How do I apply for extended unemployment benefits through Washington ESD?

Extended benefits in Washington depend on the state's unemployment rate. Right now we don't have EB (Extended Benefits) activated because our unemployment rate isn't high enough. You might be thinking of other programs that ended during the pandemic.

I was in the same boat last year. Once your benefit year ends, you have to file a new claim if you're still unemployed. But you need to have worked and earned enough wages since your last claim started to qualify for a new claim.

The Extended Benefits program only kicks in when Washington's unemployment rate hits certain thresholds. It's been off since 2021. Your best bet is calling Washington ESD directly to ask about your specific situation, though getting through can be really tough.

THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING! Why is it so hard to get straight answers about this stuff? The website is confusing and you can never get through on the phone. People need to eat and pay rent!

To clarify the Extended Benefits situation: EB is automatically triggered when a state's unemployment rate reaches 6.5% and is at least 110% of the rate during the same period in the previous two years. Washington hasn't hit those thresholds recently, so EB isn't available.

just went through this myself. once your 26 weeks are up thats it unless you worked enough to start a new claim. i had to look into food stamps and other assistance programs

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you haven't worked since your claim started, you're not going to qualify for a new unemployment claim. The system requires you to have recent work history and wages to establish a new benefit year.

The pandemic programs like PEUC and PUA that gave extra weeks are long gone. Now we're back to the regular system which is pretty limited.

If you're getting close to exhausting your regular benefits, I'd recommend calling Washington ESD ASAP to discuss your options. They can look at your specific wage history and let you know if you'd qualify for a new claim. Don't wait until your benefits actually run out.

Wait I'm confused - I thought there were different types of extended benefits? Like isn't there something called Emergency Unemployment Compensation or something?

This happened to my sister last year. She exhausted her regular UI and couldn't get extended benefits. Had to move back in with our parents and take a part-time job that barely covered gas money.

Have you been keeping up with your job search requirements? I know it doesn't help with the extended benefits issue but you want to make sure you don't have any problems with your remaining weeks.

The whole unemployment system needs an overhaul. 26 weeks isn't enough time to find good work, especially in certain industries or if you're older.

OP, your best bet is to really focus on your job search these next two weeks and also start looking into other assistance programs you might qualify for. Washington has some decent safety net programs even if unemployment runs out.

I used Claimyr when I had questions about my claim status and it was actually really helpful. Way better than trying to navigate their phone system on your own. The video demo they have explains exactly how it works.

just want to say good luck with whatever you decide to do. this whole situation sucks and its not your fault the system is set up this way

To summarize for OP: Extended Benefits aren't available in WA right now. To get a new regular UI claim, you'd need sufficient wages from work during your current benefit year. If you haven't worked, you won't qualify. Your best options are calling ESD to confirm your situation and looking into other assistance programs.

This is why I always tell people to start their job search seriously from day one of unemployment, not wait until benefits are running out. The system isn't designed to support people indefinitely.

Final advice for OP: definitely call Washington ESD this week to get official answers about your specific situation. Don't rely on forum advice for something this important to your financial security. If you can't get through on the regular phone line, consider using a service like Claimyr to help you connect with an agent.