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The bottom line is that regular unemployment in Washington maxes out at 26 weeks. Extensions are rare and usually only happen during major economic downturns. Your best bet is looking into training programs if you want to extend your benefits while learning new skills.
This is the most accurate summary. Don't count on extensions - use your 26 weeks wisely and have a backup plan.
Thanks everyone for the reality check. I guess I better start looking into those training programs and maybe consider part-time work too.
I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. After my 26 weeks ran out, I ended up applying for a WIOA-funded training program through WorkSource for medical coding. It took about 3 weeks to get approved, but once I started the program I was able to get additional financial support that helped bridge the gap. The key is to start the application process early - don't wait until your last week of benefits. Also worth noting that some community colleges have their own workforce development grants that can provide income support during training. Definitely explore all your options because once those 26 weeks are done, there's no going back to regular UI unless you work enough to requalify.
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Final reminder for anyone reading this - make sure you understand the difference between 'able and available' vs 'standby' status. If you're laid off temporarily and expecting to return to the same job, you might qualify for standby which has different job search requirements.
What's the difference in requirements for standby status?
With standby, you don't have to do the 3 weekly job search activities since you're expected to return to your employer. But you need documentation from your employer confirming the temporary layoff and expected return date.
Hey there! I'm in a similar situation and have been researching Washington ESD benefits. Based on everything I've read here, it looks like you'd be looking at around $400-450 per week with your $800 weekly wages. The formula is pretty straightforward: they take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then multiply by 0.0385. Just make sure to file your weekly claims right away even while waiting for approval, and definitely register with WorkSourceWA for the job search requirements. Good luck if you end up needing to file!
This is such a helpful summary! I've been following this thread as someone who might need to file soon too. The $400-450 range seems to be the consensus for someone making $800/week. One thing I'm still confused about though - do they use your actual weekly wages or do they calculate everything based on quarterly totals? Like if I had some weeks with overtime that pushed me over $800, would that help my benefit amount?
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I just went through this exact same situation! Filed my claim about 2 weeks ago and was constantly refreshing my account trying to figure out if I was approved. What finally clued me in was when I logged in one morning and suddenly saw a "File Weekly Claim" button that wasn't there before, plus my weekly benefit amount showed up under the claim summary section. That's basically Washington ESD's way of telling you you're approved without actually saying it directly. The determination letter came in the mail about 3 days later confirming everything. If you can see your weekly benefit amount ($421 sounds right for approval!) and can file weekly claims, you're definitely good to go. Just make sure to file those weekly claims every Sunday - that's when the money actually starts flowing!
Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really reassuring to hear. I've been checking my account obsessively and was starting to worry something was wrong. The "File Weekly Claim" button appearing sounds like the key indicator I should watch for. Did you get your first payment pretty quickly after filing your first weekly claim?
Yes, once I filed my first weekly claim on Sunday, I got the payment deposited into my account the following Wednesday. Washington ESD is usually pretty quick with direct deposit - just make sure you have that set up! The key is being consistent with filing every single week. I almost missed my second week because I thought I could skip it since I hadn't heard back about a job interview, but thankfully someone on here warned me that you can't miss any weeks or you lose those benefits permanently.
I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim about a week ago and have been anxiously checking my account multiple times a day! This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding what to look for. Based on what everyone is saying, it sounds like the key indicators are: 1) seeing your weekly benefit amount appear in the claim summary, 2) being able to file weekly claims, and 3) getting that official determination letter in the mail. The waiting is definitely stressful when you're already dealing with unemployment, but it's reassuring to know that most straightforward claims get approved within 2-3 weeks. I'm going to stop obsessively checking my account and just be patient - though I'll definitely keep an eye out for that "File Weekly Claim" button to appear!
You're absolutely right about those key indicators! I'm actually in the same boat as you - filed my claim about 8 days ago and have been refreshing my account way too much. Reading through this whole thread has really helped calm my nerves though. It sounds like as long as we don't see any red flags or adjudication notices, we should be fine. The hardest part is definitely just waiting it out when you're already stressed about being unemployed. Good luck with your claim - hopefully we both see those weekly benefit amounts show up soon!
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Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else dealing with this - I had a similar situation where I missed an adjudicator call and panicked thinking they'd automatically deny my claim. Turns out they're actually required to make a reasonable effort to contact you before making a decision. If you've been calling back and leaving messages, that shows good faith on your part. One thing that helped me was also trying to call during different times of day - I found late afternoon (around 3-4 PM) sometimes had better luck than mornings. And definitely check your mail AND email for any correspondence they might have sent about what specific information they need. Sometimes the voicemail is generic but they've already mailed you a detailed questionnaire about the issue. Don't give up! The fact that Connor got through and it was just a simple verification issue is pretty typical from what I've seen in this community.
Thank you for sharing this perspective! As someone who's been lurking in this community trying to understand the unemployment process, it's really reassuring to hear that ESD is actually required to make reasonable contact efforts before making decisions. The different timing strategy is interesting too - I would have assumed mornings were always best, but it makes sense that call volume might vary throughout the day. Your point about checking both mail and email is also really important - I hadn't realized they might send detailed questionnaires separately from the voicemail. This whole thread has been so educational for understanding what to expect if I ever find myself in a similar situation with an adjudicator call.
Reading through this thread as someone new to the unemployment system, I'm struck by how common this adjudicator callback situation seems to be! It's both reassuring and frustrating to see that so many people have dealt with missed calls and the anxiety that comes with those vague voicemails. What I'm taking away from everyone's experiences: 1) Call right at 8 AM for shortest wait times, 2) Document every attempt you make to contact them, 3) Check eServices, mail, AND email for any additional information they might have sent, 4) Don't panic - most of these turn out to be routine verification issues, and 5) They are required to make reasonable contact efforts before deciding your claim. Connor, I'm so glad you got through and it was just a simple employer verification issue! Your update gives me hope that the system, while imperfect, does eventually work when you're persistent. Thanks to everyone else for sharing your strategies and experiences - this thread is going to be a great resource for anyone facing similar situations.
This is such a comprehensive summary of all the key takeaways from this discussion! As another newcomer to unemployment benefits, I really appreciate how you've organized all the practical advice into clear action steps. It's amazing how much collective wisdom there is in this community - I would never have known about the 8 AM calling strategy or that they send information through multiple channels. The documentation tip is especially important since it seems like having a record of your contact attempts can be crucial if you need to appeal later. Thanks for putting together this helpful recap, and congratulations to Connor on getting his issue resolved! This whole thread is definitely going in my saved posts for future reference.
GalacticGuru
thanks everyone for the info, this is exactly what i needed to know even though it's not what i wanted to hear
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Connor Murphy
•Same here. At least now I know what to expect and can plan accordingly
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Knowledge is power, even when it's disappointing news. Good luck with your job search!
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Connor Murphy
UPDATE: I'm going to try that Claimyr service to get through to Washington ESD and ask about my specific situation. Will report back if I learn anything new about extensions or other options.
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Freya Pedersen
•Please do update us! We're all in similar situations and could use any additional info you get
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Emily Sanjay
•Same here, really hoping you find out something useful! I'm in a similar situation and could really use some good news about potential options beyond the standard 26 weeks.
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