How long does unemployment last in Washington state - confused about my benefit duration

Thanks! That makes sense. So I should get 25 weeks total then. Do I need to worry about the job search requirements affecting this duration?

The job search requirements don't change your benefit duration, but you must meet them each week to remain eligible. You need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a detailed log.

It's up to 26 weeks, but it depends on your total benefit amount. Some people exhaust their benefits before hitting the 26-week mark if their weekly amount doesn't divide evenly into their total.

oh that makes sense, i never thought about the math part of it

Oh that's good to know about the weeks not being consecutive! So if I pick up some temporary work here and there, I won't lose my remaining weeks?

Exactly. You just need to report any work on your weekly claim and they'll adjust your payment accordingly. If you earn too much that week you might get $0 but the week doesn't count against your total.

How much does that cost? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks but can never get through.

It's worth it when you need real answers about your claim. Way better than spending hours trying to get through on your own. Plus they can help with other issues that might come up during your benefit year.

I used Claimyr too when my claim got stuck in adjudication. They got me connected to someone who could actually see what was holding up my case.

What happens if I find a job before using up all 25 weeks? Do I lose the remaining benefits?

If you find full-time work, you stop filing weekly claims and your remaining benefit balance stays there in case you become unemployed again within your benefit year. You can't collect partial benefits while working full-time though.

This is important to know! I thought once you went back to work you lost everything. Good to know the balance stays available.

Wait, I'm confused. I filed about 3 weeks after I got laid off because I was hoping to find something quickly. Does that mean I lost those 3 weeks?

No, you didn't lose the weeks - you can still get up to 26 weeks of payments. But your benefit year started when you filed, not when you lost your job. So you have until that same date next year to use up your 26 weeks.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already struggling financially and can't afford expensive services.

I was worried about cost too but it was worth it to actually talk to someone who could explain my exact benefit situation. Way better than spending hours trying to get through on my own.

That's what I was afraid of. So I really need to make the most of these 26 weeks to find something permanent.

Yeah the pandemic extensions ended in 2021. Now it's back to the regular 26 weeks and that's it. Make sure you're doing your job searches every week too or they'll cut you off early.

I'll have to dig that up and look at it again. I think I just focused on the weekly amount and didn't pay attention to the duration part.

The monetary determination is super important. It breaks down everything - your base period wages, weekly benefit amount, and maximum benefits available.

Yes I've been doing that. Using WorkSourceWA mostly but also applying directly to companies. It's actually harder than I thought to find 3 legitimate activities every week.

Pro tip: informational interviews count as job search activities. So does attending job fairs, networking events, even some online career workshops.

Oh wow I didn't know informational interviews counted. That opens up more options. Thanks!

Look at your monetary determination letter - it should show your benefit year begin date and end date. That tells you exactly when your year expires, regardless of whether you've used all your benefits.

I lost that letter somewhere and can't find it in my eServices account. This is so frustrating.

That's exactly the kind of thing Claimyr can help with - they can get you connected to someone who can look up your benefit year dates and explain your timeline.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. I was spending hours every day trying to call and getting nowhere. At least with their service I could actually speak to an ESD agent and get my questions answered.

I tried calling at 8am sharp when they open and still couldn't get through. Their phone system is a joke.

That suggests your total benefit amounts were high enough to cover the full 26 weeks in both cases. The calculation is always total benefits divided by weekly amount.

Makes sense. I had pretty good wages both times so probably had higher total benefits available.

Washington doesn't have a waiting week anymore. They eliminated it during COVID and it hasn't come back. You can get paid for your first eligible week.

oh good, i was worried i'd lose a week of benefits

Good advice about keeping detailed records. I've been pretty casual about documenting my job searches. Should probably be more thorough.

Definitely be thorough. They can ask for your job search log at any time and if you can't provide adequate documentation, they can disqualify you and make you pay back benefits.

If you're disqualified for not meeting work search requirements, you lose those specific weeks but it doesn't change your benefit year end date. You still have the same total time frame to use your benefits.

So I could potentially lose some weeks in the middle but still file claims later if I get back into compliance?

