When am I eligible for Washington ESD unemployment benefits - confused about requirements

You don't need a full year of work to qualify for Washington unemployment benefits. The state looks at your earnings during your 'base year' which is typically the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. For monetary eligibility, you need at least $1,005 in your highest earning quarter AND total base year earnings of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter amount.

Based on your hourly wage and hours, you should meet the monetary requirements easily. The bigger question is whether you're eligible for other reasons. You mentioned being laid off - that's good because you need to be unemployed through no fault of your own. If you were fired for misconduct or quit without good cause, that would disqualify you.

Just went through this process myself and had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify my eligibility. Ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than sitting on hold for hours.

wait i thought you had to work for like 18 months or something before you could get benefits?? this is confusing

The Washington ESD system is SO frustrating to navigate. I spent weeks trying to figure out my eligibility last year and kept getting different answers from different sources. The key things are: 1) You need sufficient earnings in your base year 2) You must be unemployed through no fault of your own 3) You must be able, available, and actively seeking work 4) You must meet any other state-specific requirements.

OP with your work history you should definitely qualify. 8 months at $18/hour for 30-35 hours per week means you've earned way more than the minimum required. The calculation is roughly $18 x 32.5 hours x 4.33 weeks per month x 8 months = around $20,000+ in earnings.

Also remember that even if you think you might not qualify, it's worth applying anyway. The worst they can do is deny your claim, and you might be surprised. Washington ESD has different programs and sometimes people qualify under alternate criteria.

The job search requirement starts immediately once you begin claiming benefits. You'll need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log. Don't wait to start looking - unemployment isn't meant to be a vacation from job hunting.

One thing that helped me was calling Washington ESD directly to confirm my eligibility before filing. I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked great - got through to an agent who walked me through exactly what I needed. Way better than trying to interpret the website on my own.

Just to add - if you worked in multiple states during your base year, that can complicate things. But since you mentioned working retail in one job for 8 months, sounds like you're dealing with a straightforward Washington-only claim.

The earnings test is really the main hurdle for most people. If you earned at least $1,005 in your highest quarter and your total base year earnings are at least 1.5 times that amount, you're good on the monetary side. Your separation reason (layoff) sounds fine too.

Don't forget about the waiting week! Washington used to have a one-week waiting period before benefits started, but I think they eliminated it during COVID. Not sure if it's back or not - worth checking on.

OP you sound like a textbook case for qualifying. Laid off through no fault of your own, sufficient work history and earnings, able to work. Just file your claim and get the process started. The sooner you file, the sooner you can start receiving benefits if approved.

One last tip - make sure you have all your employment information handy when you file. Employer names, addresses, dates of employment, reason for separation, etc. Having it organized beforehand makes the application much smoother.

This thread is really helpful! I'm in a similar situation and was wondering about eligibility too. Thanks for asking the question OP.

Based on what you've described, you should definitely qualify for Washington ESD unemployment benefits. With 8 months of work at $18/hour for 30-35 hours per week, you've likely earned well over the minimum requirements. The key factors are: 1) You were laid off (not fired for cause), 2) You have sufficient earnings in your base year, and 3) You're able and available to work. Don't overthink it - file your claim as soon as possible since benefits start from your filing date, not when you became unemployed. You can always appeal if there are any issues, but your situation sounds very straightforward for approval.