Washington ESD unemployment who qualifies - confused about eligibility requirements

The basic Washington ESD qualification requirements are: 1) You need wages in at least two quarters of your base period, 2) Your total base period wages must be at least 680 hours at minimum wage, 3) You must be unemployed through no fault of your own, 4) You must be able and available for work, and 5) You must actively search for work. Your retail job for 8 months should definitely count toward the wage requirement.

sounds like you should qualify based on what you described, the 8 months of retail work alone probably meets the wage requirements

I was in a similar situation and had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify my eligibility before filing. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Basically they handle the calling for you and connect you when an agent is available.

Don't overthink the eligibility requirements. If you worked steadily for 8 months and got laid off through no fault of your own, you almost certainly qualify. The Washington ESD system is designed to help people in exactly your situation. Just file the claim online and let them determine eligibility - worst case they say no but you're not out anything for trying.

the wage requirement is actually pretty low when you think about it. i think its like $5000 total in your base period which isnt that much if you worked full time for several months

I qualified with way less work history than you have so you should be fine. The key thing is making sure you report any severance pay correctly when you file - that can affect when your benefits start.

Make sure you understand the work search requirements too - you'll need to do at least 3 job search activities per week once your claim is active. Keep good records of your applications and networking.

The Washington ESD eligibility quiz on their website is actually pretty helpful for figuring out if you qualify before you file. Takes like 5 minutes and gives you a good idea.

ugh the whole system is so confusing, i filed 2 months ago and still dont fully understand how they calculate everything

Your situation sounds exactly like mine was - retail job, laid off due to closure. I qualified no problem and got my first payment about 3 weeks after filing. The hardest part was just getting through the initial phone verification.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when I had issues with my initial claim. Actually worked really well - they got me connected to an agent same day when I'd been trying for weeks on my own. Worth considering if you run into problems.

Don't forget you can file online 24/7 which is way easier than trying to call. The online system walks you through everything step by step.

One thing to remember is that you need to file weekly claims even during the waiting week to keep your claim active. Don't skip that first week thinking you won't get paid anyway.

honestly with 8 months of steady work you're definitely qualified, stop worrying and just file already lol

The school part might actually help you - if you were working while going to school that shows you're committed to both work and self-improvement. Washington ESD looks favorably on that kind of thing.

Just to add - make sure you have all your employment info ready when you file. Employer names, addresses, dates of employment, reason for separation. Having everything organized makes the process much smoother.

Update us when you file! Always curious to hear how the process goes for people in similar situations.

Good luck! The unemployment system exists for exactly these situations - people who worked steadily and lost their job through no fault of their own. You've earned the right to these benefits.