how long do you have to work for a company to get unemployment
For example, these are Alabama's rules for unemployment eligibility, as of late 2015: You must have wages in at least two quarters of your qualifying period (base period). The base period is the first four quarters (12 months) of the last five completed quarters from the date your claim is filed.
Base Period. The unemployment office bases your benefit checks on your work history, but they consider more than the most recent time period you worked. They look at the five quarters prior to when you file for benefits. If you file in October, the employment office will look at the wages you earned over the previous 15 months.