How many months can I get unemployment benefits through Washington ESD?

Thanks! That's what I was hoping to hear. Do I need to have worked the full 2 years or is there a minimum?

You need wages in at least two quarters of your base period to qualify. With 2 years of steady work you're definitely good.

Good to know about the weekly claims. I was wondering about that part too.

Yeah don't skip any weeks! I made that mistake once and it was a nightmare to get it straightened out.

Oh interesting, I've never heard of that service before. Did it actually work for you?

Yeah it worked great. Saved me from sitting on hold for hours every day. Worth checking out if you run into any issues with your claim.

I'm skeptical of third party services but honestly Washington ESD's phone system is so broken that anything might be better than trying to call directly.

No, it's still 26 weeks in Washington. You might be thinking of a different state.

oh ok good. I was worried they shortened it.

How do they determine which quarters count as my base period?

It's usually the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at your wages from roughly January 2024 through September 2024.

That's confusing AF. Why can't they just look at your last year of work like normal people would expect?

3 per week doesn't sound too bad. Is there a specific way I need to document them?

Yeah, you log them in your online account. Need to include employer name, position applied for, date, and method of contact. Pretty straightforward.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. What kind of adjudication issue?

They said I didn't provide enough documentation about why I was laid off, even though I submitted everything they asked for. It's been stuck in adjudication limbo forever.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr. They helped me get through to someone who could actually explain what was going on with my claim and get it resolved quickly.

That's good to know. Do you know what the earnings limit is?

It varies based on your weekly benefit amount. Generally you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 and still get partial benefits. Anything over that reduces your benefits dollar for dollar.

I feel you. The bureaucracy is insane. But if you follow all their rules exactly they can't really mess with you.

easier said than done when their rules change every week and nobody can explain them properly

Perfect summary, thanks everyone. Sounds like I need to be patient and keep detailed records of everything.

And don't be afraid to ask for help if you get stuck. There are resources out there to help navigate the system.

Wait, what's a benefit year? How long is that?

52 weeks from when you first file your claim. So if you use up your 26 weeks and then get laid off again 6 months later, you might not qualify for new benefits unless you worked enough in between.

This is why it's so important to use your benefits wisely and really focus on finding permanent work rather than just coasting.

That's really helpful to know a real example. How long did it take to get approved?

About 2 weeks for me, but I had a straightforward layoff with no complications. Some people take longer if there are questions about their separation.

Good advice. I'm definitely not planning to be picky given the current job market.

Smart approach. Better to find something decent quickly than to run out of benefits with no income.

Seems like a few people have mentioned that service. Might be worth bookmarking just in case.

Yeah, Washington ESD's phone system is notoriously difficult. Any tool that helps get through to them is valuable.

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm feeling more confident about the process now.

Exactly. The people who have problems are usually the ones who don't follow instructions or try to game the system somehow.

Thank you! Really appreciate all the helpful responses from everyone here.

This community is great for unemployment questions. Don't hesitate to post again if you run into any issues with your claim.