Washington ESD - can i get more than 26 weeks of unemployment benefits?
I'm approaching week 20 of my regular UI claim and starting to panic about what happens when I hit the 26 week limit. My job search has been tough - lots of interviews but no offers yet. I work in manufacturing and there just aren't as many positions available as there used to be. Does Washington ESD have any extended benefits programs? I keep hearing different things from people about whether you can get more weeks after your regular claim runs out. Has anyone here gotten extended benefits recently?
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Victoria Stark
Washington state does have Extended Benefits (EB) during periods of high unemployment, but it's not always available. The program kicks in when the state unemployment rate hits certain thresholds. Right now I don't think EB is active but you should check the Washington ESD website for current status.
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Hassan Khoury
•Thanks, I'll check their site. Do you know what the unemployment rate needs to be for EB to activate?
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Victoria Stark
•I believe it's when the state rate is 6.5% or higher for three consecutive months, but don't quote me on the exact numbers. The Washington ESD site has the specific triggers listed.
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Benjamin Kim
been there! exhausted my 26 weeks last year and there was no extended benefits available at the time. had to rely on food banks and family help until i found work. manufacturing is really tough right now, hang in there
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Hassan Khoury
•That's what I'm afraid of. How long did it take you to find something after your benefits ended?
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Benjamin Kim
•took me another 8 weeks after benefits stopped. was the hardest part of the whole thing honestly
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Samantha Howard
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about extended benefits, I discovered this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a system that calls for you and gets you connected - saved me hours of trying to get through myself. Check out claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Hassan Khoury
•Interesting, I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my situation. How much does something like that cost?
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Samantha Howard
•They focus more on the value of actually getting through rather than the cost. For me it was worth it to get real answers about my claim instead of just guessing from online information.
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Megan D'Acosta
•sounds sketchy to me, why would you need to pay someone to make phone calls for you?
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Sarah Ali
The 26 weeks is the standard duration for regular unemployment insurance in Washington. Extended Benefits only activate during periods of unusually high unemployment. There's also no federal extended programs like there were during the pandemic - those ended in 2021. Your best bet is to intensify your job search efforts in these remaining 6 weeks.
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Hassan Khoury
•That's what I figured but was hoping there might be something I didn't know about. The job search requirement is already pretty intense.
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Sarah Ali
•Make sure you're documenting everything properly for your job search log. Washington ESD is strict about the requirements and you don't want any issues with your remaining weeks.
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Ryan Vasquez
WAIT there might be other programs you can apply for!! Like SNAP benefits or emergency assistance programs. Also look into retraining programs through WorkSource - sometimes they have income support while you're learning new skills. Don't just focus on extending UI, look at the bigger picture of support available.
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Hassan Khoury
•Good point about other programs. I should probably look into SNAP since my UI will be ending soon either way.
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Avery Saint
•WorkSource retraining programs can be really good. My cousin did one for medical billing and they helped with living expenses during the program.
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Taylor Chen
i'm in the same boat, week 22 here and getting nervous. manufacturing jobs are so hard to find right now. have you tried expanding your search to other industries?
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Hassan Khoury
•I've been looking at warehouse and distribution work too, but the pay is usually lower than what I was making.
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Taylor Chen
•yeah same problem here. trying to decide if i should take something lower paying or hold out for something closer to my old wage
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Victoria Stark
Just checked the Washington ESD website - Extended Benefits are currently NOT active in our state. The trigger hasn't been met. So unfortunately you'll need to plan for your benefits ending at 26 weeks unless something changes with the unemployment rate.
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Hassan Khoury
•Thanks for checking. That's disappointing but at least now I know for sure.
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Benjamin Kim
•appreciate you looking that up, was wondering about current status too
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Keith Davidson
Have you considered gig work or part-time work while continuing your job search? You can still collect partial UI benefits if you work less than full-time and report your earnings properly. Might help stretch things out.
