What are requirements for unemployment benefits - Washington ESD eligibility confused

The basic requirements for Washington unemployment benefits are: 1) You must have worked and earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period, 2) You must have earned at least $1,500 in your highest quarter, 3) Your total base period wages must equal at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings, 4) You must be unemployed through no fault of your own, and 5) You must be able and available for work.

Also don't forget you have to register with WorkSourceWA and actively search for work once you start receiving benefits. That's a requirement too.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask these questions directly, I recently discovered a service called Claimyr that helps people reach ESD agents by phone. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it so much easier for me to get answers about my claim status.

wait why did you lose your job? if you got fired for cause you probably won't qualify

The wage requirements can be tricky to calculate. I thought I qualified but then found out my part-time job from two years ago didn't count because it wasn't in my base period. Make sure you're looking at the right time frame for your earnings.

Don't forget you also have to be physically able to work and available for work. If you have any medical conditions that prevent you from working, that could affect your eligibility.

THE WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN!!! I've been waiting 6 weeks for my claim to get approved even though I clearly qualify. They make it impossible to get real help.

One more important requirement - you need to file your initial claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. There's no waiting period before you can file, and you can't get benefits for weeks before you file your claim.

Also be prepared for the weekly claim filing process. Every week you'll need to certify that you're still unemployed, available for work, and actively searching. Miss a week and you won't get paid for that week.

Just to clarify the job separation requirement - you need to be unemployed through no fault of your own. This means layoffs, reduction in force, business closure, etc. qualify. Being fired for misconduct or quitting without good cause usually disqualifies you.

i had to appeal my initial denial because they said i didnt earn enough but i knew i did... turned out they were looking at the wrong quarters. make sure they calculate your base period correctly

If you run into any issues with your claim or need clarification on the requirements, seriously consider using Claimyr to get through to an actual Washington ESD representative. It's been a game changer for getting real answers instead of trying to decode the website.

Another requirement people forget about is that you have to be a US citizen or have work authorization. Washington ESD will verify your eligibility to work in the US as part of the application process.

The earnings requirement is actually pretty reasonable if you worked full time. Most people who worked steadily will meet the $1,500 minimum in their highest quarter. It's the people with irregular work or very part-time hours who sometimes have trouble qualifying.

Don't forget you also need to keep detailed records of your job search activities. Washington ESD can audit your job search log at any time and if you can't prove you were actively searching, they can make you pay back benefits.

based on what you described you should definitely qualify. layoffs are straightforward and your work history sounds solid. just file asap and be patient with the process

One last tip - when you file your initial claim, be completely honest and detailed about your job separation. If Washington ESD needs to contact your former employer for verification, any inconsistencies could delay your claim or cause issues later.

The system is definitely confusing at first but once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims it becomes pretty straightforward. The hardest part is usually just getting your initial claim approved.

Also remember that your first week is usually a waiting week where you don't get paid, but you still need to file the weekly claim. It's not like you skip filing that week.

Good luck with your claim! Sounds like you have all the requirements covered. Just be prepared for the Washington ESD website to be slow and glitchy - that's unfortunately normal.