Been unemployed for a year can I get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?
I lost my job back in January 2024 and have been looking for work ever since. It's now been over a year and I'm wondering if I can still apply for unemployment benefits through Washington ESD? I didn't file right away because I thought I'd find something quickly, but here we are. Is there a time limit on when you can file your initial claim? I've been doing odd jobs here and there but nothing steady. Really need help understanding if I'm still eligible after being unemployed this long.
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Ana Rusula
Unfortunately, you needed to file your initial claim within a certain timeframe after becoming unemployed. In Washington, you generally need to file within the first few weeks of job loss to establish your benefit year. After a full year, you've likely missed your window for benefits based on that 2024 job separation.
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Noah huntAce420
•That's what I was afraid of. So there's really nothing I can do now?
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Ana Rusula
•You could still try filing to see what Washington ESD says, but the system typically looks at wages from a specific base period. After this long, those wages might not count anymore.
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Fidel Carson
Wait, I'm confused about this too. I thought you had like 2 years or something to file? My cousin filed way late last year and got benefits.
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Isaiah Sanders
•Your cousin might have had a different situation. There are exceptions sometimes, but generally you need to file promptly after job loss to get the full benefit period.
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Fidel Carson
•Oh okay, that makes sense. Every situation is different I guess.
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Xan Dae
I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I needed to ask about late filing deadlines. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally used Claimyr to get connected to an actual agent who could explain my options. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way better than sitting on hold all day.
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Noah huntAce420
•Never heard of Claimyr before. Is it legit? I really need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about my situation.
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Xan Dae
•Yeah it's totally legit. Check out claimyr.com - they basically help you get through to ESD agents when the phone lines are swamped. Saved me so much frustration.
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Fiona Gallagher
•I'm always skeptical of third-party services but honestly the Washington ESD phone system is so broken sometimes you need help just to talk to a human.
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Isaiah Sanders
The key thing to understand is Washington ESD looks at your base period wages to determine eligibility. If you were working in 2023 and early 2024, you might still have qualifying wages in your base period depending on when exactly you lost your job. The system calculates this automatically when you file.
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Noah huntAce420
•I was working full-time until January 2024, so I definitely had wages in 2023. Does that help my case?
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Isaiah Sanders
•Possibly! The base period looks at the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. So your 2023 wages could still count if you file soon.
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Thais Soares
honestly the whole system is ridiculous. they make it so complicated with all these deadlines and base periods. just file and see what happens, worst they can say is no
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Noah huntAce420
•You're right, I should just try filing and see what they say.
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Ana Rusula
•Agree that filing is worth a shot. Even if the timing isn't perfect, Washington ESD can at least give you a definitive answer about your eligibility.
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Nalani Liu
I was in a similar boat last year. Waited too long to file thinking I'd find work quickly. When I finally applied, I found out I could still get some benefits but not the full amount I would have gotten if I filed right away. Better than nothing though!
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Noah huntAce420
•That gives me some hope! How long did it take for them to process your claim?
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Nalani Liu
•Took about 3 weeks for the initial determination. Had to go through adjudication because of the late filing but it worked out in the end.
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Axel Bourke
•What's adjudication? Keep seeing that word but don't understand what it means.
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Nalani Liu
•It's when Washington ESD needs to review your claim manually because there's something unusual - like filing late or having gaps in employment. Takes longer but not necessarily bad.
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Fiona Gallagher
The odd jobs you mentioned could complicate things too. Washington ESD needs to know about all work and earnings, even part-time or temporary stuff. Make sure you have records of what you earned.
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Noah huntAce420
•I've been keeping track but it's been pretty sporadic. Mostly cash jobs here and there.
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Fiona Gallagher
•Cash jobs still count as earnings. You'll need to report everything honestly when you file your claim.
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Aidan Percy
Another thing to consider - even if you can't get regular unemployment benefits, there might be other programs available. Washington has different assistance programs for people in long-term unemployment situations.
