How long can someone be on unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Thanks for the info! So it's 26 weeks maximum but could be less? How do I find out exactly how many weeks I'm eligible for?

Log into your Washington ESD account and check your monetary determination letter. It should show your maximum benefit amount and number of weeks available.

Yeah extended benefits aren't available right now in Washington. The unemployment rate has to trigger certain thresholds for those federal extensions to kick in.

Good to know, thanks for clarifying that. So right now it's just the standard 26 weeks max.

Have you tried calling right when they open at 8am? I've had better luck getting through early in the morning.

I've tried that multiple times but still end up waiting forever or getting hung up on. There's got to be a better way.

Actually, I discovered this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Basically they handle the calling and waiting for you.

That sounds too good to be true. How does something like that even work?

Wait, what do you mean by benefit year? I thought it was just 26 weeks from when you start getting payments.

Your benefit year runs for 52 weeks from when you first filed your claim, whether you collected benefits immediately or not. The 26 weeks of benefits have to be used within that 52-week period.

This is correct. If you had a break in collecting benefits for any reason, those weeks don't extend your benefit year - they're just lost time.

After regular UI, you might be eligible for training programs through WorkSource or other state assistance, but there's no automatic continuation of unemployment benefits right now.

Don't forget about SNAP benefits and other assistance programs if you need help with basic needs while job searching.

How do I calculate this? My weekly amount times 26 weeks?

It's more complex than that. Washington ESD calculates your maximum benefit amount based on your base period wages, and that's the total you can receive regardless of how many weeks it takes.

12 weeks seems really short. Were they working part-time or something?

Yeah they had worked part-time for most of their base period, so their total wages weren't high enough for the full 26 weeks.

Did you have to pay a lot for that service? I'm already tight on money.

They don't charge anything upfront and it was way cheaper than taking time off work to keep calling Washington ESD myself. Definitely worth checking out their demo video to see how it works.

Right, I've been keeping my job search log updated. Do they actually check those or is it just in case they audit you?

They can and do audit job search activities, especially if there are any red flags with your claim. Better to be thorough with your documentation.

I think I lost that paperwork. Can I get another copy somehow?

You should be able to access it through your online Washington ESD account, or request a new copy by calling them.

That gives me hope! What type of work were you looking for?

I was in retail management before and ended up taking a similar position at a different company. Had to be flexible on the pay but got benefits.

WorkSource has been really helpful for me. They have job fairs and networking events that aren't advertised much elsewhere.

Exactly! Plus they can help with resume writing and interview skills if you need a refresher.

Yeah it worked for me like I mentioned earlier. They basically automate the calling process so you don't have to sit on hold. Check out their website at claimyr.com for more details.

I used them too when I had an adjudication issue that needed explaining. Got connected to an agent the same day instead of trying for weeks on my own.

Thanks, I'll look into it. Anything is better than spending hours listening to hold music every day.

Good point! I did have a couple weeks where I worked part-time. So those count as full weeks used?

Yes, any week you receive even $1 in unemployment benefits counts as a week used toward your maximum.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I'll dig up my monetary determination and see exactly where I stand.

Good plan! And don't hesitate to contact Washington ESD if you need clarification on anything in that document.

Or use that Claimyr service if you can't get through the regular way. Seems like several people here had success with it.