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

Thanks! So if I worked full time for 2 years before getting laid off, I should qualify for the full 26 weeks?

Yes, if you have sufficient wages in your base period you'll likely qualify for the maximum 26 weeks. Washington ESD calculates this automatically when they process your claim.

Wait really? I didn't know that. So if I used 10 weeks of benefits, went back to work for 3 months, then got laid off again, I could still use my remaining 16 weeks?

Exactly, as long as you're still within your benefit year which lasts 52 weeks from when you first filed.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr - it's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Game changer for me!

Interesting, I'll check that out. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get some answers about my claim.

I was skeptical about services like that but honestly Washington ESD's phone system is so broken that I might try it too.

Good to know. Hopefully I won't need anywhere near 26 weeks but it's reassuring to know the maximum.

Yes I've been doing that! The weekly claims are pretty straightforward on the Washington ESD website.

This is super important advice. I missed filing for 2 weeks early on and lost those weeks of benefits forever.

Washington did eliminate the waiting week in 2020, so you can get paid for your first week of unemployment. The 26 weeks is on top of that.

That's great news, thanks for clarifying!

After regular benefits, you might qualify for Extended Benefits (EB) if Washington's unemployment rate is high enough, but that's not available right now. There's also Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation but that ended in 2021.

So basically if I don't find work by week 26, I'm on my own? That's scary.

You might want to look into retraining programs through WorkSource Washington. They sometimes have programs that can extend benefits while you're in approved training.

What unemployment rate triggers extended benefits? I haven't seen that info anywhere.

I believe it's when the state's unemployment rate hits certain thresholds compared to previous years, but I don't know the exact numbers off the top of my head.

Yes, you still use up one of your 26 weeks even if your benefit amount is reduced due to part-time work. The week count is based on weeks claimed, not the dollar amount received.

Thanks, that's what I thought but wanted to confirm.

You're lucky! My claim has been stuck in adjudication for 6 weeks. I finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got through to talk to an agent. They said it should resolve soon.

Oh wow, 6 weeks in adjudication sounds awful. Glad you found a way to get through to them.

That's a helpful detail I didn't know. So my 26 weeks of benefits have to be used within that 52-week benefit year?

Exactly. After 52 weeks, even if you haven't used all 26 weeks of benefits, your benefit year expires and you'd need to file a new claim.

You should file in the state where you worked most recently or where you have the highest wages. If you worked in multiple states, you might be able to combine wages from both states in your claim.

I'll need to call Washington ESD to figure that out. Hopefully I can get through to someone.

If you need to reach Washington ESD, definitely check out Claimyr. I mentioned it earlier but it really does help you get through their phone system without all the frustration.

Congrats on finding work! That must be such a relief to find something before your benefits ran out.

It really was! I was getting pretty anxious toward the end there.

Yes, I've been keeping track of my job applications. The requirements aren't too hard to meet if you're actually looking for work.

Make sure you understand what counts as a job search activity. Just browsing job sites doesn't count - you need to actually apply or make contact with employers.

Yes, if you're in an approved training program through WorkSource Washington, you might be able to get Training Benefits (TB) which can extend your benefits. You have to get approval before starting the training though.

Good to know! I'll look into that if I'm still unemployed as I get closer to 26 weeks.

I did a certification program through WorkSource and it extended my benefits for the duration of the training. You have to meet certain criteria and the training has to be approved, but it's definitely possible.

That gives me hope! I'll contact WorkSource this week to see what programs are available.