How long does unemployment last in Washington - running out of benefits soon

Thanks! I should still have a couple months left then. I'll log into my SAW account tonight to check the exact balance.

wait I thought it was only 20 weeks? or is that just for certain types of claims?

Thank you! So it's 26 weeks total, not 52 weeks. That makes more sense with what I'm seeing in my account.

Just to add - you can also run out of money before you run out of time. If your benefit amount uses up all the money in your claim before 26 weeks, that's it too.

That makes sense. My weekly amount is decent so I might hit the dollar limit before the time limit.

This is confusing. How do you even calculate this stuff?

Your total benefit amount is usually about 30% of your base period wages, up to a maximum. The weekly amount is roughly 1/26th of that total.

Thanks! So there's no way to extend it beyond 26 weeks? What happens if I still haven't found work by then?

Unfortunately no automatic extensions right now. You'd need to file a new claim if you're still unemployed, but you'd need new qualifying wages from work during your current benefit year.

How do I check exactly how many weeks I have left? Is there somewhere in my Washington ESD account that shows this?

Yes, log into your SecureAccess Washington account and look at your claim summary. It should show your remaining benefit balance and weeks left.

Ok so I need to watch both the weeks AND the money. Got it. Is there any way to extend benefits if I'm still unemployed after 26 weeks?

During certain economic conditions, there might be extended benefits available, but those are triggered by specific unemployment rates and aren't always active. You'd need to check with Washington ESD when you get closer to exhausting your regular benefits.

Never heard of that service. How does it work exactly? I've been trying to reach someone at Washington ESD for weeks about my claim.

It's basically a service that handles the calling for you. You go to claimyr.com and they deal with all the busy signals and waiting on hold. Then they connect you when they actually reach a human. Super simple to use.

That actually sounds really helpful. The Washington ESD phone system is absolutely brutal to deal with.

This is confusing. I thought everyone got 26 weeks automatically. So some people get less?

Exactly. Your total benefit amount is calculated first, then divided by your weekly benefit amount to determine duration. It caps at 26 weeks maximum.

That makes sense. I worked full time for over two years before getting laid off, so I should qualify for the full duration.

I've tried calling a few times but it's impossible to get through. The phone lines are always busy.

Same here, I gave up trying to call months ago. It's ridiculous.

Interesting, I'll check that out. Did they charge you a lot for the service?

They focus on getting you connected rather than being expensive. Way less stressful than spending hours trying to call yourself.

Never heard of this but might be worth trying if the phone lines are that bad.

How does that work? Do they actually get you connected to ESD faster?

Yeah, they handle the calling and waiting for you. Much better than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

Never heard of this before. Seems too good to be true but if it works...

There used to be extended benefits during high unemployment periods, but those aren't available right now. You might qualify for other assistance programs through DSHS though.

That's scary. So basically you're just cut off after 26 weeks?

Pretty much, unless you start a new benefit year with new qualifying wages. That's why it's important to really focus on the job search while you have benefits.

I agree the communication could be better. You should be able to see your remaining weeks and benefit balance when you log into your Washington ESD account online.

yeah I see the numbers but they don't really explain what it all means. Like what happens if I find a part time job? Do I lose all my benefits or can I still claim partial?

You can work part-time and still collect partial benefits as long as you report your earnings when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD will reduce your benefit amount based on how much you earned that week.

Yes, any remaining balance expires when your benefit year ends. The benefit year is exactly 52 weeks from when you first filed your claim.

wow that seems unfair if you couldn't find work through no fault of your own

It's the system. You have to work within it or you get nothing.

I feel you. It's scary thinking about losing benefits when you're still trying to find work.

Make sure you're meeting all the job search requirements. That's important for maintaining eligibility and could help if you need to file a new claim later.

I feel the same way. It's frustrating when you're genuinely trying to find work but the market is terrible.

Have you tried expanding your search to other industries? Sometimes you have to take what you can get.

Yeah but if I take a minimum wage job I'll make less than unemployment and won't have time to look for something in my field.

How did you manage to get through to them? I've been trying for weeks.

Actually used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Saved me hours of calling.

Good info, thanks for sharing the details.

Yes I've been keeping track of my job applications. How many do I need to do per week?

I believe it's 3 job search activities per week, but you should double-check that with Washington ESD since the requirements can change.

That's great to hear! I'm definitely going to try it this week.

Did they help you understand the job search requirements too? I'm always worried I'm not doing enough.

Yeah, the agent explained that too. You need 3 job search activities per week and they have to be documented in your WorkSourceWA account.

Yes, you need to report all earnings on your weekly claims. Depending on how much you earn, it might reduce your benefits for those weeks but won't necessarily stop your claim entirely.

ok good to know, thanks

No, that's a common misconception. The benefit YEAR is 52 weeks, but you can only collect benefits for a maximum of 26 of those weeks. The benefit year is just the timeframe during which you can use those 26 weeks.

