Washington ESD unemployment benefits when job market is terrible - what happens?

Washington ESD does offer extended benefits during periods of high unemployment, but it depends on the state's unemployment rate and federal programs. Right now you get up to 26 weeks of regular UI benefits. If your county has particularly high unemployment, there might be additional weeks available through federal extensions.

same boat here, been looking for 3 months and barely getting any responses. the competition is insane right now

You should definitely look into Claimyr if you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to ask about extensions. I used their service at claimyr.com when I couldn't get through to check on my claim status. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. Really helped me get answers when I was stuck in the phone queue hell.

The job market is absolutely brutal right now. I've been tracking my applications and it's gotten progressively worse over the past 6 months. Used to be maybe 10-15 applications per interview, now it's easily 40-50 like you said.

This is exactly why the unemployment system is broken!!! They expect you to find work that doesn't exist and then punish you when you cant. Meanwhile politicians are getting rich while we suffer.

During the 2008 recession, Washington state did implement extended unemployment benefits that went up to 99 weeks total in some cases. It required both state and federal action though. The state legislature has to approve state extended benefits, and federal extensions require Congressional action.

has anyone tried expanding their search area? im thinking about looking in seattle even though its a 2 hour drive

If you need to talk to Washington ESD about your specific situation, seriously try that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. When unemployment is high they get even more overwhelmed with calls. I waited 4 hours on hold once and still got disconnected.

Update: I called WorkSource today and they said job postings in my area are down 60% from last year. So it's not just me being picky or lazy like some people assume.

I went through this in 2009 and it was rough but I survived. The key is to keep applying even when it feels hopeless. Sometimes it takes 6-8 months but eventually something comes through.

One thing I've noticed is employers are getting really picky when they can afford to be. Jobs that used to require 2-3 years experience now want 5+ years. It's like they're using the high unemployment to upgrade their workforce for free.

The whole system is designed to make you give up and stop claiming benefits. They make it as hard as possible on purpose.

Try looking into retraining programs through WorkSource. When unemployment is high they sometimes have additional funding for job training in growing fields.

i been unemployed for 5 months now and its getting desperate. starting to think about moving back in with my parents

Just want to mention Claimyr again because I know how frustrating it is when you need answers from Washington ESD. When job markets are tight like this, you really can't afford to miss any potential benefit weeks due to communication issues.

Final thought - document everything about your job search and the market conditions. If benefits do get extended or if you need to appeal any decisions, having detailed records will help your case significantly.

this thread is making me feel less alone about the whole situation. thought it was just me struggling

The unemployment rate in my county just hit 8.2% according to the local news. That's the highest it's been in over a decade. No wonder we're all struggling.

hang in there everyone. i know its tough but something will come through eventually

Thanks everyone for all the advice and support. Going to look into the training programs and keep documenting everything. And probably try that Claimyr thing to finally talk to someone at Washington ESD about my options.

I'm in a similar situation - been unemployed for 6 weeks now and the reality is hitting hard. The job market really is terrible right now. I've been tracking my applications too and it's discouraging how few responses I get. Reading through everyone's experiences here makes me realize this isn't just a personal failing - it's a systemic issue with the economy right now. Has anyone had success with appealing to Washington ESD about the lack of available jobs in their area? I'm wondering if documenting the specific shortage of opportunities might help if they ever question my job search efforts.