What happens if you use all your unemployment benefits in Washington ESD - do you qualify for anything else?

How do I find out if Extended Benefits are currently active? Is there somewhere on the Washington ESD website that shows this information?

You can check the Washington ESD website under the Extended Benefits section, or call them directly. They usually post announcements when EB programs start or end.

Did you end up finding work before your benefits ran out? I'm worried about the gap between when benefits end and when I might find a job.

I found something about 3 weeks after my benefits ended. It was tight but I made it work with some help from family and food banks.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already worried about money running out.

It's worth checking out their site for the details. For me it was worth it to get actual answers instead of staying confused about what options I had.

Wait, you have to pay someone to call ESD for you? That seems like something you should be able to do yourself.

What are the specific unemployment rate thresholds that trigger Extended Benefits? Is there a percentage the state has to hit?

It's complex - there are different triggers involving both state and national unemployment rates compared to previous years. The state unemployment rate typically needs to be above 6.5% and meet certain other criteria.

Good point about keeping up with weekly claims. I'll make sure to continue filing until I get an official notice that my benefits are exhausted.

Yes this is super important! Don't assume anything, keep following all the rules until you get official notice from Washington ESD.

The phone situation is definitely frustrating. I've been trying to call for weeks about my specific situation but can never get through.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - I was spending hours every day trying to get through on my own and getting nowhere. Sometimes you need to try a different approach.

So even if I exhaust my dollar amount, I could potentially file a new claim if my benefit year expires? I'm confused about the difference.

If your benefit year expires and you've worked enough since filing your original claim, you might be able to file a new claim. But if you just exhaust the dollar amount during an active benefit year, you'd need to wait for extensions or other programs.

That's a good idea. I haven't looked into WorkSource programs yet but I should probably explore all my options before my benefits run out.

WorkSource has some good programs but they usually have waiting lists. Start looking into it now rather than waiting until the last minute.

I've been wondering about temp work too. Do you have to report that income on your weekly claims even if it's just a few days here and there?

Yes, you must report ALL income on your weekly claims, including temporary work. But you might still qualify for partial benefits depending on how much you earn.

That's frustrating that timing mattered so much. Do they ever make extensions retroactive if you just recently exhausted your benefits?

Sometimes they do, but it's not guaranteed. Usually there's a specific window after your benefits end where you can claim extended benefits if they become available.

I hadn't heard of WPTP. Do you know what kinds of training they cover and how long the programs typically last?

It varies but they cover things like healthcare, IT, trades, etc. Programs can be anywhere from a few months to 2 years depending on what you're studying.

Good advice. I'm trying to balance being realistic about what's available while not settling for something that would be a major step backward in my career.

Networking has been tough with everything being remote still. Any specific suggestions for connecting with people in your field when you're mostly stuck at home?

LinkedIn was huge for me, also reached out to former colleagues and let them know I was looking. Sometimes people know about opportunities that aren't posted yet.

That's good to know. So if I found a job next week but it didn't work out after a month, I could potentially restart my claim with whatever weeks I had left?

Exactly, as long as your benefit year hasn't expired and you still have a balance remaining. You'd just need to meet the usual requirements about being unemployed through no fault of your own.

That's exactly the problem I had before I found Claimyr. The phone system at ESD is practically impossible to navigate on your own. Being able to actually talk to someone made a huge difference in understanding my options.

I'm getting really tempted to try something like that. I feel like I'm making decisions based on incomplete information because I can't get through to ask questions.

Good point about documentation. I've been keeping records of my job search but I should probably also document my communications with ESD and any benefit exhaustion notices.

Thank you for the encouragement. It really is mentally exhausting to be worried about money while trying to stay positive for job interviews.

The stress is real. I found that having a concrete plan for what I'd do if my benefits ended helped me feel more in control, even if I ended up not needing to use the plan.

That's smart planning. I should probably start researching what other programs might be available now instead of waiting to see what happens with my UI benefits.

Exactly. Food assistance, utility help, healthcare programs - look into all of it now while you still have some income coming in to give yourself a buffer.

How can I tell the difference? My claim status just shows the remaining balance decreasing each week, so I think it's just normal exhaustion rather than a problem with the claim itself.

If it's just the balance going down normally, that sounds like regular benefit exhaustion. If there were issues with your claim, you'd typically see different status messages or get notices about problems that need to be resolved.