Exactly, as long as you're within your benefit year. But it's better to just stay compliant with the job search requirements from the start.

Hopefully I won't need those but good to know they exist. Really hoping to find something before my benefits run out.

Also check with 211 (dial 2-1-1) for local resources. They can connect you with all kinds of assistance programs in your area.

Great question. Only weeks where you actually receive an unemployment payment count against your 26. So if you work enough hours that your UI payment is reduced to $0, that week doesn't count.

That's actually really helpful to know. So I could potentially stretch my benefits longer by working part-time strategically.

You've got it right. Just make sure to file your weekly claims on time every week and document your job search activities. The 25 weeks will go by faster than you think.

Will do. Hopefully I'll find something before then but good to know exactly what to expect.

So if I filed in January 2025, my benefit year runs until January 2026, and I can collect up to 26 weeks of payments during that time period?

Exactly right. And if you don't use all 26 weeks by the end of your benefit year, you lose them. They don't roll over to a new claim.

Extended benefits trigger when the state unemployment rate hits certain thresholds. It's automatic when it happens, but you're right that it's been years since Washington qualified for extended benefits.

Yeah it was a lifesaver back then but not something to count on these days.

There's typically a one-week waiting period for your first payable week. So you might file weekly claims for 2 weeks before seeing your first payment.

Yeah the waiting week is unpaid but you still have to file for it and meet all the requirements. It's basically like a qualifying week.

Standby is for temporary layoffs where you expect to return to your job within a specific timeframe. The duration rules are the same - up to 26 weeks - but you don't have to do job searches since you have a job to return to.

That would be perfect for my situation. My employer said the layoff should only last 2-3 months. I'll look into applying for standby status.

I'm getting desperate enough to try anything. The uncertainty is almost worse than being unemployed.

I might have to look into that too. This thread has been helpful but I feel like I need to talk to someone about my specific situation.

That's interesting, I hadn't thought about part-time work affecting the duration. How does that calculation work?

If you work part-time and earn less than your weekly benefit amount plus $5, you can still get partial unemployment. It reduces your weekly payment but stretches your total benefit amount over more weeks.

This is correct. Part-time work can actually be a good strategy to make your benefits last longer while you look for full-time employment.

The system is designed to replace a percentage of your previous wages, so the amount and duration vary based on what you earned. It's meant to be proportional to your work history.

I guess that makes sense but it's still confusing for people who just want to know how long their benefits will last.

What happened when you missed the week? Did you lose that week's benefits?

had to do a late claim filing and it took like 3 weeks to get processed. was a huge hassle

That's another situation where Claimyr could help - they can get you connected to someone who can process late claims faster than doing it online.

Unfortunately, regular UI benefits have a hard cap. Once you exhaust your benefits, that's it unless extended benefits are triggered statewide. Focus on expanding your job search to increase your chances before your benefits end.

That's what I was afraid of. Guess I need to start applying for jobs I wouldn't normally consider.

Consider temp work or part-time jobs to bridge the gap. You can still collect partial unemployment while working part-time, which helps stretch your benefits.

Same here! The Washington ESD website really doesn't explain the duration calculation very clearly.

exactly, you have to piece it together from different pages and it still doesn't make sense

Once your benefit year expires, any remaining balance is lost. You'd need to file a new claim if you're still unemployed, which would be based on your wages from a new base period.

Ugh, that seems wasteful. Why don't they let you use up the remaining balance?

The benefit year system ensures that benefits are based on recent work history. It prevents people from collecting on very old wages indefinitely.

20 times?! That's exactly why I'm asking here instead of trying to call. The phone system is impossible.

Yeah it was brutal. These days I'd definitely just pay for a service to get me through instead of wasting all that time.

Perfect summary. That's exactly what I needed to know. Thanks everyone for all the help figuring this out!

Glad we could help clarify the confusion! The system makes more sense once you understand the basic math behind it.

This is a great summary. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. Feeling much more informed about what to expect.

Good luck with your job search! The 26 weeks goes by faster than you think so stay focused and persistent.