Do ESD benefits auto-renew for 2025 or do I need to reapply after using remaining weeks?

You'll need to file a brand new claim once your benefit year ends. It doesn't automatically renew. The system should prompt you when you try to file your weekly claim after Dec 31. Make sure you have your employment info ready for all jobs in the past 18 months, including the most recent one that laid you off in November.

u dont reapply till ur benefit yr actually ends, think of it like a container that holds ur eligible weeks. once the container expires u gotta get a new one. u might qualify for a new claim based on wages from the job u had for those months this yr

Just to add some clarity here - your benefit year is a 12-month period that begins when you initially file a claim. Within that year, you can collect the total benefit amount you were approved for, which is divided into weekly payments up to your maximum entitlement. Once your benefit year ends (Dec 31, 2025 in your case), you MUST file a completely new claim to establish a new benefit year. The system won't automatically roll you over. For the new claim, ESD will look at your employment history and wages during a new base year period to determine eligibility. Since you worked between your initial layoff and November 2025, those wages may help you qualify for a new claim with a new weekly benefit amount. Just make sure you have all your employment details ready when filing the new claim.

I've been through this EXACT situation last year. When your benefit year ends, the system will actually block you from filing any more weekly claims on that benefit year. You'll get a message saying something like "Your benefit year has expired" when you try to file. You'll need to file a completely new application. And YES, unfortunately it can take time - potentially going into adjudication again especially if you had multiple employers. I had almost 3 weeks of no benefits while my new claim was processed. If you're having trouble getting through on the phones to ask questions (I waited FOUR HOURS), I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Totally worth it for getting clear answers on my specific situation.

Is anyone else sick of how IMPOSSIBLE it is to find this basic information on the ESD website?? Like seriously, they make it so confusing on purpose I swear. I had to call SIX TIMES last year to get a straight answer about my benefit year ending. The whole system is designed to make people give up!!

I think im in almost the same boat!!! My benefit year ends Dec 27th and I still have like 4 weeks left of benefits but won't be able to use them all by then. So we just lose those weeks? That seems so unfair! Has anyone had luck getting an extension or something?

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! Just to make sure I understand correctly - I'll continue filing my weekly claims until December 31, then I'll need to file a completely new application. The wages from my job I had this summer will count toward my new claim potentially. I'll definitely start preparing all my employment information now so I'm ready. And I'll set aside some emergency funds in case there's a gap in payments during the new claim processing. Really appreciate all the insights!