ESD benefits ran out after 28 weeks - any extension options or forced to take pay cut?

Unfortunately, Washington state doesn't currently offer any benefit extensions beyond the standard 26-30 weeks (depends on your specific situation). The pandemic-era extensions have all expired. The only options right now are:\n\n1. Continue job searching in your field\n2. Consider temporary work through staffing agencies that might pay better than retail/service jobs\n3. Look into WorkSource training programs that might qualify you for some financial assistance while learning new skills\n4. Take the lower-paying job while continuing to search for something better\n\nWorkSource offices can be really helpful with job search assistance and sometimes know about resources that aren't widely advertised. Have you connected with them yet?

Thanks for the reality check. We have been working with WorkSource, and they've been helpful with resume updates and mock interviews, but no specific financial assistance programs have been mentioned. I'll ask specifically about training programs at our next appointment. Appreciate the honest information.

same boat here!!!! exhausted benefits in January and still no freakin job. i had to take a crappy warehouse job making $18/hr when i used to make $32/hr as a project coordinator. its absolute BS that theres no extensions when the job market is TERRIBLE right now. all these companies posting jobs they have NO intention of filling!!!!

That's exactly what we're experiencing! So many interviews where they seem impressed but then ghost us or say they're

Here's what ESD won't tell you directly: Apply for the lower-paying job but request a wage determination if you get hired. If the new job pays less than 80% of your previous wage, you *might* be able to turn it down without losing eligibility if you reapply for unemployment. But this is risky!\n\nI went through this last year. The catch is, you'd have to reopen your claim (which means starting a brand new benefit year with a potentially much lower benefit amount) AND prove you're still actively seeking appropriate work in your field.\n\nHonestly though, most people in your situation end up having to take the pay cut temporarily. The \

That's interesting about the wage determination, but as you mentioned, our benefits are completely exhausted - not just for this benefit year but we've used all 28 weeks. So reopening wouldn't help since we've maxed out, right? It sounds like there's no way around taking the pay cut at this point.

have yall tried calling esd directly??? maybe there's some special program they don't advertise. my cousin got some kind of extension but idk how

Your cousin probably got an extension during the pandemic when they had PEUC and other federal extensions. Those all ended ages ago. Now there's literally NOTHING after regular benefits run out. That's why so many people are struggling right now.

oh that makes sense. ya it was like 2021 i think

One thing that might help - if you're having trouble actually getting through to an ESD agent to discuss potential options, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) last month when I needed to talk to someone about my claim. It got me through to an actual person in about 25 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3\n\nThat said, from my conversation with ESD, there are genuinely no extensions available in Washington currently. I'm in healthcare too and ended up taking a contract position through a staffing agency that paid less but came with some flexibility to continue interviewing. Not ideal but it was better than retail.

Thanks for the Claimyr suggestion. I might try that just to confirm there are no other programs I might qualify for. The contract position is a good idea - at least those often have specific end dates so you can plan accordingly. I'll look into medical staffing agencies as an interim solution.

I don't think anyone mentioned this yet - but have you applied for other assistance programs while you're job hunting? SNAP benefits (food stamps), utility assistance through LIHEAP, etc? Those won't replace unemployment but might help reduce expenses while you're searching. Also check if you qualify for the reduced-cost Cascade Care health insurance plans if you lost employer coverage. Just trying to think of ways to stretch your budget while you're looking!

We did apply for SNAP and qualified for a small amount ($230/month), which has been helpful. We're on a payment plan with the utility company. I hadn't heard of LIHEAP specifically though - will look into that. We're on Cascade Care already, thankfully. Every little bit helps right now. I appreciate the suggestions!

UGHHH THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED THIS WAY ON PURPOSE!!! They WANT you to take that 40% pay cut because it keeps wages down for everyone!! This is why unemployment benefits are so limited - to force qualified people into underpaid positions so companies can justify their garbage wages. It's economic coercion and it's disgusting. I went through the exact same thing last year and ended up taking a $22/hr job after making $36/hr for 8 years. The whole \

Let's be fair here - the UI system wasn't designed to be permanent income replacement. It's temporary assistance while seeking comparable work. What's broken is the job market, not necessarily the UI system itself. Companies are being incredibly picky and dragging out hiring processes while claiming they can't find qualified workers. That's the real issue that needs fixing.

Oh please, the entire system works together - artificially limited UI benefits + companies refusing to hire at fair wages = workers forced to accept less. It's all connected and intentional.

Have you considered part-time work options? Sometimes you can find a higher-paying part-time position in your field (even 20-25 hours) that pays more than a full-time job in a different industry. The medical field usually has more flexible options than IT, but both industries do have contract and part-time work. This could be a better stopgap than taking a full-time position with a massive pay cut.\n\nAlso, Washington has a Shared Work program for employers, so sometimes looking specifically at companies participating in that program might lead to opportunities that could later become full-time.

That's a really good point about part-time specialized work potentially paying more than full-time lower-skilled work. I hadn't thought about that angle. I've seen some remote medical coding/billing positions with flexible hours, so I'll expand my search to include those options. My spouse has started looking at IT gig work too. Thanks for the perspective shift!