What qualify for unemployment in Washington - need help understanding eligibility

You need to meet Washington ESD's base year earnings requirement, which is usually based on your earnings in the first 4 of the last 5 quarters before you filed. You also need to have lost your job through no fault of your own (layoffs qualify). The minimum earnings threshold changes each year but for 2024 it was around $5,265 in your base year.

also you have to be able and available for work and actively looking for jobs. they'll ask you to register with WorkSource WA and do job searches every week

The earnings requirement is just one part. You also need to have worked in at least two quarters during your base year. Since you had two different jobs totaling 14 months, you should be fine on that front. The key question is whether your combined earnings from both jobs meet the minimum threshold.

I had trouble reaching Washington ESD when I needed to ask questions about my eligibility. Their phone lines are always busy and the online chat rarely works. I ended up using this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call.

Wait I'm confused about something. If I quit my job can I still get unemployment? I left my last job because my boss was making the workplace hostile but I don't have like written proof or anything.

This whole system is so complicated!! I've been trying to figure out if I qualify for weeks. I worked two part time jobs but neither one gave me enough hours. One was at a coffee shop and one was doing delivery driving. Do gig work earnings count?

I qualified but barely. Had to include earnings from a job I worked like 18 months ago to meet the minimum. Don't assume recent jobs are all that matter - they look at a specific time period for your base year.

Another thing to consider is that you have to serve a waiting week. So even if you qualify, you won't get paid for your first week of unemployment. They changed this rule a few years ago but I think it's back now.

just file online through the washington esd website. its pretty straightforward and they'll tell you if you qualify or not. better to try than not try at all

I had a similar situation and qualified even though I wasn't sure I would. The key thing is making sure you have enough earnings in your base year and that you lost your job through no fault of your own. Layoffs definitely count as no fault of your own.

Don't forget you also have to be a US citizen or authorized to work in the US. And you have to be physically able to work. These seem obvious but they're part of the eligibility requirements too.

The Washington ESD eligibility checker tool on their website might help you get a better idea before you file. I used it and it gave me a rough estimate of what I might qualify for.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr thing I mentioned earlier. I used them again this week to check on my claim status and got through to an agent in about 15 minutes. Way better than the 3+ hours I spent on hold last time I tried calling myself.

One more thing - make sure you file your claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. There might be limits on how far back you can claim benefits, so don't wait too long thinking about whether you qualify.

Also remember that if you do qualify, you'll need to file weekly claims every week to actually receive benefits. It's not automatic once you're approved - you have to keep certifying that you're still unemployed and looking for work.

The hardest part for me was gathering all the documentation. Make sure you have your Social Security card, ID, and information about your previous employers including dates and wages. Having everything ready makes the application process much smoother.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year - laid off from warehouse work with previous retail experience. I qualified and got benefits for about 4 months while I found a new job. Don't overthink it, just apply and see what happens.

Just make sure you're honest about everything on your application. If they find out later that you left out information or weren't truthful, it can cause major problems including having to pay back benefits.

The job search requirement is really important too. Once you start receiving benefits, you need to make 3 job search contacts per week and keep records in your WorkSource account. They do audit these so make sure you're actually doing the searches.

Good luck with your application! Based on what you've described, it sounds like you have a good chance of qualifying. The warehouse layoff should definitely qualify as job separation through no fault of your own.