How long unemployment benefits last in Washington ESD - confused about my timeline

Thank you! I found it - says I have 18 weeks remaining. That's a relief.

yeah the claim summary page is super helpful once you know where to look

That makes sense. I was making decent money so hopefully I qualify for the full amount.

The wage requirements can be tricky - you need to have earned at least $3,840 in your base period to qualify for benefits at all

Is that legit? I've been trying to call for weeks about my claim status.

Yeah it's real, they basically handle the calling and waiting for you so you don't have to sit on hold forever

I tried calling washington esd yesterday for 3 hours straight and never got through... might have to check this out

Good point about job searching. I've been keeping my job search log updated but the market is pretty tough right now.

What's the minimum number of job contacts you need per week? I keep hearing different numbers

It's 3 job search activities per week minimum, but they can be applications, networking, job fairs, etc. Not just applications.

Yes, if you didn't work much or had low wages in your base period, you might get fewer weeks. The formula is based on your total base period wages.

That's scary... I only worked part time for most of last year. How do I find out how many weeks I get?

Check your monetary determination letter that Washington ESD sent when you first filed. It shows your weekly amount and total benefit amount available.

Yeah the weekly claims aren't too bad. Just make sure you file on time every week or you can lose benefits.

I missed filing one week by accident and it was a nightmare trying to get it fixed. Had to call multiple times.

It depends on whether you qualify for a new claim or not. If you worked enough at the new job to establish a new benefit year, you get a fresh 26 weeks. If not, you continue with your remaining weeks from the old claim.

How much do you need to work to qualify for a new claim?

You need to earn at least 6 times your weekly benefit amount in covered employment after your claim was filed.

Hang in there! 12 weeks isn't that long in this job market. You still have time to find something good.

Thanks, I'm trying to stay positive but it's hard when you see those weeks ticking by

Have you tried expanding your search area or looking at slightly different roles? Sometimes being flexible helps

What did you do for those 2 weeks without benefits? Did you apply for other assistance?

I had to borrow money from family and looked into food banks. Also applied for SNAP benefits but that took a while to process.

Good advice. I'm at week 8 so I have some time but I should start thinking about it now.

Yeah definitely don't wait. Maybe start looking into other resources in your area too

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

They focus on the value of actually reaching someone rather than the cost. When you're worried about your benefits getting cut off, it's worth it to get real answers.

It's 26 weeks of benefits that you can claim, not calendar weeks. So if you skip a week, you still have that week available later (as long as you're still in your benefit year).

Oh that's good to know! I was worried I lost that week permanently.

Wait what? So if I filed in January and still have weeks left in December, I can't use them?

You'd need to file a new claim in January. Whether you qualify depends on your work history during that benefit year.

Definitely worth understanding the details! Check your monetary determination and benefit summary in your Washington ESD account.

thanks ill look at that tonight

If you work and then get laid off again, you might be able to reopen your old claim if you're still in your benefit year and didn't earn enough for a new claim.

That's somewhat reassuring. This whole process is more complicated than I expected when I first filed.

I might have to try that. I've been putting off calling because I know it'll take forever.

Yeah it's worth it just for peace of mind. Having accurate info about your claim is important for planning.

Good point. I wish I had known about local resources when I was in that situation.

I'll keep that in mind as I get further into my claim. Hopefully I'll find something before then though.

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

agreed, way more helpful than trying to navigate the washington esd website