Are they still paying COVID unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

COVID unemployment programs like PUA and PEUC ended in September 2021. What you're eligible for now is regular Washington state unemployment insurance (UI). If you lost your job through no fault of your own, you should definitely file a claim on the Washington ESD website. The process is pretty straightforward.

yeah those pandemic programs are long gone. regular unemployment is what you want now. just be prepared for the washington esd phone lines to be crazy busy if you need to call them about anything

The federal pandemic programs (PUA, PEUC, FPUC) all ended September 6, 2021. However, Washington state's regular unemployment insurance program continues and has actually improved since then. Current weekly benefit amounts range from $295 to $999 depending on your earnings history. You can receive up to 26 weeks of benefits if you qualify.

I had such a nightmare trying to get through to Washington ESD when my claim got stuck in adjudication last year. Spent weeks calling every morning at 8am sharp and either got busy signals or got disconnected after waiting on hold. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to an agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that explains how it works.

OMG thank you for asking this!! I was wondering the same thing because my cousin in another state said she was still getting some kind of pandemic money but I guess that's not a thing here anymore. I'm filing for regular unemployment this week after getting laid off.

Just to add some context - even though the pandemic unemployment programs ended, Washington ESD did implement some permanent improvements to the regular UI system based on lessons learned during COVID. The online portal is better now and they've streamlined some processes.

This has been super helpful everyone! Sounds like I should just file regular unemployment and not worry about any special COVID programs. One more question - should I file online or is there any benefit to calling in my initial claim?

yeah definitely do it online. i made the mistake of trying to call for my initial claim and wasted hours on hold for something i could have done in 20 minutes online

Quick tip - when you file make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and employment information for the last 18 months ready. Having everything organized will make the process much smoother.

Wait, do we have to start the job search stuff immediately or is there a grace period when you first file?

I remember being so confused about this same thing when I filed last year. The amount of misinformation floating around about pandemic benefits was crazy. Glad to see people getting the right info here.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr thing I mentioned earlier - I know some people are skeptical about using services like that, but honestly when you're dealing with adjudication issues or complex claim problems, having a way to actually reach an agent can be a lifesaver. Washington ESD's phone system is still pretty overloaded during busy periods.

Pro tip: if you do end up needing to call Washington ESD for any reason, calling right at 8am on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday gives you the best chance of getting through without waiting forever.

The confusion about pandemic benefits is understandable since different states handled things differently and there was so much changing information during 2020-2021. In Washington, we're back to the standard UI program that existed before COVID, just with some improvements.

also worth mentioning - if your job loss was related to ongoing business impacts from covid but you're filing now, you still just file regular UI. there's no special covid designation needed anymore

To summarize for anyone else reading this: All federal pandemic unemployment programs ended September 6, 2021. If you're unemployed now, you file for regular Washington state unemployment insurance through secure.esd.wa.gov. Current benefits are $295-$999 per week for up to 26 weeks, depending on your wage history.

One thing I wished I knew when I first filed - keep detailed records of everything. Screenshot your weekly claim confirmations, save all correspondence from Washington ESD, keep your job search log updated. Makes everything easier if you ever have questions about your claim.

Thanks for this thread! I was actually wondering about the same thing since I keep seeing old articles about pandemic unemployment when I google stuff. Nice to get current info from people who actually know what they're talking about.

Final thought on the Claimyr service I mentioned - I know it might seem unnecessary for basic claims, but I've recommended it to a couple friends who had claims stuck in adjudication, and it really helped them get resolution faster than just waiting and hoping. Sometimes you need that direct agent contact to move things along.

Update: I filed my claim online this evening and it was actually pretty straightforward! Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. Now I just need to wait for them to process it and start doing my weekly claims. Feeling much better about the whole process now.