Washington ESD unemployment - how long do you have to work to qualify?

For Washington ESD unemployment, you need to have worked in at least 2 quarters during your base period and earned a minimum amount. Your base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. With 8 months at your recent job plus 4 months before that, you should definitely qualify as long as you earned enough wages.

Yeah you'll qualify but getting through to Washington ESD to actually file can be a nightmare. Their phone system is completely overloaded and you'll spend hours trying to get through.

The work requirement is pretty straightforward - you need qualifying wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period. Since you worked for a total of 12 months, you definitely meet the time requirement. The bigger question is whether you earned enough. Washington ESD looks at your wages, not just how long you worked.

Don't stress too much about the quarters thing. Just apply online and let Washington ESD figure out if you qualify. The worst they can do is say no. With a year of work history you should be good to go.

I was in a similar situation last year - worked two different jobs for about the same timeframe as you. I qualified no problem. The key thing is that Washington ESD combines wages from all your employers during the base period, so your 4 months at the first job plus 8 months at the second job gives you plenty of qualifying wages.

You worked 12 months total so you're definitely good. The minimum is basically just having worked enough in the past year to show you're attached to the workforce. Washington ESD isn't looking to exclude people who have a solid work history like yours.

The Washington ESD monetary determination will show you exactly what wages they counted and from which quarters. You'll get that after you apply. Don't worry about calculating it yourself - just make sure you have all your employer information ready when you file.

Just apply already! You worked for a year at decent wages, you qualify. The longer you wait the more money you're losing since benefits don't backdate to when you lost your job, only to when you filed.

I've been through this process twice with Washington ESD and both times I qualified with similar work history to yours. The key is having wages in at least 2 quarters and meeting the minimum dollar amounts. Your situation sounds like a clear qualifier to me.

The work requirement isn't that complicated - you need qualifying employment in your base period. Since you worked consistently for 12 months, you'll have wages in multiple quarters which easily meets the requirement. Focus on getting your application in rather than worrying about whether you qualify.

One thing to keep in mind - make sure you were laid off and didn't quit your last job. That can affect your eligibility even if you meet the work requirements. But if you were laid off through no fault of your own, you should be all set.

I'm seeing a lot of good advice here but just want to add - when you do apply, make sure you have your Social Security number, all employer information, and dates of employment ready. Washington ESD needs accurate info to process your claim quickly.

Bottom line - 12 months of work at $15/hour means you definitely qualify for Washington ESD unemployment. Stop second-guessing yourself and file the claim. The system will tell you exactly what you're eligible for.

For what it's worth, I used to stress about these requirements too but Washington ESD makes it pretty clear in your monetary determination whether you qualify or not. With your work history I'd be shocked if you didn't meet the requirements.