Oh no, I better check how many weeks I've used then. Thanks for clarifying!

Wait, so the clock starts ticking even if you're not getting paid yet due to adjudication?

Correct. The benefit year starts from your application date, not your first payment date.

Good to know. Luckily my claim was approved pretty quickly without any adjudication delays.

Totally agree. And good luck trying to call them for clarification!

Same here, the tech market has been brutal since all the layoffs last year.

Have you tried looking outside Seattle? Sometimes the commute is worth it for steady work.

Yeah I've been applying to jobs in Bellevue and Tacoma too. Just haven't had much luck anywhere.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money being unemployed.

I don't want to get into specific pricing on here, but for me it was worth it to actually talk to someone instead of spending days trying to call myself. You can check their website at claimyr.com for current rates.

Good to know. I'll keep that in mind as I get closer to my limit.

Disability benefits through Washington ESD are only if you become unable to work due to a medical condition. You'd need to apply separately for that and provide medical documentation. It's not a continuation of unemployment benefits.

Oh ok, so they're completely separate programs. Thanks for explaining.

Have you looked into other assistance programs? Food assistance, utility help, etc? Also make sure you're registered with WorkSource if you aren't already.

Yeah I'm registered with WorkSource but haven't found anything yet. I should probably look into other assistance programs though.

Also consider temporary or contract work if your field allows it. Even if it's not your ideal job, it can help bridge the gap financially.

Wait they audit that stuff? I've been pretty casual about logging my activities.

Yeah they can request documentation at any time. Better to be thorough from the start.

Good reminder. I've been logging everything but I should probably be more detailed.

Those pandemic extensions (PEUC, EB) ended in 2021. Currently no state or federal extensions available in Washington.

That's what I was afraid of. So it's really just the standard 26 weeks max.

There are some training programs through WorkSource that might allow you to collect benefits while in approved training. You'd need to contact them directly to see what's available.

Thanks, I'll look into that. Might be better than just running out of benefits with no new skills.

If you work and earn enough wages, you can potentially qualify for a new benefit year with a new 26-week maximum. But there are specific requirements about how much you need to earn and for how long.

That's helpful to know. So it's not like you're permanently limited to 26 weeks total for your entire life.

Agreed! I feel like I understand my situation so much better now.

Wait really? Even if you have a good reason for missing it?

There are some exceptions but it's much easier to just file every week on time. You can always call Washington ESD if you have questions about a specific week.

And if you do need to call Washington ESD about missed weeks or other issues, definitely consider using Claimyr. Getting through on your own is basically impossible these days.

No problem! We all struggle with this stuff so it's good to help each other out.

200 jobs?! That's way more than the required 3 per week. You're definitely meeting the job search requirements.

Same boat here. The competition is insane for every position. Hang in there.

Thanks. It's just scary knowing the benefits end soon and still no job prospects.

Right? I wish I'd found this forum sooner. So much better than trying to figure everything out alone.

These unemployment forums are goldmines of info that Washington ESD should probably provide themselves.

How much does something like that cost?

I don't remember the exact cost but it was worth it to actually speak to someone instead of getting hung up on after waiting 3 hours.

At least you know where you stand now. That's more than I knew before this thread.

8 weeks goes by fast. Hope you find something soon!

Thanks, me too. The pressure is definitely on now.

So if I run out of my 26 weeks in January, I'd have to wait until March when my benefit year resets?

You could file a new claim in March, but you'd need qualifying wages from work you did during this current benefit year.

This is why it's so important to keep looking for work even part-time stuff can help build up wages for a new claim.

That's correct. It's based on your total benefit amount divided by your weekly benefit amount, with 26 weeks being the maximum.

Since I worked steadily for 2+ years before layoff, I should be getting the full 26 weeks then.

Good point. I should probably look into what other assistance might be available just in case.

Also consider gig work or temporary employment to bridge the gap and potentially build wages for a future claim.

What did you end up doing? Were you able to find work before running out completely?

I found temporary work that helped me qualify for a new claim later. It wasn't ideal but it kept some income coming in.

I'll check that tonight. I usually just file my weekly claims without looking at the summary details.

Yeah the summary page is actually pretty helpful once you know where to look.

True. I should probably start applying to more jobs per week than the minimum requirement.

Definitely. And consider expanding your search radius or looking at adjacent industries too.

I didn't know about secure messaging. That might be easier than calling.

The response time on secure messages can be slow though, so calling might still be better if you need quick answers.

Appreciate the straight answer. Guess I need to ramp up the job search efforts over these next 6 weeks.

Exactly! The added pressure doesn't help with job searching either.

The system definitely isn't designed with mental health in mind. Hang in there everyone.

Thanks everyone for all the info. This thread has been really helpful in understanding how it all works.