How do you qualify for extended unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

Extended benefits in Washington depend on the state's unemployment rate. Right now Washington ESD doesn't have extended benefits activated because our unemployment rate isn't high enough to trigger them. You need the state unemployment rate to be at certain thresholds for extended benefits to kick in.

i think you need to have worked like 680 hours or something to get a new claim but dont quote me on that

I was in a similar situation last year trying to figure out my options when regular benefits were ending. The Washington ESD website is confusing about this stuff and when I tried calling them I could never get through. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real Washington ESD agent within an hour. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. The agent was able to explain exactly what my options were and help me understand if I qualified for anything.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN! I've been trying to get answers about this for months and Washington ESD just gives you the runaround. They act like it's YOUR fault when their own website doesn't explain anything clearly!

Extended benefits are triggered when either the state unemployment rate hits 6.5% for three consecutive months, or when it's 120% of the rate from the same period in the previous two years. Washington hasn't met these triggers recently. However, you should check if you're eligible for a new benefit year if you've worked enough hours, or look into other assistance programs.

wait so if the unemployment rate goes up we automatically get extended benefits? or does the governor have to do something

One thing people don't realize is that even if extended benefits were available, you'd still need to meet all the regular requirements - weekly claims, job searches, able and available for work. It's not like free money for doing nothing.

I tried using that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked! Got connected to Washington ESD in like 45 minutes instead of the usual 3+ hour wait times. The agent told me exactly when extended benefits might kick in and what to watch for.

Just remember that if you do get a new claim approved, you can't collect both regular UI and extended benefits at the same time. You'd get whichever amount is higher.

My sister went through this same thing in 2019 and ended up having to take a part-time job to make ends meet while still looking for full-time work. Sometimes that's just reality.

Does anyone know if the pandemic changed any of these rules permanently? I remember there were all those extra programs back then.

For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD about this stuff, I really can't recommend Claimyr enough. I know I mentioned it before but seriously, being able to talk to an actual person who knows the current rules made all the difference in my situation.

the unemployment rate in washington right now is like 4.2% so we're nowhere close to the 6.5% needed for extended benefits

I work for a nonprofit that helps people with benefits and I see this confusion about extended benefits all the time. The key thing to remember is that Washington's regular UI already lasts up to 26 weeks, which is longer than some states. Extended benefits would add up to 13 more weeks when activated.

This whole thread is making me anxious about my own situation. I'm at week 18 and still haven't found anything.

Have you looked into WorkSource programs? They sometimes have training programs that can extend your benefits while you learn new skills.

the system is so confusing like why cant they just automatically tell you what your options are when you're getting close to exhausting benefits instead of making you figure it out yourself

My advice would be to start planning now for what you'll do when regular benefits end. Don't wait until the last minute to explore your options or apply for other assistance programs.

Thanks everyone for all the info in this thread. I learned way more here than I did from the Washington ESD website or trying to call them.