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Noah huntAce420
•What kind of other programs? I haven't heard about those.
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Aidan Percy
•Things like SNAP, housing assistance, job training programs. Not unemployment benefits exactly but other support while you're job searching.
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Fernanda Marquez
You should definitely file ASAP if you're going to try. Every week you wait is potentially another week of benefits lost. The Washington ESD system won't backdate benefits to when you first became unemployed - only to when you actually file the claim.
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Noah huntAce420
•Good point. I'll start the application process today.
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Isaiah Sanders
•Smart move. Even if you're not eligible for the full benefit amount, getting something is better than nothing while you continue job searching.
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Norman Fraser
This whole thread is making me nervous about my own situation. I've been putting off filing because the website looks so complicated.
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Ana Rusula
•Don't wait! The longer you put it off, the more you potentially lose. The application isn't as bad as it looks once you get started.
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Kendrick Webb
•I used one of those services someone mentioned earlier - Claimyr I think? They helped me understand what info I needed before I started the application. Made the whole process way less stressful.
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Hattie Carson
PLEASE tell me why this system is so confusing! Been trying to figure out my own eligibility for weeks and every website gives different information.
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Isaiah Sanders
•It is confusing because there are so many different situations and exceptions. That's why talking to an actual Washington ESD agent is usually the best way to get accurate info for your specific case.
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Hattie Carson
•Yeah but getting through to an agent is impossible most days!
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Xan Dae
•That's exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier. They specialize in getting you connected to ESD agents when the regular phone lines are jammed.
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Destiny Bryant
Just want to add that even if your initial claim gets denied, you can appeal the decision. Don't give up if the first answer isn't what you want to hear.
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Noah huntAce420
•Good to know there's an appeal process. Hopefully it won't come to that but nice to have options.
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Destiny Bryant
•Appeals take time but they do work sometimes, especially if there were extenuating circumstances for why you filed late.
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Dyllan Nantx
Whatever you do, make sure you're actively job searching when you file. Washington ESD requires proof of job search activities every week you claim benefits.
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Noah huntAce420
•I've been looking for work this whole time, just haven't been keeping detailed records.
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Dyllan Nantx
•Start keeping detailed records now! You need to log where you applied, when, contact info, etc. The job search log is required.
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TillyCombatwarrior
my advice is just file the claim online and see what happens. you can always ask questions later but you can't go back in time to file earlier
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Noah huntAce420
•You're absolutely right. I'm going to file today and deal with whatever questions come up.
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Anna Xian
One more thing - if you do get approved, remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You might want to have taxes withheld or set money aside for tax time.
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Noah huntAce420
•Thanks for the heads up! I didn't think about the tax implications.
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Anna Xian
•Yeah, it catches a lot of people off guard. You can choose to have taxes withheld when you set up your claim.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
Hope everything works out for you! It's been a tough year for a lot of people. The job market is finally starting to improve in some areas.
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Noah huntAce420
•Thank you! I'm staying optimistic. This thread has been really helpful.
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Rajan Walker
•Good luck with your claim! Keep us posted on how it goes.
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Nadia Zaldivar
Just to summarize for anyone else reading this - file as soon as possible, have your employment history ready, keep job search records, and don't be afraid to call Washington ESD if you have questions. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised by what options are available.
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Noah huntAce420
•Perfect summary! I'm feeling much more confident about filing now. Thanks everyone for all the advice.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•This has been really helpful for me too. I was in a similar situation and wasn't sure if it was worth trying to file.
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Carmen Vega
I went through something similar a few months ago - waited about 8 months before filing because I kept thinking I'd land something soon. Washington ESD did approve my claim but I only got benefits for the remaining weeks in my benefit year, not the full 26 weeks I would have gotten if I filed right away. The key thing is they look at your "benefit year" which starts when you file, not when you became unemployed. So you're basically losing those weeks you waited. Still worth filing though - some benefits are better than none, and you might qualify for extensions or other programs too.
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