When does my unemployment end - Washington ESD benefit duration question

Ok so I filed in September, does that mean my benefit year ends in September 2025? And what happens if I find a job before then - do I lose the remaining weeks?

Exactly, your benefit year would end in September 2025. If you find a job, you just stop filing weekly claims - you don't 'lose' anything, you just don't need the benefits anymore. You can always refile if you become unemployed again within that benefit year.

I'll check that tonight, thanks! I think I remember seeing some numbers on there but didn't really understand what they meant.

Yeah that monetary determination is super important - keep a copy of it because it has all your benefit info on one page.

Never heard of that service before. Did they charge you to help get through to Washington ESD?

There is a fee but it was worth it to actually talk to someone who could explain my specific situation. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected.

I used Claimyr too when I had questions about my benefit calculation. Really helped me understand the whole process instead of just guessing.

Week 18 means you potentially have 8 more weeks left if you're eligible for the full 26 weeks. But definitely check your monetary determination to be sure.

thanks, I'll look at that. been so stressed about this whole thing

Good point! I've been keeping track of my job searches but wasn't sure if that changes near the end.

Yeah and make sure you're logging those searches in WorkSourceWA because they can audit your job search log at any time.

Wait, so you can lose money that way? That seems unfair.

It's not really 'losing' money - the benefit year is designed to cover a specific period of unemployment. If you're still unemployed after a year, you'd need to file a new claim based on more recent earnings.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - saved me all that time trying to reach someone at Washington ESD.

Wish I had known about that service back then! Would have saved me so much frustration.

Good to know, thanks. Hopefully I'll find something before then but it's good to understand the timeline.

Yeah, the extended benefits that were available during COVID are long gone. Regular UI is pretty much all that's available now.

That's smart advice. I've been looking but maybe I need to be more aggressive about it.

Definitely. The job market is still competitive so give yourself as much time as possible.

Perfect, I'll look at that section tonight along with the monetary determination.

The payment history is great because it shows everything in chronological order. Easy to see your progress.

True, though sometimes 26 weeks isn't enough depending on your industry and location.

Yeah I've been actively looking the whole time, just want to make sure I understand the system properly.

Interesting, I didn't know that. So part-time work doesn't automatically disqualify you?

No, you can work part-time and still collect partial benefits as long as you report your earnings. It's actually encouraged as a way to transition back to full-time work.

Or use that Claimyr service someone mentioned - seems like a good way to skip the phone hassle.

I'm starting to think that might be worth it. This stuff is more complicated than I thought.