How long can you be on unemployment in Washington ESD - confused about benefit duration

Thanks! So even if my benefit year is 52 weeks, I can only actually collect for 26 of those weeks?

Exactly right. The benefit year gives you time to find work and use your 26 weeks of benefits when you need them.

What's standby status? I keep seeing that mentioned but don't understand how it's different from regular unemployment.

Standby is for temporary layoffs where you expect to return to the same employer. Different rules apply and you don't have to do job searches.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That sounds too good to be true. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?

Yeah it worked for me. They handle all the calling and waiting, then call you back when they get an agent on the line.

How do I find out what my base period wages were? I want to make sure they calculated everything correctly.

You can see this in your SecureAccess Washington account under your claim details. It should show the quarterly wage breakdown they used.

After regular benefits end, there usually aren't automatic extensions unless Congress authorizes them during economic emergencies. You'd need to look into other assistance programs.

That's terrifying. I really hope I find something before then.

What kind of job search records do you need to keep? I know there are requirements but I'm not sure about the details.

You need to log at least 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records. WorkSourceWA is where you report this stuff.

Make sure you understand what counts as a valid job search activity. I got dinged for not meeting requirements because I thought networking events counted but apparently they don't always.

I hear you but at least we have something. Some states have less.

True, I guess I should be grateful. Just frustrated with how hard it is to get answers when you need them.

Washington eliminated the waiting week, so you can get benefits starting from your first week of unemployment if you're eligible.

Oh that's good news! I was worried about that first week.

Standby has its own set of rules. You have to be available to return to work when called back and there are limits on how long you can be on standby status.

Do standby claims still count against the 26 week maximum?

Yes, standby weeks count toward your total benefit entitlement. It's still coming out of the same benefit year allocation.

Was it worth it? I'm getting desperate to talk to someone about my claim issues.

Definitely worth it for me. The agent was able to explain my benefit calculation and timeline clearly. Much better than trying to figure it out from the website.

What happens if I forget to file one week? Can I file it late?

You can file late claims but there are deadlines and you might need to explain why it was late. Better to just file every week even if you worked or something.

I don't understand this. Isn't everyone limited to 26 weeks regardless of the weekly amount?

You're limited by both the 26 weeks AND your maximum benefit amount. Whichever runs out first ends your claim. For most people it's the 26 weeks, but high earners might hit their dollar limit first.

Ah that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying!

So if I use all 26 weeks in 6 months, I have to wait another 6 months before filing a new claim?

Exactly. The benefit year is 52 weeks from when you first filed, regardless of how quickly you use your 26 weeks of benefits.

Do you know what kind of training programs qualify? I've been thinking about taking some coding classes.

Not sure about coding specifically, but WorkSourceWA has information about approved training programs. You'd need to get approval before starting to maintain your benefits.