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Does Washington ESD ever do those federal extended benefit programs like during COVID? Or are we stuck with just the 26 weeks?
Extended benefits are triggered when unemployment rates hit certain thresholds. Right now there are no federal or state extended programs active in Washington.
Figured as much. Guess I better find something in the next few weeks then.
Another vote for that Claimyr service - used it yesterday to get through to Washington ESD about my claim balance. Way better than spending hours on hold for nothing.
Alright I'm convinced - going to try it today. Thanks for all the feedback everyone.
Make sure you understand the difference between gross and net income when calculating. Washington ESD uses gross wages, not your take-home pay.
Exactly. Use your gross wages from your pay stubs, before any deductions.
The calculation is pretty straightforward once you get it. Find your highest earning quarter in the base period, divide by 26, and that's your weekly benefit (up to the maximum). Just make sure you're looking at the right quarters.
Thanks everyone for all the help! I think I have a much better understanding now. Going to gather my pay stubs and see if I can get an exact calculation.
Good luck with your claim! The process isn't too bad once you get started.
One more tip - set up direct deposit if you haven't already. The debit card option has fees and the checks take forever to arrive in the mail.
I did set up direct deposit during the application process, so that should be good to go.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much more confident about the process now. Going to make sure I file my weekly claim this Sunday and watch for the payment early next week.
Will definitely keep that in mind, thanks again everyone!
Perfect summary! This thread has been so helpful. Wish I'd found information this clear on the Washington ESD website.
The official information is there, but it's scattered across different pages. Real experiences from other people are always more helpful.
Ava Martinez
Just want to add - if your claim gets stuck in adjudication (which happens a lot), don't panic but also don't just wait around. Keep filing your weekly claims and try to reach Washington ESD to check on the status. Sometimes there are simple issues that can be resolved quickly if you can talk to someone.
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Ava Martinez
•Lots of things - if you quit vs were laid off, if there's a question about your availability to work, wage discrepancies, stuff like that. Usually they just need more information but it can take weeks to resolve.
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Miguel Ramos
•This is exactly when something like Claimyr becomes really valuable. When you're stuck in adjudication and need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD, having a way to get through their phone system without spending hours trying is huge.
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QuantumQuasar
lol the washington esd phone system is like a fortress designed to keep people out. good luck with that
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Zainab Omar
•It really is ridiculous how hard it is to reach them! But there are ways around it if you know what to look for.
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