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Hassan Khoury
•I've thought about it but wasn't sure how the partial benefits work. Do you know the rules for that?
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Keith Davidson
•You can earn up to a certain amount before it affects your weekly benefit. I think it's around 1.5 times your weekly benefit amount but check with Washington ESD for exact numbers.
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Sarah Ali
•The partial benefits calculation can be confusing. Definitely worth calling Washington ESD to understand how your specific earnings would affect your weekly claim.
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Ezra Bates
This whole system is so messed up. 26 weeks isn't enough time when there are no jobs available in your field. They expect people to just magically find work when entire industries are struggling.
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Hassan Khoury
•I feel the same way. Six months sounds like a lot until you're actually living it and seeing how tough the job market is.
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Ana Erdoğan
•exactly, and then they act like it's your fault when you can't find something in 26 weeks
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Sophia Carson
Look into Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) if your job loss was due to trade/import issues. It's a federal program that can provide extended benefits and retraining. Might be worth checking if your manufacturing job qualifies.
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Hassan Khoury
•Hmm, not sure if my situation would qualify but I'll look into it. My company did lose some contracts to overseas competition.
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Sophia Carson
•Definitely worth investigating. TAA benefits can last much longer than regular UI and include training programs.
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Samantha Howard
Following up on the Claimyr suggestion - I used them again yesterday to get through to Washington ESD about a different issue and got connected in under 30 minutes. Much better than the 3+ hours I spent trying to call on my own last week. Really helpful when you need specific answers about your claim situation.
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Hassan Khoury
•That does sound helpful. I might try it since I have questions about partial benefits and other programs.
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Elijah Knight
•can vouch for this too, used them last month when I had an adjudication issue that needed explaining
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Brooklyn Foley
have you tried the manufacturing temp agencies? sometimes they have longer-term assignments that could bridge the gap while you look for permanent work
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Hassan Khoury
•I've registered with a few but haven't gotten much response. Maybe I need to be more proactive in following up.
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Brooklyn Foley
•yeah definitely follow up weekly, they get so many applicants that the squeaky wheel gets the grease
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Jay Lincoln
Don't forget about your local food banks and community assistance programs. Even if you don't need them now, it's good to know what's available before your benefits run out. Most places don't have income requirements that are too strict.
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Hassan Khoury
•Good advice. I should probably start researching that stuff now rather than waiting until the last minute.
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Jessica Suarez
Not sure if this helps but I know someone who exhausted their regular benefits and then qualified for state disability when they developed anxiety/depression from the job loss situation. Not saying to fake anything but mental health issues from unemployment are real and sometimes qualify for other support.
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Hassan Khoury
•The stress is definitely affecting my mental health. I hadn't thought about whether that might qualify for any assistance.
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Marcus Williams
•there are programs specifically for people dealing with mental health issues related to unemployment, worth looking into
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Lily Young
Just want to add that the WorkSource offices have career counselors who can help you strategize your job search and might know about programs you haven't heard of. They're free and sometimes have connections with employers.
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Hassan Khoury
•I should probably schedule an appointment. I've been doing most of my job search online but maybe I need more personalized help.
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Lily Young
•Definitely worth it. They also have workshops on interviewing and resume writing that might help you stand out more.
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Kennedy Morrison
Bottom line - start planning now for what happens after week 26. Apply for other assistance programs, consider lower-paying work temporarily, and maybe look into retraining programs. Don't wait until the last week to figure out your next steps.
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Hassan Khoury
•You're absolutely right. I need to stop hoping for extended benefits and start making concrete backup plans.
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Wesley Hallow
•this is solid advice, better to have plans you don't need than need plans you don't have
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Justin Chang
Update us in a few weeks on how things go! Always interested to hear how people navigate this situation.
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Hassan Khoury
•Will do. Thanks everyone for all the advice and suggestions. Gives me a lot to work with.
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Grace Thomas
good luck with everything! the job market is tough but you'll get through it
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Hassan Khoury
•Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement. This thread has been really helpful.
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