How long can you have unemployment benefits in Washington State?

Thanks! So 26 weeks is the maximum for regular benefits? What about those emergency extensions I heard about during COVID?

Those pandemic extensions (like PEUC and PUA) ended in 2021. Right now we're back to the standard 26-week maximum for regular UI claims.

How much do you have to earn to qualify for a new benefit year? I'm worried about running out of benefits.

You need to earn at least 680 hours of wages or earn wages equal to six times your weekly benefit amount since your last claim started. Washington ESD has specific requirements they check.

Never heard of Claimyr before. Did they charge you for helping get through?

They do charge but it was worth it to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD instead of getting hung up on constantly. Saved me days of frustration.

I might try this - I've been calling for weeks trying to get answers about my claim duration and haven't gotten through once.

No, regular unemployment in Washington is up to 26 weeks. Maybe you're thinking of a different state or a different type of benefit?

oh shoot yeah i was thinking of something else. thanks for the correction!

What kind of job search proof do they want? I've been applying but not really tracking it formally.

You need to log at least 3 job search activities per week and keep records. They can audit your job search log at any time. I use the WorkSourceWA website to track mine.

I got audited for my job search activities around week 18. They wanted dates, company names, positions applied for, and method of contact. Keep good records!

Washington State can trigger Extended Benefits (EB) during periods of high unemployment, but this rarely happens. The unemployment rate has to meet specific federal triggers. We haven't had EB available in Washington for several years now.

There's also something called Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) if your job was lost due to foreign trade, but that's pretty specific circumstances.

Unfortunately, once you exhaust your 26 weeks of regular UI, that's it unless there are special extensions available (which there currently aren't). You'd need to find work and earn enough to qualify for a new claim.

Check if you qualify for other assistance programs like SNAP or TANF while you continue job searching. Washington ESD can't extend regular UI benefits beyond 26 weeks right now.

This is exactly the kind of question where calling Washington ESD directly helps. I used Claimyr again last month to speak with an agent about benefit exhaustion options. They explained everything clearly and helped me understand my timeline.

The 26 weeks refers to payable weeks. So if you have a waiting week (which Washington eliminated during the pandemic and hasn't brought back), that wouldn't count against your 26 weeks.

Good to know, thanks! I was worried my adjudication period would eat into my benefit weeks.

I totally understand that stress. Maybe consider expanding your search to adjacent fields or temporary work to build up wages for a potential new claim?

Same situation here. Week 17 and getting increasingly anxious about the deadline.

Yeah I've started looking at contract work too. Anything to avoid the benefits cliff at week 26.

You still max out at 26 weeks total. Part-time work might reduce your weekly benefit amount but doesn't extend the duration. However, earning enough wages could help you qualify for a new claim later.

Thanks! I was hoping part-time work would stretch out the timeline but good to know the reality.

47 times?! That's insane. I've been trying to reach them too with no luck.

I know, right? I was keeping a tally because I couldn't believe how impossible it was to get through. Claimyr solved that problem immediately.

Yes! I almost missed a weekly claim deadline once and it would have delayed everything. Set reminders on your phone.

The weekly claim deadline is so strict. I wish Washington ESD had more flexibility but they don't mess around with those deadlines.

Thanks for the reality check. I'll make sure to intensify my job search efforts early rather than waiting until week 25.

Good advice. I made the mistake of thinking I had more time and ended up scrambling at the end.

Good point about health insurance. That's often overlooked in the benefit planning process.

I hadn't even thought about that aspect. Thanks for bringing it up - I'll need to research my options.