How long can I draw unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

Thanks! So it's a maximum of 26 weeks, but could be less depending on my earnings? How do they calculate that exactly?

Yes, exactly. They look at your highest quarter of earnings in your base period to determine your weekly benefit amount, and your total base period earnings to determine how many weeks you're eligible for, up to the 26-week maximum.

Good to know about the weekly claims. I assume I have to keep looking for work during this time?

Yes, you'll need to conduct job search activities and log them. The current requirement is 3 job search activities per week, and you'll report these when you file your weekly claims.

Interesting, I've never heard of that service. Did it actually help you get through to someone at Washington ESD?

Yeah, it worked for me. I was stuck trying to understand something about my claim status and couldn't get through on the phone. Used Claimyr and got connected to an agent who cleared everything up.

That's helpful to know. I was thinking about waiting a week or two to see if I could find something quickly, but sounds like I should file right away.

Definitely file right away. You can always cancel your claim if you find work immediately, but you can't get back those weeks if you wait too long to file.

Yes, 26 weeks is correct for Washington state regular UI benefits. That's standard duration - some states have shorter periods, but Washington provides up to 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits.

Oh wow, that's way more than I thought. Good to know for future reference I guess.

Currently there aren't any extended benefit programs running in Washington. Once your 26 weeks are up, your claim ends unless you qualify for a new claim by working and earning enough wages.

That's what I was afraid of. Guess I really need to step up the job search in these last 6 weeks.

So if I use up all 26 weeks in like 6 months, I can't file another claim for unemployment until a full year has passed from when I first filed?

Correct, unless you return to work and earn enough wages to qualify for a new claim. But if you just exhaust benefits without working, you'd have to wait until your benefit year ends.

Washington eliminated the waiting week requirement, so you can potentially get benefits for your first week of unemployment if you file your claim right away and meet all the requirements.

That's good news! Thanks for clarifying that.

When do you have to file the weekly claims? Is there a specific day or deadline?

You can file your weekly claim starting Sunday for the previous week, and you have until the following Saturday to file it. I usually file mine on Sunday mornings to stay on schedule.

A couple people have mentioned this Claimyr service now. Is it free to use?

It's not free, but honestly it was worth it for me to avoid the hours of calling and getting busy signals. The video demo on their site explains how it works if you want to check it out.

I don't think I'm on standby since it was a permanent layoff, but good to know there are different categories.

Yeah, standby is mainly for seasonal workers or people who are temporarily laid off with a specific return date. Sounds like regular UI is what you'll be filing for.

Oh that's useful! I'll look for that on their website. Better to have realistic expectations going in.

Exactly. It's not a guarantee but it gives you a good ballpark estimate of your weekly benefit amount and duration.

You can work part-time and still collect partial unemployment benefits in Washington. There's a formula they use to calculate how much you can earn before it affects your benefits. You'll need to report any earnings when you file your weekly claims.

Good to know! I was worried I'd have to choose between taking a part-time job and keeping my benefits.

Definitely planning to be completely honest. Not worth the risk of getting in trouble over.

Smart approach. I've seen people get in serious trouble for not reporting work or earnings. Just not worth it.

Adjudication can happen if there are questions about your separation from work or eligibility. If it happens, just be patient and respond to any requests for information quickly. It can add a few weeks to the process.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully everything goes smoothly.

Seems like a lot of people have had good experiences with it. I might give it a try if I run into issues.

Yeah, it's worth having as an option if you need to talk to someone at ESD and can't get through the regular way.

3 hours?? That's insane. I would have hung up after like 30 minutes.

I was desperate for an answer so I stuck it out. But yeah, definitely looking for better ways to contact them next time.

You're welcome! Good luck with your claim and job search. The 26 weeks should give you a decent buffer to find something good.

Don't forget to keep detailed records of your job search activities. You'll need to report them with your weekly claims.

Will do! I'll start keeping a log right away.