How long do you get paid for unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Thanks! So it's not automatically 26 weeks for everyone? How do they calculate the exact number of weeks I'd get?

It's based on your earnings during the base period (first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed). The more you earned and the longer you worked, the more weeks you're eligible for, up to the 26-week maximum.

Ugh, I'm dealing with the same thing right now! Been trying to call for a week about my adjudication status. The phone system is terrible.

Have you guys tried Claimyr? I found out about it recently and it actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent pretty quickly. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it one of those scammy things?

It's legit - check out claimyr.com. It basically calls Washington ESD for you and gets you in the queue without you having to sit there hitting redial all day. Worked for me when I needed to check on my weekly claim certification.

Wait, so there's absolutely no way to get benefits beyond 26 weeks anymore? What if you still can't find work after that?

Correct, no extensions unless Congress authorizes them during a future economic crisis. After your UI runs out, you'd need to look into other assistance programs like SNAP, housing assistance, etc.

That's scary. 26 weeks isn't very long if the job market is tough in your field.

Good point! I registered with WorkSourceWA already. Do I need to do anything else for the job search requirement?

Make sure you're documenting everything - company names, dates, how you applied, etc. Keep detailed records because Washington ESD can audit your job search activities at any time.

Yeah I figured it wouldn't be much. What percentage of your old salary would you say it covers?

maybe like 40-50% of what i was making? depends on how much you earned before but it's definitely a pay cut

This is so true. I waited too long thinking I had plenty of time and ended up scrambling in my last few weeks of benefits.

Thanks for the reality check. I was thinking I could take a little break but you're right, better to start looking now.

How does that work exactly? Do they just subtract your part-time earnings from your weekly benefit amount?

It's more complicated than that. There's a formula - I think you can earn up to a certain amount before they start reducing benefits, then they reduce it by like 75 cents for every dollar you earn over that threshold. Check the Washington ESD website for the exact numbers.

5 weeks?! That's insane. Have you tried calling to check on the status?

I've tried calling dozens of times but can never get through. It's incredibly frustrating.

This is exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier. When my claim was in adjudication, I couldn't get through either until I used their service. Might be worth checking out claimyr.com if you're stuck like this.

I was laid off due to company downsizing so I should be fine there. But good to know they check into the reason you left.

Yeah they definitely investigate. My friend got denied because they said she was fired for attendance issues even though she thought it was just a layoff.

This is a good point. I lost about 3 weeks dealing with identity verification issues when I first filed.

Identity verification? What kind of documents did they want from you?

They wanted copies of my driver's license, Social Security card, and some other stuff. It was a pain but once I submitted everything it got resolved.

Oh wow, I didn't think about that. So I'll owe taxes on whatever I receive in unemployment benefits?

Yes, it's treated as regular income for tax purposes. You can have 10% withheld automatically when you set up your claim if you want.

Thanks! I'll check that out. Having an estimate would help me budget better while I'm job searching.

The calculator is pretty close to accurate in my experience. Just remember the weekly amount is before taxes if you choose to have them withheld.

That's good to know. Are those programs free or do you have to pay for training?

Many of the WorkSource programs are free or low-cost, especially if they're funded by federal workforce development grants. Worth checking out their website or visiting a local office.