How many weeks for unemployment benefits in Washington ESD - confused about duration

Thanks! So it's definitely 26 weeks no matter what? I thought I heard it might be less depending on your work history.

Yeah 26 weeks is standard for regular UI benefits. Your work history affects your weekly benefit amount, not the duration.

Wait really? Now I'm confused again. How do I find this monetary determination letter?

Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and check your correspondence. The monetary determination shows your weekly benefit amount and maximum benefit amount, which determines your weeks.

Yeah that's where I found mine. If your maximum benefit amount divided by your weekly amount equals less than 26, that's how many weeks you get.

I had the same problem until I found claimyr.com - they help you get through to Washington ESD agents. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

Never heard of that but I'm desperate at this point. Does it actually work?

Yeah it worked for me. They handle the calling and waiting so you don't have to sit on hold forever. Got connected to an agent in like 30 minutes instead of calling all day.

Right?? Everything about this process has been unclear. I just want to know what to expect.

The system is definitely not user friendly. Most people get 26 weeks but there are exceptions based on your earnings history.

This is super helpful! I'll check my account for that letter tonight. Hopefully I qualify for the full 26 weeks.

Thanks for explaining this clearly. I was also confused about why some people get different durations.

How many job contacts do we need per week in Washington? I keep seeing different numbers.

It's 3 job search activities per week. Can be applications, networking, interviews, job fairs, etc. Just keep good records in case they audit you.

Make sure you log them in WorkSourceWA too, not just your own records.

That's reassuring to hear! Did you find work right after benefits ended or keep looking?

Found something about 3 weeks before benefits ran out. The time pressure definitely motivated me to expand my search.

Interesting, I hadn't thought about part-time work affecting the timeline.

Yeah if you earn too much in a week you might not get any unemployment for that week, but those unused weeks don't disappear - you can still claim them later.

Only if you work long enough to establish a new base period and qualify for a new claim. Otherwise you'd continue with any remaining weeks from your current benefit year.

Got it, so I'd need to work for several months to reset the clock basically.

How has the job search been going? Any good leads?

Few interviews but nothing solid yet. Market is tough in my field but I'm staying optimistic.

Good advice! What are the options if you haven't found work by week 26?

You'd have to look into other assistance programs or potentially retraining opportunities. Extended benefits aren't common unless there's high unemployment.

I'm not on standby, was permanently laid off. But good to know for others reading this.

Yeah standby has different rules. Most people are just regular UI claims though.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. Need to stay focused on the job search from day one.

Definitely. Use the time wisely - networking, skill building, really casting a wide net with applications.

That's a great idea! I'm definitely going to do that once I confirm my total number of weeks.

Visual tracking really helps. I used a spreadsheet to track weeks used, remaining, and job applications.

Did they charge you for that service?

There's a fee but it was worth it to get accurate info directly from an agent instead of guessing. Much better than spending days trying to call.

Thanks everyone! This thread has been super helpful. Going to check my account tonight and get organized for the weeks ahead.

Good luck with your job search! Hope you find something great before you need all 26 weeks.