How many weeks do you get unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Thanks! So it's not automatically 26 weeks for everyone? How do they calculate the exact number you get?

It's based on your earnings in the base period. Washington ESD looks at your wages from the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. Higher earnings = more weeks, up to the 26 week maximum.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you reach agents faster. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

never heard of that but might be worth trying, the esd phone system is brutal

She might have been on extended benefits during the pandemic period. Those programs like PEUC ended in 2021. Regular Washington UI is 26 weeks maximum now.

Oh that makes sense! I was so confused thinking I was missing out on extra weeks somehow.

Yeah those pandemic extensions are long gone. Don't count on anything more than the standard 26 weeks from Washington ESD these days.

The benefit year starts from when you file your initial claim, not when it's approved. So those weeks in adjudication still count toward your 26 week maximum unfortunately.

That's frustrating! So I'm losing weeks while they take forever to process my claim.

You might want to try contacting Washington ESD to check on your adjudication status. I used Claimyr.com recently to get through to an agent about my delayed claim and it worked well.

26 weeks is the absolute maximum for regular unemployment in Washington. Higher wages get you a higher weekly benefit amount, not more weeks. The duration is capped at 26.

Got it, thanks for clarifying! So it's 26 weeks max but higher weekly payments if you earned more.

Because unemployment is supposed to partially replace your lost wages. Someone making $80k should get more per week than someone making $25k, but both get the same 26 week duration.

I guess that makes sense when you put it that way. Still seems overly complicated though.

The complexity comes from trying to make it fair based on your work history and earnings. It's actually pretty straightforward once you understand the base period calculation.

Yes, if your base period wages are low, you might get fewer weeks. Washington ESD calculates your benefit duration based on your total base period earnings divided by your weekly benefit amount.

How do I know what my base period wages are? I worked part-time for most of last year.

Your base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you filed in January 2025, it would be Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. Check your Washington ESD account for the exact calculation.

That's exactly what I was worried about! Did Washington ESD explain how they calculated your 22 weeks?

They sent a determination letter showing the calculation. It's your total base period wages divided by your weekly benefit amount. Mine worked out to 22 weeks.

At least you got approved! Some of us are still waiting weeks just to hear anything from Washington ESD.

There are no federal extension programs active right now. Once you exhaust your 26 weeks of regular UI, that's it unless something changes at the federal level.

That's what I was afraid of. Guess I need to really step up my job search efforts.

Make sure you're meeting all the job search requirements too. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week to keep getting benefits.

You can file a new claim if you work and earn enough wages to establish a new base period. Generally need to work at least 6 months and earn a certain amount to qualify for a new claim.

Good to know! So it's not just a one-time thing if you have bad luck with jobs.

They do have it on their website but it's buried in dense policy language. The handbook explains it all but who has time to read 50 pages?

Exactly my point! Why can't they just have a simple FAQ that says '26 weeks maximum, duration depends on base period wages'?

This is why I ended up using Claimyr when I had questions about my claim. Sometimes it's easier to talk to an actual person at Washington ESD than try to decode their website.

Thanks for sharing the real numbers! That helps me estimate what I might qualify for.

Wow $844 per week is pretty good. I'm only getting $420 but I was working part-time before getting laid off.

Yeah the weekly amount varies a lot based on your previous wages. The duration formula is what determines if you get the full 26 weeks or less.

Good point about standby! Those have different rules but still fall under the same 26 week maximum for the benefit year. Standby just means you don't have to do job search activities.

Right, you still get the same duration, just different requirements while you're waiting to be called back to work.

Perfect summary! Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. Now I know what to expect with my claim.

Agreed, this thread was really helpful. Way better than trying to navigate the Washington ESD website.