Washington ESD work hours requirement - how many hours do i need to work to qualify for unemployment?

It's not really about total hours worked - Washington ESD looks at your wages during what they call the 'base period.' You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period and meet the minimum wage requirements. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file.

So it doesn't matter if I worked 20 hours or 40 hours per week as long as I earned enough wages?

Exactly! It's about the dollar amount you earned, not the number of hours. You need at least $1,000 in your highest quarter and total wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter.

The Washington ESD monetary requirements are pretty straightforward once you understand them. You need wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period, plus you need to meet both the high quarter test ($1,000 minimum) and the 1.5x test (total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter).

This is really helpful! I was worried about not working full-time but sounds like as long as you earn enough it doesn't matter.

Wait so if my highest quarter was $2,000 then I need at least $3,000 total in my base period?

That's right! And since you worked two jobs, make sure both employers reported your wages correctly to Washington ESD.

I had the same confusion when I filed last year. Spent weeks trying to calculate my hours until someone told me it's all about wages. If you're worried about whether you qualify, you can always file an application and let Washington ESD determine your eligibility. There's no penalty for applying if you don't meet the requirements.

Did you have any problems with having multiple employers? I'm worried about complications.

No issues at all. Washington ESD pulls wage information from all your employers automatically through their system. Just make sure you report all your work history accurately on your application.

One thing to watch out for - even if you meet the wage requirements, you still need to be able and available for work and actively seeking employment. The hours you worked before don't affect this, but your current availability does. You also need to meet the weekly job search requirements once you start receiving benefits.

How many job contacts do you need to make each week for the job search requirement?

It varies based on your situation, but typically 3 job search activities per week. This could include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, or networking activities. Washington ESD will give you specific requirements when you file.

Don't forget about registering with WorkSource Washington - that's usually required too unless you're on standby with your employer.

ugh trying to get through to Washington ESD to ask these questions is impossible! I've been calling for days and either get a busy signal or wait on hold forever before getting disconnected.

I had the same problem but found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual Washington ESD agent. They have a system that calls for you and connects you when someone picks up. Check out claimyr.com - they even have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. Does it actually work?

Yeah it worked for me! I was able to talk to someone about my wage calculation and got my questions answered in one phone call instead of trying for weeks.

Just want to add that if you're still working part-time while receiving unemployment, you need to report those hours and wages on your weekly claims. You can still receive partial benefits as long as you're working less than full-time and earning under a certain amount.

That's good to know! I might be able to keep one of my part-time jobs. What's the earning limit for partial benefits?

It depends on your weekly benefit amount. Generally you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before it starts reducing your benefits. Anything over that gets deducted dollar-for-dollar.

The base period thing confused me too when I first looked into it. Just remember it's the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January 2024 through September 2024.

Oh that makes sense! So recent wages might not count if I just started working more hours?

Right, that's why some people use the alternate base period if they don't qualify with the regular one. The alternate uses the last 4 completed quarters instead.

The alternate base period can be helpful if you had a gap in employment or recently increased your hours/wages.

been there with the multiple part time jobs thing. washington esd system handles it fine as long as both employers are reporting wages correctly. you should be able to see your wage history once you create your account on their website

How do I check if my employers reported wages correctly?

log into your esd account and look at the wage and hour report. it should show wages by quarter and employer. if something looks wrong you can contact esd to get it corrected

I think there might be some confusion here about work requirements. While Washington ESD does look at wages primarily, there are also some work requirements in terms of being physically able to work and available for full-time employment. Just wanted to clarify that it's not ONLY about the money you earned.

Good point! The wage requirements determine monetary eligibility, but you also have to meet the non-monetary requirements like being able and available for work.

What exactly does 'able and available' mean? I can work but I do have some scheduling restrictions with my current part-time job.

Generally it means you're physically and mentally capable of working and available for suitable full-time work. Some restrictions are okay but they can't be too limiting.

Another thing to consider - if you voluntarily quit one of your jobs, that could affect your eligibility even if you meet the wage requirements. Washington ESD will look at the reason you're unemployed, not just whether you worked enough.

What if I was laid off from one job but quit the other? Does that disqualify me completely?

Not necessarily. Washington ESD will look at the circumstances of each job separation. If you had good cause for quitting or were laid off from your main job, you might still qualify.

This is where it gets complicated and you might need to talk to someone at Washington ESD directly about your specific situation.

Just went through this process myself a few months ago. The online application asks about all your employers for the past 18 months, so make sure you have that information ready including dates of employment and reason for separation.

Did the application process take long? I'm worried about delays.

The application itself only took about 30 minutes, but it took a couple weeks to get my first payment because they had to verify some information with my employers.

For anyone still confused about the wage requirements, Washington ESD has a benefit calculator on their website that can give you an estimate. It's not official but it can help you figure out if you're likely to qualify before you apply.

I tried to find that calculator but couldn't locate it. Do you have a direct link?

It should be under the 'Apply for Benefits' section on the Washington ESD website. Sometimes the site navigation is a bit confusing.

I think they moved it around recently. Try searching for 'benefit estimator' on their site.

One more thing about working multiple jobs - make sure you understand how Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount. They use your highest quarter wages, not your total earnings, so having multiple part-time jobs might actually work in your favor if it results in higher quarterly wages.

That's interesting! So two part-time jobs could potentially give me a higher benefit amount than one full-time job?

Possibly, if the combined wages in your highest quarter are higher than what you would have earned at a single full-time job. The weekly benefit amount is based on roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter wages.

I was in a similar situation and had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify my wage information. Ended up using a service called Claimyr that helped me connect with an actual person at ESD. Worth looking into if you need to speak with someone - saved me a lot of frustration trying to call on my own.

Is that the same service someone mentioned earlier? How does it work exactly?

Yeah, it's the same one. You basically give them your information and they call Washington ESD for you, then connect you when they get through to an agent. Much easier than sitting on hold for hours.

I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. Got through to Washington ESD in about 30 minutes when I'd been trying to call myself for days.

Don't forget that even if you qualify for regular unemployment benefits, you'll need to file weekly claims and meet all the ongoing requirements. The initial qualification is just the first step - you have to maintain eligibility every week you want to receive benefits.

What are the main ongoing requirements besides filing weekly claims?

Job search activities, being available for work, reporting any work or income, and responding to any requests from Washington ESD for additional information.

And don't miss your weekly claim deadline - you usually have until the following Saturday to file for the previous week.

Just want to say thanks to everyone who explained this! I was getting overwhelmed by all the requirements but now I understand it's really about wages earned, not hours worked. Going to gather my pay stubs and file an application this week.

Same here! This thread was really helpful. Good luck with your application!

Thanks! Hope yours goes smoothly too. At least now I know what to expect.