Washington ESD unemployment benefits how long - confused about my benefit duration
I just got approved for unemployment after being laid off from my warehouse job in November. My Washington ESD account shows I'm eligible for benefits but I'm really confused about how long I can collect them. The paperwork mentions something about 26 weeks but I've heard different things from coworkers. Some say it depends on your work history, others say it's a fixed amount. I worked for the same company for 3 years making about $45k annually. Can someone explain how the benefit duration actually works? I want to make sure I understand what I'm entitled to before I start my job search planning.
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Mei Lin
In Washington state, regular unemployment benefits (UI) last up to 26 weeks maximum. This is the standard duration for most claimants who qualify. Your benefit duration is calculated based on your base period wages - specifically how much you earned during the four quarters before you filed your claim.
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Jamal Wilson
•Thanks! So it's definitely 26 weeks then? I was worried it might be less since I'm younger and haven't worked as long as some people.
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Mei Lin
•Yes, 26 weeks is the maximum for regular UI benefits. Your age doesn't matter - it's all about your earnings during the base period quarters.
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Liam Fitzgerald
Just to add - you might not get the full 26 weeks if your base period wages were really low. Washington ESD calculates your benefit year duration based on your total wages, but most people who worked full-time for a year or more get the full 26 weeks.
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Jamal Wilson
•I worked full-time for 3 years straight, so I should be good then. Do you know if there are ever extensions beyond 26 weeks?
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Liam Fitzgerald
•Extensions are rare and usually only happen during major economic downturns. Right now there are no extended benefit programs active in Washington.
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Amara Nnamani
I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks to ask about my benefit duration too but can never get through. Their phone system is impossible! Has anyone found a way to actually reach a human there?
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Giovanni Mancini
•I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They basically call Washington ESD for you and get you connected to an actual agent. I was able to get my benefit duration questions answered in like 20 minutes instead of weeks of trying. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Amara Nnamani
•Really? That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?
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Giovanni Mancini
•It's worth it to avoid the frustration honestly. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected constantly.
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NebulaNinja
wait so everyone gets 26 weeks? that seems like a lot. i thought it was different for different people based on like how much you made or something?
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Mei Lin
•The weekly benefit amount varies based on your wages, but the duration (up to 26 weeks) is standard for regular UI benefits in Washington state.
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NebulaNinja
•oh ok that makes sense. i was mixing up the amount per week with how many weeks total
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
The 26 weeks starts from when you first file your claim, not when you get approved. So if there was any delay in processing your claim, those weeks still count toward your total benefit year. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims every week even if you haven't been paid yet!
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Jamal Wilson
•Oh wow, I didn't know that! I filed 3 weeks ago but just got approved yesterday. Does that mean I already used up 3 weeks?
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•No, you're fine. The 26 weeks is your total benefit duration, and you can claim benefits for the weeks you were unemployed as long as you filed your weekly claims. You should be able to claim those 3 weeks retroactively.
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Jamal Wilson
•That's a relief! I was panicking thinking I lost 3 weeks already.
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Dylan Mitchell
Been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years and both times got the full 26 weeks. The key is understanding that it's 26 weeks within your benefit year, which runs for 52 weeks from when you first file. If you find work and then lose it again within that same benefit year, you can usually claim the remaining weeks.
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Jamal Wilson
•That's good to know about the benefit year. So if I find a job after 10 weeks but then get laid off again 6 months later, I could still claim the remaining 16 weeks?
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Dylan Mitchell
•Exactly, as long as it's within your original benefit year. But you'd need to meet the work requirements again - I think it's like 680 hours or 17 weeks of work.
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Sofia Morales
The whole system is confusing honestly. I've been getting benefits for 8 weeks now and still don't fully understand how it all works. All I know is I file my weekly claim every Sunday and money shows up in my account Tuesday.
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Mei Lin
•That's the most important part - filing your weekly claims consistently. You're doing it right!
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Sofia Morales
•thanks, at least i got that part figured out lol
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Amara Nnamani
Update on the Claimyr thing - I tried it and actually got through to Washington ESD in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed my benefit duration and explained some other stuff about my claim. Definitely worth it if you need to talk to someone there.
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Jamal Wilson
•Good to know it actually works! I might try that if I run into any issues.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•That's actually pretty impressive. I've never been able to get through their regular phone lines.
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NebulaNinja
so just to double check - 26 weeks total, file every week, and the weekly amount depends on your previous wages. did i get that right?
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Mei Lin
•Yes, you've got it! And remember you also need to do your job search activities and report them when you file your weekly claims.
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NebulaNinja
•oh right the job search stuff. how many jobs do you have to apply to each week?
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Mei Lin
•It's 3 job search activities per week in Washington. Can be applications, interviews, networking events, etc.
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Dmitry Popov
I wish they made this information clearer on their website. Took me forever to understand the benefit duration when I first filed. The 26 weeks is pretty standard though - most states have similar durations for regular unemployment benefits.
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Jamal Wilson
•Yeah their website is not very user-friendly. I had to dig through multiple pages to find basic information.
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Dmitry Popov
•Exactly. It shouldn't be this hard to understand something so important.
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Giovanni Mancini
For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD, I mentioned Claimyr earlier but wanted to add that they also help with other claim issues, not just basic questions. If you have adjudication problems or need to check on pending payments, they can help with that stuff too.
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Dylan Mitchell
•That's good to know. I had an adjudication issue last year that took forever to resolve because I couldn't reach anyone.
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Giovanni Mancini
•Yeah, those adjudication delays are brutal. Having a way to actually talk to someone makes a huge difference.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
One more thing to keep in mind - your benefit year ends after 52 weeks regardless of whether you used all 26 weeks of benefits. So you can't save up unused weeks for later years. Use them when you need them!
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Jamal Wilson
•That makes sense. So there's no advantage to finding work quickly other than, you know, having a job again lol
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Well, you do want to find work as soon as you can. Unemployment is meant to be temporary support while you job search.
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Jamal Wilson
•Of course! I'm definitely looking for work. Just wanted to understand how the system works.
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Ava Garcia
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A MESS!! I've been trying to understand my benefits for months and every person at ESD tells me something different. 26 weeks, 20 weeks, depends on this, depends on that. MAKE UP YOUR MINDS!
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Mei Lin
•I understand the frustration, but for regular UI benefits in Washington, it really is 26 weeks maximum. If you're getting different information, there might be something specific about your case.
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Ava Garcia
•maybe i should try that claimyr thing everyone mentioned. at least then i might get consistent answers
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Sofia Morales
honestly i just follow what my neighbor tells me to do. she's been on unemployment like 4 times and always knows what's going on. she said 26 weeks and file every sunday so that's what i do
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Liam Fitzgerald
•That's not a bad strategy, but make sure you understand the requirements yourself too. Job search activities, reporting any work or income, etc.
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Sofia Morales
•yeah she told me about all that stuff too. seems like she knows more than the esd website does
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StarSailor}
Thanks everyone for all the info! This thread has been way more helpful than the Washington ESD website. I feel like I actually understand how the benefit duration works now. 26 weeks, file weekly, do job search activities. Got it!
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Mei Lin
•Glad this helped! Don't hesitate to ask if you run into any other questions during your benefit year.
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Jamal Wilson
•Same here! I started this thread completely confused and now I feel much better about the whole process.
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StarSailor}
•Yeah this forum is great for getting real answers from people who've actually been through it.
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