Washington ESD work hour requirements - how many hours qualify for unemployment benefits?

Oh wow, I had no idea it was based on wages instead of hours. That makes more sense actually. Do you know what the minimum wage amount is?

You need at least $1,019 in your highest quarter and total base period wages of at least 1.25 times your high quarter wages. So if your highest quarter was $2,000, you'd need at least $2,500 total in base period wages.

Yeah I was confused about this too when I first applied. The initial qualification is all about past wages, but then the weekly stuff is about current work.

So if I qualify initially, I could potentially work a few hours a week and still get some unemployment benefits?

Exactly. You just have to report any work and wages on your weekly claim. They'll reduce your benefit amount based on what you earn, but you might still get something.

Never heard of that before but honestly anything that helps with getting through to Washington ESD sounds worth trying. The phone system is absolutely terrible.

Thanks for sharing that! I was dreading having to call them but this might actually help.

If you file now in 2025, your base period would likely be Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. So you'd need wages in at least two of those quarters. Since you started in March, you should have Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 of 2024.

Okay that helps, I think I should be good then since I worked through the end of the year.

That's really good to know. My wages did go up quite a bit in the second half of 2024 so that might work better for me.

Yeah, they'll automatically check both base periods and use whichever one gives you the higher benefit amount or helps you qualify.

How many jobs do you have to apply to each week?

I think it's 3 work search activities per week, but they can be job applications, networking events, career fairs, etc. Not just applications.

Yeah and you have to keep records of everything in case they ask for it later. I learned that the hard way.

I'll definitely check that out, thanks! Hopefully it's more straightforward than trying to calculate it myself.

I know right? The wage thing makes sense from their perspective but it's not intuitive at all when you're used to thinking about work in terms of hours per week.

exactly! and then they wonder why people mess up their applications

Oh that's really good news! I was worried that having two part-time jobs instead of one full-time job might hurt my chances.

Nope, they add it all up. Sometimes having multiple employers can actually help because you have more wage history to work with.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already stressed about money and don't want to pay a ton just to talk to someone.

It was totally worth it for me, especially compared to the frustration of trying to get through on my own. Way less stressful than spending hours on hold.

Good point, I should gather all my pay stubs and W-2s before I start the application.

Exactly. And if you're missing any information, you can usually get wage statements from your employers or sometimes from the Washington ESD website if they have your wage history on file.

I didn't know there was a waiting period. How long is it usually?

It varies, but there's typically a one-week waiting period, plus however long it takes them to process your application. If there are any issues that need adjudication, it can take longer.

Yeah I'd definitely apply ASAP. Even if you're not sure you qualify, it's better to find out sooner rather than later.

Right? I feel so much more confident about applying now. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain everything.

Good luck to both of you! The process is definitely confusing at first but it gets easier once you understand how it works.

I might have to try that. I've been trying to reach them for weeks about an issue with my claim and getting nowhere with the regular phone number.

Definitely check out their demo video too, it shows exactly how the process works so you know what to expect.