How many weeks can you collect unemployment benefits in Washington State?

Thanks! So 26 weeks is about 6 months right? That gives me some peace of mind for planning.

Yeah exactly, 26 weeks is roughly 6 months. Just remember you have to keep filing your weekly claims and meet all the job search requirements to keep getting paid.

What kind of training programs allow extensions? I've been thinking about going back to school anyway.

Washington ESD has approved training programs through WorkSource and community colleges. You'd need to get approval before starting the program though. It's called Training Benefits and can extend your claim.

Thanks! Is that 26 weeks from when I first filed or from when my claim gets approved? Mine is still in adjudication.

It's 26 weeks total from your benefit year start date, not from when you get approved. So even if adjudication takes a few weeks, you don't lose those weeks from your total.

Oh wow I didn't know part-time work weeks still count toward the limit. That's important to know.

Wait really? Even if you only work like 10 hours and get reduced benefits, that whole week counts against your 26?

Yes, any week you claim benefits counts toward your 26 weeks total, even if it's a partial payment due to part-time work.

That's correct. Washington ESD calculates your benefit duration based on your total wages in the base period. You need sufficient earnings in at least two quarters to qualify for the full 26 weeks.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents without waiting on hold forever. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. Made such a difference for me!

Interesting, I'll check that out. I'm getting desperate here and really need to talk to someone about my specific situation.

I had the same problem calling Washington ESD. Someone on here told me about Claimyr.com and it actually worked! They have this system that calls for you and gets you connected to an agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. Did it actually work for you?

Yeah it worked! I was skeptical too but I got through to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of calling all day. Way better than the regular phone system.

No, the pandemic-era extensions like PEUC and EB have ended. Right now it's just the standard 26 weeks maximum unless Congress passes new legislation.

That sucks. 26 weeks goes by fast when you're job hunting in this market.

This is helpful but confusing. Is there a simple way to estimate how many weeks I'll get before I finish filing my claim?

You can use the benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website, but it's pretty basic. Once you file your claim, they'll send you a monetary determination letter that shows exactly how many weeks you qualify for.

Same here, I only qualified for 18 weeks because I was a newer employee. It's definitely not automatic that you get 26 weeks.

Good to know, thanks for sharing your experience. I worked for about 8 months before my layoff so I'm hoping I qualify for most of the weeks.

Yes! And you have to keep doing your job search activities too. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week or they can deny your benefits.

Wait, 3 per week? I thought it was less than that. Where do I find the exact requirements?

It's on the Washington ESD website under job search requirements. You have to log them in your WorkSource account too.

I feel you. The website is overwhelming and calling them is nearly impossible. I spent hours on hold multiple times before giving up.

That's exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier. Instead of wasting hours on hold, they connect you directly with Washington ESD agents. Saved me so much time and frustration.

That's a good point. I didn't realize the benefit year was separate from the number of weeks you can collect. This stuff is more complicated than I thought.

So if I use up my 26 weeks but my benefit year isn't over, I can't get more benefits until I start a new claim the following year?

Exactly. You'd need to work and earn enough wages to qualify for a new claim, or wait until your benefit year ends to file a new claim with new base period wages.

What are the current job search requirements? I want to make sure I understand everything before I potentially file.

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log. You have to register with WorkSourceWA too. They can audit your job search activities so keep good records.

Wow that's a lot of earnings needed to qualify again. Good thing to know for long-term planning.

Actually it's 680 times your weekly benefit amount OR you wait for your benefit year to end, whichever comes first. The benefit year is 52 weeks from when you first filed.

I'm not on standby, this is a permanent layoff. But good to know there are different rules for different situations.

Standby is nice when you have it. You don't have to do the job search requirements either.

Never heard of SharedWork. What's that?

It's for when employers reduce hours instead of laying people off. Employees can get partial unemployment benefits. Not very common but it exists.

You might qualify for other assistance programs like SNAP food benefits or housing assistance. Also check with local social services - they sometimes have emergency assistance programs. And definitely look into the training programs I mentioned earlier.

