Can I apply for unemployment again when Washington ESD benefits run out?

You can potentially file a new claim if it's been a full year since your original claim started, but you'll need to meet the earnings requirements again. Washington ESD looks at your work history from the past 18 months to determine if you qualify for a new benefit year.

been through this twice now... first time I had to wait because I didnt have enough wages to start a new claim. second time I was able to get a new benefit year but the weekly amount was lower because my recent wages were from part time work

I tried calling Washington ESD about this same question last month and couldn't get through after hours of trying. The hold times are absolutely ridiculous. I ended up using this service called Claimyr that calls for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Finally got my questions answered about extending vs. starting a new claim.

The key thing to understand is the difference between extending your current claim (which might not be possible if you've exhausted regular UI) and filing a brand new claim. For a new claim, Washington ESD will calculate your base period again and determine both eligibility and your new weekly benefit amount based on recent wages.

THIS SYSTEM IS SO CONFUSING! Why can't they just automatically roll you into a new claim if you qualify? Instead we have to figure all this out ourselves and hope we don't mess something up.

To be clear about the timeline - you can file a new claim as soon as your benefit year ends, which is typically 52 weeks from when you first filed. But if your current benefits exhaust before your benefit year ends, you might be in a gap period where you can't collect anything until the year is up OR until you earn enough wages to qualify for a new claim.

I was in this exact situation 6 months ago. Turns out I didn't have enough recent wages to qualify for a new claim so I had to wait until my benefit year ended. But then when I refiled, my old wages from before unemployment kicked back in and I got approved with almost the same weekly amount.

honestly just file and see what happens? worst case they deny you and you know where you stand

Just to follow up on the Claimyr thing - I used them again last week to ask about my pending job search waiver and got through to Washington ESD in like 15 minutes. Way better than the 3+ hours I was spending on hold before. Really helped me understand the difference between extending vs. refiling too.

Another thing to consider is whether you might qualify for any job training programs through WorkSource. Sometimes they have extended benefits available while you're in approved training.

The most important thing is to understand your benefit year end date and your monetary eligibility for a new claim. You can find your benefit year dates in your Washington ESD account online. If you're close to your benefit year ending, it might make sense to wait rather than trying to file a new claim with insufficient wages.

update: finally got through to washington esd using that claimyr service someone mentioned. agent confirmed I can file a new claim when my benefit year ends in march and my wages from my last full time job will count in the new base period. huge relief!

Still think the whole system should be more straightforward but at least there are ways to get real answers. Thanks for sharing your experience with that calling service.

Final reminder for everyone - don't let your current benefits just run out without understanding your options. Whether that's filing a new claim, exploring training programs, or looking into other support services, it's better to have a plan before you hit zero weeks remaining.