Washington ESD work requirement - how long do I have to work somewhere to get unemployment?

Thanks! So if I've been working for 8 months and earning decent wages, I should be okay then?

Most likely yes, especially if you've been working full-time. Washington ESD looks at all your covered employment during the base period, not just your current job.

No, that's a common misconception. The requirement is based on earnings, not time at a specific employer. As long as you've earned enough wages during your base period from covered employment, you can qualify.

oh wow that's such a relief! i was worried i'd be screwed if i lost my job

That's exactly my situation! I had a different job earlier this year before starting my current one. Good to know they count both.

Did you have any trouble getting through to Washington ESD when you filed? I keep hearing horror stories about people not being able to reach anyone.

Actually yeah, calling Washington ESD was a nightmare. I spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Eventually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through - you can check it out at claimyr.com. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Sorry you had a bad experience, but that doesn't mean everyone will. The wage requirements are pretty straightforward if you meet them.

Easy for you to say until you're the one dealing with their broken system and months of adjudication hell

What if you only worked in one quarter but made way more than $1,011? Would that still disqualify you?

Yes, you'd still need wages in at least two quarters. It's designed to ensure you have some recent work history, not just a brief high-paying gig.

This is really helpful info. I've definitely worked in multiple quarters this year so I should be fine.

That's partly true but you should still keep track of your own records in case there are any discrepancies with what employers reported.

I feel you on the anxiety. I was in the same situation last year and kept putting off looking into the requirements because I was scared of what I'd find out.

Exactly! Sometimes ignorance feels easier than facing the reality, but it's better to know where you stand.

If you do end up needing to file, just be prepared for the phone system to be a pain. I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it was totally worth it to avoid the endless hold times.

Right, but layoffs due to budget cuts would definitely qualify as not being your fault.

True, layoffs are usually pretty straightforward for UI eligibility. It's the voluntary quits and terminations that get tricky.

Yes, as long as they were all covered employment (meaning the employers paid unemployment taxes), all those wages would count toward your base period total.

awesome thanks! i was worried about jumping around between jobs but sounds like it actually helps with qualification

Oh that's super useful! I had no idea you could check that beforehand.

Definitely going to check this out. Better to know now than be surprised later if something's missing.

Make sure to review it carefully - employers sometimes make mistakes when reporting wages and you want to catch any errors early.

It's because they use calendar quarters for administrative purposes. The base period system ensures they have complete quarter data rather than partial months.

I guess that makes sense from their perspective but it's definitely not intuitive for regular people trying to figure out if they qualify

Thanks for the encouragement! Yeah, hopefully it won't come to that but at least now I know I'd have options.

Better to be prepared and not need it than the other way around. Smart of you to research this stuff ahead of time.

True, though the job search requirements can be pretty strict. Make sure you understand those too if you end up filing.

Good point, I should probably look into those requirements as well just to be fully informed.

This is really important advice that a lot of people don't know. Don't wait thinking you might find another job quickly.

Good to know! I would have probably waited a week or two to see if I could find something else first.

Yeah, you can always stop claiming benefits if you find work, but you can't get back those weeks you didn't file for.

How much does something like that cost though? I'm always skeptical of services that charge to help with government stuff.

I thought the same thing at first, but honestly after wasting days trying to get through on my own, it was worth every penny. They don't ask for any personal info either, just help you navigate the phone system.

Perfect summary, thank you! This thread has been incredibly helpful and put my mind at ease.

Glad we could help! Hope you don't need to use this info but good on you for being prepared.