How to check how much unemployment you have left Washington ESD remaining balance

I found the Claim Summary but it just shows confusing numbers. Is the 'Maximum Benefit Amount' the total I can get?

Yes exactly! So if your max is $8,000 and you've received $3,200, you have $4,800 left assuming you still qualify.

Same here! The phone lines are always busy or they hang up on you after being on hold forever.

I actually found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They have some kind of system that calls for you until they reach someone. Check out claimyr.com - they even have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Interesting, never heard of that. Does it actually work or is it a scam?

I was skeptical too but it worked for me last month. Got through to an agent in like 2 hours instead of spending days trying myself.

So I'm at week 16, does that mean I have 10 weeks left? Or is it based on dollar amount?

It's whichever comes first - either you hit 26 weeks OR you exhaust your maximum dollar amount. Most people hit the time limit first.

Wait I thought it was 20 weeks not 26? I'm so confused about all these rules.

It's definitely 26 weeks for regular UI benefits in Washington. You might be thinking of a different program or state.

I feel you! The whole system is a nightmare to navigate.

Try logging out and back in, sometimes that helps load the pages properly.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already struggling financially.

I don't remember the exact price but it was worth it to avoid the stress of constantly calling. Way cheaper than missing work to spend all day on hold.

Good idea! I'll do that once I figure out where exactly to find those numbers.

Once you exhaust regular UI benefits there usually aren't extensions available unless Congress passes special legislation. You'd need to look into other programs or requalify with new work history.

That's terrifying. I better start job hunting more seriously.

You should already be doing your job search activities anyway - that's required to keep receiving benefits.

Your base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. It's used to calculate your weekly benefit amount and total eligibility.

So if I filed in October 2024, what would my base period be?

It would be January 2023 through December 2023 - those are the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed quarters before October 2024.

Don't be embarrassed! We're all trying to figure this stuff out together.

Oh perfect! I'll check the Payment History section. Thanks for the update!

Yeah that Payment History page is actually pretty detailed once you find it.

How do you set that up? I don't think I ever saw that option.

It's under Account Settings I believe. Look for notification preferences or email alerts.

Tax withholding doesn't affect your remaining balance - that's calculated from your gross weekly benefit amount. But overpayment recovery would reduce what you actually receive.

Got it, so the balance shown is before any deductions. That makes sense.

That sounds really helpful actually. I might look into that if I can't figure this out on my own.

Yes and no. Your benefits might be reduced each week due to part-time earnings, which would make your total dollar amount last longer. But you still have the 26-week maximum time limit.

So I could potentially have money left over when I hit the 26 week limit?

Exactly. Any unused portion of your maximum benefit amount is forfeited once you hit the time limit or find full-time work.

That would be amazing! Like a bank statement but for unemployment benefits.

They probably don't want to make it too easy. Government bureaucracy at its finest.

Glad you got it figured out! Good luck with the job hunt.

Same here, this thread was super helpful. At least now I know where I stand.

Remember to keep filing your weekly claims and doing your job search activities even as you get close to exhausting benefits. You want to maintain eligibility until the very end.

I don't think Washington ESD has automatic alerts for that, but you could set yourself a calendar reminder to check every few weeks.

Good idea. I'll set up some reminders so I don't get surprised.

Smart advice. I'm going to start printing out my payment history each month.

Agreed! Way better than trying to decode the Washington ESD website on my own.

Definitely! This community is awesome for helping each other navigate the unemployment system.

Perfect summary! This should be pinned somewhere for other people with the same question.