Who qualifies for Washington ESD unemployment benefits - confused about eligibility requirements

You likely qualify based on what you described. Washington ESD looks at your work history over the last 18 months (called your 'base period'). Since you worked 8 months recently plus 6 months part-time before that, you probably meet the work requirements. The key is whether you earned enough wages - generally need at least $1,000 in your highest quarter and total wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter amount.

I was in a similar situation last year. The work history requirement isn't too bad if you've been working consistently. But the 'able and available' thing is where they get picky. I had issues because I could only work certain hours due to childcare and it took forever to get approved.

Been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks to ask similar questions about eligibility but can never get through. Their phone lines are constantly busy and when I do get in the queue, I get disconnected after waiting for hours. It's incredibly frustrating when you need answers about something this important.

The eligibility requirements are pretty straightforward if you break them down: 1) You need sufficient work history and wages in your base period, 2) You must be unemployed through no fault of your own (layoffs, business closures qualify), 3) You must be able and available for work, 4) You must actively search for work. Your retail job layoff definitely qualifies for reason #2.

ugh the Washington ESD system is so confusing!! I've been trying to figure out if I qualify too and every time I read their website I get more confused. Why can't they just make it simple - like if you worked X months and made X dollars you qualify, period.

One thing to consider - if you're caring for your mom regularly, you might want to look into whether that could qualify you for any family leave programs instead of or in addition to regular unemployment. I'm not an expert but I think Washington has some family care provisions that might be relevant to your situation.

I qualified last year with about the same work history as you. The key thing is Washington ESD calculates your 'base period' using complete calendar quarters, so depending on when you file, your recent work might not count yet. For example, if you file in January, your base period would be April-September of the previous year, not October-December.

Just wanted to add that being laid off due to store closures is definitely a qualifying reason. That's considered involuntary unemployment. You won't have any issues with the 'fault' requirement. The work history and availability stuff is what you need to focus on.

Here's what I learned when I went through this process: Don't overthink the application. Answer honestly and let Washington ESD determine your eligibility. If there are any issues, they'll contact you during the adjudication process. Better to apply and potentially get denied than to not apply at all and miss out on benefits you're entitled to.

I had a question about caregiving responsibilities too when I applied. Called Washington ESD and they told me as long as I could work if offered a job (meaning I could arrange care for my family member), then I met the 'able and available' requirement. It's about your ability to accept work, not whether you currently have 24/7 availability.

The monetary eligibility is usually the easiest part to figure out. You can actually check this before you even apply by looking at your wage history on the Washington ESD website. If you have a SAW account, you can see your reported wages and do the math yourself.

Been on unemployment twice in the past few years. The system isn't perfect but it works. Based on what you described, you should qualify. Just make sure you file your weekly claims on time once you're approved and keep up with the job search requirements.

I'm dealing with Washington ESD right now for a different issue but wanted to mention that if you need to talk to someone there directly, I used this service called Claimyr recently. They got me connected to an actual person at Washington ESD without having to deal with the busy phone lines. Really helpful when you have specific questions about your situation.

One more thing about the work history requirement - if you're close to the minimum but not quite there, Washington ESD might still approve you if you have good cause for limited work history. Things like being a recent graduate, returning to workforce after family obligations, etc.

Just apply already! You're clearly overthinking this. Worst case scenario they deny you and you appeal or reapply later. Best case you get approved and start receiving benefits while you look for work. Nothing to lose by trying.

I qualified with similar work history. Had about 10 months total work in my base period and got approved. The hardest part was actually the waiting - took about 2 weeks to get my first payment but then it was smooth sailing. Just be patient with the process.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel much more confident about applying now. Going to gather my employment info and file my claim this afternoon. Really appreciate this community for helping confused people like me navigate the Washington ESD system.