What is a benefit year for unemployment in Washington ESD - confused about timing

So I definitely have to reapply? It doesn't just continue automatically?

Correct, you have to file a completely new initial claim. Washington ESD will look at your work history from the new base period to determine if you qualify and what your new weekly benefit amount will be.

That's right. Once you exhaust your 26 weeks of benefits, you can't collect any more regular UI during that benefit year, even if the year hasn't ended yet.

damn that sucks. so im just stuck waiting until march to reapply

Did you have any gaps in filing? I'm wondering if the timing matters exactly or if there's any grace period.

You can file your new claim during the last week of your benefit year or right after it ends. There's no real grace period though - if you wait too long you might lose some potential benefits.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents by phone. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they even have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked for me. Got connected to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing.

Really? That sounds almost too good to be true. How much does it cost?

They focus more on the value than pricing on their website. For me it was worth it just to finally get answers about my claim status instead of guessing.

I get the frustration but I think the system is designed to make sure people are still eligible based on recent work history.

Yeah well the system is broken. I know people who have been waiting months just for their initial claims to be processed.

Good question! Your job search requirements continue regardless of benefit years. You still need to maintain your work search log and meet the weekly requirements throughout any transition period.

Thanks, that's what I figured but wanted to make sure.

They use what's called the 'base period' which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in March 2025, they'd probably look at quarters from early 2024 through late 2024.

That's confusing but thanks for explaining it. Guess I'll find out when I apply.

Good to know! I'll make sure to file right away. Did he have any issues with the transition or was it pretty smooth?

Once he actually filed it was fine, just took the normal processing time. The mistake was waiting.

Oh wow, I didn't think about that. So even if they didn't contest my original claim, they could contest the new one?

Yes, it's treated as a completely new claim so they get the same notification and opportunity to respond as before.

No, there's no benefit available during the gap. Your old benefit year ends and you can't collect until your new claim is approved and processed.

ugh that sucks. so you could be without benefits for weeks while they process everything

Have you tried the Claimyr service? I saw someone mention it earlier in this thread. I just used it yesterday and actually got connected to an ESD agent. They have a website at claimyr.com that explains how it works.

I'm willing to try anything at this point. The normal phone system is completely useless.

Good advice! I'll double check everything before submitting.

Yeah, better to spend extra time being accurate than dealing with delays later.

Same here! Nobody really explains this stuff clearly when you first apply.

Right? The whole system could use better communication about how it actually works.

That seems a bit long. Initial claims usually process within 1-2 weeks unless there's an issue that needs adjudication.

That's what I was afraid of. Guess I need to try calling to find out what's going on.

Good luck getting through! Maybe try that Claimyr thing people have been mentioning if you can't reach them the normal way.

Glad it helped! The key is just being prepared and filing your new claim on time.

Definitely. Better to know ahead of time than be caught off guard.

Great question! You'll want to gather employment information for all your jobs in the past 18 months - company names, addresses, dates of employment, and your supervisor's contact info. Having your Social Security card and ID ready is also helpful. Pay stubs aren't usually required during the initial application, but it's good to have them available in case there are any wage disputes later. The main thing is having accurate employer details since that's what causes most delays when people get addresses or dates wrong.