How long can someone receive unemployment benefits in Washington state?

In Washington state, regular unemployment benefits (UI) last up to 26 weeks maximum. The exact number of weeks depends on how much your husband earned during his base period - basically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before he filed. Since he worked 8 years, he should qualify for the full 26 weeks assuming he earned enough.

Just to add - the pandemic extensions like PEUC and PUA are completely gone now. We're back to the standard 26-week maximum for regular UI claims. There's also Extended Benefits (EB) that can kick in during high unemployment periods, but Washington's unemployment rate isn't high enough to trigger that right now.

Make sure he files ASAP! There's a one-week waiting period before benefits start, and you can't backdate claims very far. The sooner he gets his claim in, the sooner the money starts flowing. Also, he'll need to do weekly claims every week and meet the job search requirements.

I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months trying to get answers about my own claim timeline. Their phone lines are absolutely impossible - I've spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to ESD agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration when I needed to clarify my benefit duration.

the 26 weeks goes by faster than you think especially if you're in a specialized field like construction where work might be seasonal anyway. my brother burned through his whole claim last winter and still couldn't find steady work until spring

One thing to keep in mind - the 26 weeks is the maximum for a benefit year, which runs from when you first file your claim. So if he finds work for a few weeks in the middle, he doesn't lose those unused weeks - he can still claim them later if he gets laid off again within that same benefit year.

Does working part-time affect how long the benefits last? Like if he finds some temp work but it's not full-time, does that extend the 26 weeks somehow?

I'm confused about the base period thing. If someone worked steadily for years but just had a really bad 4-quarter period earnings-wise, could they get less than 26 weeks even though they're a long-term worker?

Just went through this process myself. One tip - keep meticulous records of everything. Job search logs, any correspondence with ESD, dates of weekly claims. If there's ever a dispute about your benefits or if you get audited, you'll need all that documentation.

Also remember that holidays can affect when you get paid. ESD doesn't process payments on state holidays, so your deposit might be delayed. Plan your budget accordingly, especially during holiday weeks.

The whole system is so bureaucratic and confusing. I spent weeks trying to get through to someone at ESD to clarify my benefit duration after I had a weird work situation. Finally used Claimyr to get connected to an actual person who could explain everything clearly. Worth every penny to avoid the phone nightmare.

Important note about the job search requirement - if you're on standby with a specific return-to-work date, you might be exempt from the 3 weekly job contacts. But regular UI claims definitely need to meet those requirements or risk losing benefits.

Been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years due to company closures. The 26 weeks sounds like a lot but it goes fast when you're trying to find something decent. Don't just take any job out of panic - use the time to find something that's a good fit, but also don't waste time either.

Make sure he understands that certain types of separation from work can affect benefit duration or eligibility. If there was any misconduct involved in the layoff, that could impact things. But a straightforward layoff due to lack of work should be fine for the full benefit period.

One thing that helped me was connecting with WorkSourceWA early in the process. They have career counselors who can help with job search strategies and sometimes know about opportunities that aren't posted online. Plus it helps satisfy the job search requirements.

For what it's worth, I used that Claimyr service too when I had questions about my claim timeline. The regular ESD phone lines are just brutal - you can spend literally hours trying to get through. At least with Claimyr you know you'll actually talk to someone. They have all the details on their website.

don't forget about the tax implications! unemployment benefits are taxable income. you can choose to have taxes withheld from each payment or pay them later, but don't forget about it completely or you'll get hit with a big bill at tax time

The maximum weekly benefit amount in Washington is pretty decent compared to other states - around $1,015 per week if you qualified for the highest amount. But that's before taxes. Still, 26 weeks of that is substantial support while job hunting.

Final piece of advice - start the job search immediately even before the first benefit payment arrives. The job market is competitive and 26 weeks can disappear quickly if you wait too long to get serious about finding work. Use every resource available including unemployment workshops and networking events.