Can you renew unemployment benefits in Washington - my claim expires next month

You can't technically 'renew' unemployment benefits in Washington. Once your benefit year ends, you'll need to file a new initial claim if you're still unemployed. The good news is that if you've worked and earned enough wages since your last claim started, you might qualify for a new benefit year.

I went through this exact situation last year. You have to file a new claim but the process is basically the same as your original claim. Just make sure you file it before your current benefit year expires so there's no gap.

Actually ran into problems when I tried to file my new claim online. The system kept giving me errors and I couldn't get through on the phone lines. Ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an actual Washington ESD agent who helped me file over the phone. Way easier than dealing with the busy signals. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

The Washington ESD website says you need to have earned at least $1,000 in covered wages during your benefit year OR have qualifying wages in the base period for a new claim. If you don't meet either, you might be out of luck until you work again.

this is so confusing why cant they just make it automatic if youre still unemployed??

I'm in the same boat - my claim expires in February. Been applying to jobs constantly but nothing's panning out. Really hoping there's some kind of extension program available because I have no idea how I'll pay rent otherwise.

Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims right up until your benefit year ends. Some people think they should stop filing once they know their claim is ending but you need to keep certifying to get paid for those final weeks.

The system is such a mess. I tried calling Washington ESD 47 times yesterday and either got a busy signal or got disconnected after waiting on hold for an hour. How are we supposed to get help when we can't even talk to anyone?

Check the Washington ESD website under 'File a New Claim' - they have a whole section about filing after your benefit year expires. The process starts online but you might need to call if you have complications.

whatever you do dont wait until the last minute like i did. filed my new claim the day after my old one expired and there was a 2 week delay in processing. lost 2 weeks of benefits because of that gap

Been collecting unemployment for 8 months now and still haven't found anything in my field. The job search requirements are brutal - having to apply to 3 jobs per week and document everything. At this point I'm applying to stuff I'm overqualified for just to meet the requirements.

If you've been on unemployment for almost a year, you should definitely file a new claim before your current one expires. Even if you don't qualify based on wages, Washington ESD needs to make that determination officially. Sometimes there are programs or extensions you might not know about.

My cousin went through this and ended up having to take a part-time retail job just to get some wages on record so she could file a new claim later. Not ideal but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

I used Claimyr when I had issues with my new claim filing. The Washington ESD agent they connected me with was super helpful and walked me through the whole process. Much better than trying to figure it out on my own through the website.

Just want to add that even if your new claim gets denied, you should appeal if you think there's been a mistake. The appeals process can take a while but sometimes they catch errors that way.

One more thing - make sure all your contact information is up to date in your account before you file the new claim. Washington ESD will need to reach you for verification and if your info is wrong it can delay everything.

I'm a newcomer here and going through the exact same situation. My claim expires in a few weeks and I'm terrified about the gap in benefits. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful - it sounds like filing a new claim early is the key, even if you're not sure you'll qualify. The fact that so many people have had to use third-party services like Claimyr just to get through to Washington ESD shows how broken the system is. It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops when we're already struggling to find work in this job market.