At the time she files for unemployment insurance.... on that date, not before or after, or based on when she last worked, but when she files, on that date, the system will search back through the last 18 months to determine if she has worked for covered employers who have filed wage records with the state system. These quarters change every three months, so it does not matter if she has worked all her life before, just the last 18 months will be of interest. The reason she left these jobs is not considered at this point, just that she has wages from them.
If she has enough covered wages, then a claim will be set up. If she does not have enough wages to set up a claim, there is no unemployment for her, regardless of her circumstances, the reason she was terminated from her last job, how many years of her life she worked before...zilch, nada, no. But if there is a minimum of wages you have to have made, and she does not have the minimum quarters of wages to set up a claim, there's no "fighting" that.
Having set up a claim, then there would be an investigation on the reason she is not working now. Why she left her last job. This would be conducted by taking statement from her, from her last employer, and a decision on eligibility based on unemployment law in your state. If there are multiple employers in the base period, each situation will be looked at according to your state system as to whether they would play a part in her claim, if their account would be charged if she draws.
She should file. If she has enough wages, then they'd determine if she could draw them. But if she has not got sufficient wages to set up, her only alternative is to find another job.
