Washington ESD unemployment qualification - how much do I need to make to qualify for unemployment benefits?

That's a relief! I was worried I didn't work enough. Do they look at total earnings or quarterly earnings?

Both actually. You need the minimum total AND you need to have worked in at least 2 quarters of your base year. Sounds like you're good on both counts.

There might be other factors. Did you work in multiple quarters? You also need to meet the work search requirements and be able and available for work.

oh maybe thats it, i only worked like 3 months total

Wow that's more complicated than I thought. How do I figure out what my base year quarters are?

If you file today, your base year would be January 2024 through December 2024. Washington ESD looks at completed quarters only.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Saved me hours of trying to get through. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they even have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

I guess that's true, but I'd rather know beforehand if I'm wasting my time

It's not really wasting time though - the application process gives you a good idea of your base year wages anyway

What counts as actively searching for work? Is there a minimum number of applications per week?

Washington requires at least 3 job search activities per week. These can be applications, networking, job fairs, etc. You need to keep a log in WorkSourceWA.

It's to prevent people from working just one really good quarter and then collecting benefits. The multiple quarter requirement ensures you had consistent work.

I guess that makes sense but it's still frustrating when you're trying to figure out if you qualify

Sounds like you meet all the requirements! Good luck with your claim.

Make sure you have all your employer information ready when you file - makes the process much smoother

That's really helpful to know. How long did it take for your claim to get approved?

About 2 weeks for the monetary determination, then another week before I could start filing weekly claims.

If you received 1099s for that work, it might count, but it's more complicated than W-2 wages. You'd need to contact Washington ESD directly to verify.

This is exactly why I need to talk to someone at Washington ESD! The website doesn't clearly explain these situations.

Oh wow, that's exactly what I was worried about. Good thing I worked spread out over multiple quarters.

Yeah definitely check your quarterly breakdown before filing. Could save you some disappointment.

I tried using that but couldn't find all my wage info. Some of my old pay stubs are missing.

You can request your wage history from Washington ESD or check with your former employers for duplicate pay stubs.

Don't give up yet! There might be other programs you qualify for even if regular UI doesn't work out.

what other programs?

Things like SNAP, housing assistance, or local emergency aid programs. Check 211 for resources in your area.

Okay you convinced me, I'm going to try it. This is ridiculous how hard it is to reach them normally.

How much does something like that cost though?

Honestly it was worth whatever it cost considering the time and frustration it saved me. Much better than spending entire days trying to get through.

What kind of other reasons?

Reason for separation from work, availability issues, work search problems. Lots of ways claims can get held up.

You can actually request that information from Washington ESD. It's called a wage transcript or earnings statement.

How do you request it? Online or do you have to call?

There should be an option in your eServices account, or you can request it by phone if you can get through.

Good luck! Make sure you have all your employer addresses and dates of employment ready too.

Same here! This thread was really helpful in understanding what I need.

Hope it goes smoothly for both of you. The hardest part is usually just getting started.