ESD benefit year confusion - can I file after restarting a claim with months still remaining?

Let me try to explain the ESD benefit year rules. Your benefit year is the 12-month period after you file your initial claim - in your case Dec 2023-Nov 2024. When you restart a claim within that same benefit year, you're drawing from the same pot of benefits that was determined at the beginning. The fact that your monetary determination was updated to include your most recent work is interesting though. Typically, you'd need to wait until your current benefit year expires (Nov 30, 2024) before filing a completely new claim. To qualify for a new claim, you need to have worked 680 hours since the beginning of your previous benefit year. Your 6 months of work should count toward that requirement for your next benefit year.

The system is sooo confusing!!! I went through something similar last year and it made no sense. The ESD reps told me different things depending who I talked to. One said I needed a new claim, then another said restart, then when I finally got through again they said something completely different about my base year calculation. NONE of the information on their website helped clarify anything. Did they actually say your "benefit year" was changing, or just that your monetary determination was being recalculated?

Based on what you're describing, there seems to be some confusion about terminology. When you restart a claim within the same benefit year (Dec 2023-Nov 2024), you should be drawing from the same maximum benefit amount, minus what you already used. The monetary determination update likely just reflects the additional wages from your recent job, which might have increased your weekly benefit amount but doesn't change your benefit year dates. As for eligibility after November 2024, your 6 months of work will definitely help. You need 680 hours in your base year (the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file). So when your current benefit year ends, you should qualify for a new claim if you worked enough hours during those 6 months. I recommend keeping detailed records of all your work hours from that 6-month job. It'll be important for your next claim.

Same boat. Tried calling ESD for weeks about a similar issue and kept getting the "high call volume" message then disconnected. I finally got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they actually connected me to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent explained that benefit years are fixed 12-month periods and can't actually be changed mid-stream. When you restart a claim within the same benefit year, you're using the remaining benefits from the original determination, though your weekly amount might change based on more recent work. Sounds like the rep you spoke with might have confused things.

ur not losing anything lol the esd lady just said u have to restart the old claim cuz your still in the same benefit year. after nov 30 THEN u file a totally new claim. the 6 months of work is good it means ull qualify for the next benefit year. they just update ur monetary amount based on newer wages sometimes.

ESD IS THE WORST!!! They constantly give conflicting info and their stupid website doesn't explain ANYTHING clearly. I had THREE DIFFERENT REPS tell me three completely different things about my claim last year. One said my benefit year was over when it wasn't, one said I didn't qualify when I did, and the third finally got it right. The whole system is designed to confuse people so they give up!!!

To clarify what happens next: you'll continue using your current claim until your benefit year ends in November 2024. After that, you'll file a completely new claim where ESD will look at your base year (roughly the last 15-18 months of work history) to determine eligibility. The 6 months you worked at that second contract position will count toward that. As long as you worked at least 680 hours during your base year for the new claim, you should qualify. The confusion likely came from the representative not clearly explaining the difference between 'restarting an existing claim' versus 'filing a new claim' - which are very different processes in the ESD system.

Yes, that's exactly right. Use what you have now until November 30th, then file a new claim. The 6 months of work will be part of your base year calculation for the new claim. Just make sure you keep track of your hours worked during that period - sometimes ESD misses some employers in their wage calculations.

My sister works at worksource and she says people get confused about this all the time. The benefit YEAR (12 month period) is different from your benefit AMOUNT (total $ you can receive). Restarting a claim in the same benefit year means you're just continuing where you left off with whatever benefits remained. Your monetary determination got updated because your weekly amount might change with new wages, but your benefit year dates stay the same.