WorkSource has some job placement services that might help. They also have workshops on resume writing and interview skills that could give you an edge.

That happened to me initially but it was because they were looking at the wrong base period. I had to call and get it corrected.

Issues like that are exactly when you need to talk to an actual person at Washington ESD. If calling isn't working, Claimyr can help you get through to resolve discrepancies like this.

I might have to try that. I've been trying to call for two weeks with no luck.

I agree it's confusing but the rules are there for a reason. The system is designed to be temporary assistance while you look for work, not long-term support.

The complexity is frustrating but at least Washington has pretty good benefits compared to some states. 26 weeks is actually on the longer side.

Washington did eliminate the waiting week a few years ago, but that doesn't change the 26 week maximum. You just get paid for your first week now instead of having to wait.

Thanks for clarifying! So it's 26 weeks of actual payments, not 25 payments plus a waiting week.

It's 26 weeks of actual payments. Washington eliminated the waiting week in 2021, so you can get paid for your first week of unemployment.

Great, that's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks for clarifying!

Standby status still follows the same 26 week limit as regular unemployment. The difference is you don't have to do job searches since you're expecting to be called back to work.

That's what I thought but wanted to make sure. Thanks!

Same situation here. I'm at week 22 and getting really anxious. Have you looked into other assistance programs?

You might qualify for food assistance or other programs through DSHS. Also check if your local WorkSource office has any additional job training programs.

I'll look into that. Hopefully something opens up soon but it's good to have backup plans.

Still waiting for mine since my claim is in adjudication. Hopefully it comes soon so I can plan accordingly.

Adjudication can take a while unfortunately. I waited 4 weeks for mine to get resolved.

Generally you can't collect if you quit voluntarily. You need to be laid off or fired for non-misconduct reasons. There are some exceptions like if you quit for good cause but that's pretty narrow.

What counts as good cause? My workplace is pretty toxic and affecting my mental health.

Good cause includes things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, or significant changes to your job terms. Mental health issues due to workplace conditions might qualify but you'd need documentation. It's complicated so you might want to talk to an employment lawyer.

I mentioned Claimyr earlier - seriously try it. I was so frustrated with calling and this actually worked. Way better than wasting whole days on the phone.

I'll check it out. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get through to an actual person.

You can move to another state and continue collecting Washington benefits as long as you're still available for work and meet the requirements. You'd need to notify Washington ESD about the move.

Good to know! I was worried I'd lose everything if I had to move.

Unfortunately there's no way to make the 26 weeks last longer. Focus on your job search and consider taking temporary or part-time work to supplement. You can still collect partial benefits while working part-time.

Yeah I've been looking at temp work. Just hoping to find something permanent before I run out of weeks.

Different countries have different social safety net approaches. The US system is designed to be temporary bridge assistance while you find new work. It's funded by employer taxes so there are limits on how long benefits can be paid out.

Makes sense from a funding perspective I guess. Still feels short when you're the one looking for work.

Extended benefits are triggered by high unemployment rates in the state. When they're available, you can get up to 13 additional weeks. But the unemployment rate has to hit specific thresholds and it's been years since Washington qualified for extended benefits.

So we're talking about needing really high unemployment for that to kick in. Hopefully the economy doesn't get that bad again.

That's correct. You can't collect unemployment benefits while on strike or if you're unemployed due to a labor dispute. This is standard across most states.

Ugh, that's what I was afraid of. Guess I need to save up in case we do go on strike.

Thanks for the update! Good to hear from multiple people that it works. I'll definitely keep that in mind if I need to call Washington ESD.

Used it yesterday and got through in about 15 minutes. Wish I had known about this months ago!

You're welcome! Hope you don't need to use the information but good to be prepared. Best of luck with your job situation.

Glad we could help! Remember to file as soon as possible if you do get laid off - there's no benefit to waiting and you want to get your claim started right away.

Definitely file immediately if you need to. And keep all your documentation organized from the start - makes everything easier down the road.