When does unemployment end in Washington - confused about benefit duration limits

Thanks! So if I started in March, I should be good until September-ish? I just want to make sure I'm not missing something important.

Yes, roughly that timeframe, but double-check your benefit year end date in your Washington ESD online account. It should show your exact dates there.

Wait, what? How do I find out what my base period wages were? This is getting more confusing.

Your monetary determination letter should have shown your base period wages when you first applied. Check your Washington ESD documents or online account for that info.

I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They actually got me connected to a Washington ESD agent within like 10 minutes. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time and frustration.

That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost? I'm already broke from being unemployed.

I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They don't charge crazy amounts and honestly the time I saved was worth it. I was able to get my questions answered instead of wasting entire days trying to call.

This is really helpful! So even if I use up my 26 weeks, I still have the rest of the benefit year to find work without losing eligibility for future claims?

Not exactly. Once your benefit year ends, you'd need to file a new claim if you're still unemployed, and that would be based on your more recent earnings. The benefit year is just the timeframe for your current claim.

I understand the frustration, but they do provide that information - it's in your online account under benefit information. The dates should be clearly listed there.

Yeah well their website is garbage and half the time I can't even log in. The whole system needs to be redesigned.

Working part-time doesn't change your benefit year end date, but you need to report all earnings on your weekly claims. It might reduce your weekly benefit amount but won't extend or shorten your total duration.

ok good to know, thanks! i've been reporting everything but was worried it would somehow reset my claim or something

That makes sense. So right now in 2025, it's basically just the standard 26 weeks unless something changes with the economy?

Exactly. Extensions are tied to specific unemployment rate triggers and aren't currently active in Washington state.

Good point! I've been doing my job searches but should probably double-check I'm meeting all the requirements. How many job contacts do we need per week?

I think it's 3 per week but check your specific requirements in your Washington ESD account. Requirements can vary based on your situation.

I mean, that's pretty cynical but I can see why you'd think that. The system definitely isn't user-friendly.

after dealing with washington esd for months i dont think its cynical at all. its intentionally difficult

That's really tempting. I'm so tired of guessing about this stuff. Did they help you understand the whole base period calculation too?

Yes! They walked me through my monetary determination and explained how my weeks were calculated. Finally felt like I understood my own claim.

I see the balance but it's confusing how that translates to actual weeks remaining. The math doesn't seem to add up.

yeah the balance shows dollars left, but weeks can vary if youre working part time or have other deductions

That's exactly what I'm worried about! I don't want to be caught off guard.

This is why it's important to track your claim dates and remaining weeks. The information is available, but you have to stay on top of it.

Totally agree. A simple email reminder would save everyone so much stress and confusion.

Right? Even a text message would be better than nothing. The system feels like it's from 1995.

Interstate claims can be more complex, but your benefit duration is still based on the state where you file. If you worked in multiple states, they combine wages from all states for your base period calculation.

ok that makes sense, thanks for clarifying

This has been really helpful everyone. I think I have a better understanding now, but I'm probably going to try to get through to Washington ESD to double-check my specific dates.

If you have trouble getting through, seriously consider that Claimyr service. It made such a difference for me when I needed answers about my claim.

I might have to do that. Thanks for the recommendation and thanks everyone for the help!