What does it take to qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Yes partial benefits are definitely a thing! For Washington ESD you basically need to have earned enough wages in your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters) and be able and available for work. If your hours got cut you can still work part time and get partial UI benefits as long as you report your earnings on your weekly claim.

The main requirements are pretty straightforward - you need to be unemployed through no fault of your own, have sufficient wage credits, be able and available for work, and actively seek work. Since your hours were cut and not because you got fired for misconduct, you should be good on the first requirement.

just went through this whole process and honestly the hardest part was getting through to someone at Washington ESD to ask questions. their phone lines are always busy and I must have called hundreds of times. finally found this service called claimyr.com that got me through to an actual person - there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. saved me so much frustration

Here are the basic Washington ESD eligibility requirements: 1) You must be unemployed or working reduced hours through no fault of your own 2) You must have earned sufficient wages during your base period 3) You must be physically able to work 4) You must be available for work 5) You must be actively seeking work. Since you mentioned your hours were cut, you'll want to file for partial benefits.

ugh the whole system is so confusing!! i applied 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything back. my claim is just sitting in adjudication forever and no one will tell me what's wrong. how are you supposed to know if you qualify when they don't even process the applications??

The wage requirement is based on your base period earnings. You need to have earned at least 680 times the minimum wage during your base period, with at least $1,000 in your highest quarter. For 2025 that works out to about $11,220 total. If you've been working retail for 2 years you should easily meet this.

been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years and honestly the qualification part is the easy part. the hard part is dealing with Washington ESD once you're approved. their system is a nightmare and good luck ever getting anyone on the phone

One thing to watch out for - if you're still working part time you need to report ALL your earnings on your weekly claim, even if it's just a few hours. Washington ESD will reduce your benefit amount based on what you earn but you can still get partial benefits.

same boat as you - retail job, hours cut, trying to figure out if i qualify. did you end up applying yet?

Pro tip: when you file your initial claim, have your employment history ready including dates, wages, and reason for separation for each job in the past 18 months. It'll speed up the process and reduce the chance of your claim going into adjudication.

Another thing - you have to be able and available for work, which means if you're sick or on vacation you can't claim benefits for those weeks. And you have to be looking for work in your usual occupation or something you're qualified for.

honestly if you run into any issues with your claim or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, that claimyr service I mentioned earlier is a lifesaver. beats spending hours on hold just to get hung up on

The system is designed to be confusing so people give up and don't claim benefits they're entitled to. Don't let them discourage you - if you worked and paid into the system you deserve benefits when you need them.

To summarize for the OP: You likely qualify based on what you've described. File online at esd.wa.gov, report your part-time earnings weekly, keep a job search log, and be prepared for the process to take a few weeks. Don't overthink it - just apply and let Washington ESD determine your eligibility.

just want to add that if your claim gets denied for any reason, you can appeal. don't just accept it - a lot of initial denials get overturned on appeal

make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if you're not sure about something. you can't go back and claim weeks you missed

WorkSourceWA registration is required too - you have to create an account there and upload your resume within a certain timeframe or they'll stop your benefits

if you're working part time and getting partial benefits, remember that your benefit year is still only 52 weeks total. so plan accordingly

Don't stress too much about the requirements - if you've been working steadily for 2 years you almost certainly qualify. The worst they can do is say no, and then you can appeal if needed.

Last thing - when you file make sure you have your Social Security card and ID ready. The online system will ask for that info and if there are any discrepancies it can delay your claim.