How many months can you claim unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

In Washington state, regular unemployment insurance (UI) provides up to 26 weeks of benefits, which is about 6 months. Your weekly benefit amount depends on your earnings during your base period. To continue receiving benefits, you'll need to file weekly claims, actively search for work, and meet the job search requirements set by Washington ESD.

Just went through this myself. You get 26 weeks but you have to actively look for work and log your job search activities. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week. Make sure you keep detailed records because they can audit your job search log at any time.

Been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my claim and can't get through on their phone lines. If you need to talk to someone about your benefits or have issues with your weekly claims, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

The 26 weeks starts from when you first file your claim, not from when you actually start receiving payments. So if your claim goes into adjudication for a few weeks, that time still counts against your total benefit period. Super important to file as soon as possible after losing your job.

Don't forget about the waiting week! Washington has a one-week waiting period before you can start receiving benefits, so your first payable week is actually your second week of unemployment.

Been on unemployment for 3 months now and honestly the job search requirements are more work than having an actual job sometimes lol. You really need to stay on top of documenting everything or they'll cut off your benefits.

If you have a union job or were in certain industries, you might be eligible for standby benefits instead of regular unemployment. Standby doesn't require job search but you can't do any work at all while receiving it. The duration is still 26 weeks max though.

Make sure you understand the monetary eligibility requirements too. You need sufficient earnings in your base period to qualify, and that determines both your weekly benefit amount and total benefit entitlement. It's not always the full 26 weeks if your earnings were low.

Word of warning - if you start working part-time while on unemployment, your benefits get reduced dollar for dollar after the first $5. So if you make $100 in a week, they deduct $95 from your unemployment payment. Sometimes it's barely worth taking part-time work.

Also be aware that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can have taxes withheld from your payments or pay quarterly, but don't forget about it come tax time or you'll owe a big chunk.

The system is honestly a mess right now. I've been trying to get through to resolve an issue with my weekly claim for over a month. Phone lines are always busy, the online system crashes constantly, and they don't respond to messages through the portal.

If you get disqualified for any reason, you can appeal the decision. You have 30 days from the date of the determination to file an appeal. Don't wait because you'll lose your right to challenge it if you miss the deadline.

Pro tip: Set up direct deposit ASAP. Paper checks take forever and sometimes get lost in the mail. With direct deposit you get your money much faster and more reliably.

Don't forget that Washington ESD offers some retraining programs if you want to learn new skills while on unemployment. The programs can extend your benefits in some cases, but you have to get approved first.

Been through this process twice now. My advice is to file immediately after losing your job, keep meticulous records of everything, and don't wait to contact Washington ESD if you have any issues with your claim. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to resolve problems.