When do you become eligible for unemployment benefits in Washington state?

You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters during your base period, which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. The minimum is around $3,800 in your highest quarter and total wages of at least $4,800 during the entire base period. There's no waiting week anymore - they eliminated that a few years ago.

Don't wait to file if you think you might qualify! Even if there are issues with your claim, it's better to get the process started. The Washington ESD can take forever to process things.

I had trouble reaching anyone at Washington ESD when I had questions about eligibility last year. Kept getting busy signals and when I did get through, I'd get disconnected. Eventually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

You also have to be unemployed through no fault of your own. If you quit or got fired for misconduct, you might not qualify right away or at all.

ugh the whole system is so confusing. why can't they just make this stuff simple???

One more thing - you need to be able and available for work, and actively seeking employment. That means registering with WorkSource Washington and doing job search activities each week you claim benefits.

Also make sure you have all your employment history ready when you file. They'll need employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation for every job in the last 18 months.

My cousin applied and it took like 6 weeks to get approved because they had to verify her wages. Start early!

What if you worked in another state before moving to Washington? Do those wages count?

Just wanted to add that if anyone runs into issues getting through to Washington ESD for eligibility questions, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it beats spending hours on hold.

Don't forget you can't collect unemployment if you're receiving other benefits like workers comp or pension payments. There might be offsets.

The Washington ESD website has a good eligibility quiz that can help you figure out if you qualify before you file. Might be worth checking out.

anyone else think its weird that you have to prove you're looking for work when you literally just lost your job? like obviously im looking

One last thing for the OP - when you do file, make sure to file for the week you became unemployed, not the week you're actually filing. You can backdate your claim but it's easier to get it right from the start.

this thread is super helpful! i was in the same boat a few months ago and wish i had seen something like this

Final reminder - even if you're not sure you qualify, it doesn't hurt to apply. Worst case they say no, but you might be surprised. The wage requirements aren't as high as some people think.

Good luck OP! The process seems scary at first but Washington's unemployment system is actually pretty decent once you get through the initial filing.

Hope everything works out! And remember, if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, don't waste time on hold. That Claimyr thing really is a game changer for getting through to agents.

This whole thread should be pinned somewhere. So much good info about Washington unemployment eligibility.

UPDATE: Just filed my claim online and it was actually pretty straightforward. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to just go for it. Now I wait to see if I get approved!