the hard way - even if you qualify based on wages, you still need to meet all the other requirements like being able and available for work, actively seeking work, and not being disqualified for misconduct or quitting without good cause.

Here's something most people don't know - if you don't qualify using the standard base period, Washington ESD will automatically check your alternate base period, which uses more recent quarters. So even if your regular base period doesn't work, you might still qualify.

The Washington ESD system is so frustrating. I qualified but then had issues with my weekly claims and couldn't get anyone on the phone for weeks. Finally someone recommended using Claimyr to get through to an agent and it actually worked. Saved me so much time and stress.

I worked seasonal jobs for years and always worried about qualifying. The key is understanding how the quarter system works. As long as you have wages reported in at least 2 quarters and meet the dollar thresholds, you should be fine.

ugh why is this so complicated?? i just want to know if i can get unemployment after working at Target for 6 months

Pro tip: before you file, make sure you have all your employment information ready including exact dates, employer addresses, and reason for separation. Having everything organized makes the application process much smoother.

The Washington ESD phone system is absolutely terrible. I spent 3 days trying to get through when I had questions about my claim. A coworker told me about Claimyr and it was a game changer - got connected to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold all day.

Another thing to consider - if you're close to the minimum requirements, it might be worth waiting a bit longer to build up more wages before filing. Your benefit amount is based on your earnings, so more wages usually means higher benefits.

I made the mistake of assuming I didn't qualify without checking. Turns out I had just enough wages spread across different quarters from various part-time jobs. Don't assume - just apply and let Washington ESD determine your eligibility.

One more thing - even if you qualify for benefits, there's usually a waiting week where you don't get paid for the first week you file. So don't expect money immediately.

Based on what you described - 8 months of full-time work at $18/hour - you almost certainly qualify. That's around $23,000-$24,000 in wages which is well above the minimum requirements. Just file your claim and Washington ESD will verify your wage history.

The hardest part about unemployment isn't qualifying, it's dealing with Washington ESD's terrible customer service when you have problems. Save yourself the headache and bookmark that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. You'll probably need it at some point.