Why did I only get 6 months of unemployment benefits in Washington?

Oh wow, I had no idea it was only 26 weeks max. I guess I was thinking of the pandemic extensions. So there's nothing I can do to extend it further?

You might qualify for extended benefits if Washington's unemployment rate is high enough, but that's pretty rare. You should also look into other assistance programs while you continue job searching.

That's so frustrating! What did you end up doing after your benefits ran out?

Had to take a part-time job just to survive. Still looking for full-time work but at least it's something coming in.

Is that legit? I've been trying to call ESD for weeks about my claim and can never get through.

Yeah, I used it when I had issues with my adjudication. It actually got me connected to a real person who could look at my account and explain what was happening.

Sounds like a scam to me. Why would you pay someone to make a phone call for you?

Do you know what the unemployment rate needs to be for extended benefits? I feel like there's still a lot of people out of work.

It's complicated but generally the state unemployment rate needs to be above certain thresholds for multiple months. Right now Washington's rate isn't high enough to trigger extensions.

You might be thinking of disability benefits or some other program. Regular unemployment insurance has always been limited to 26 weeks in most states.

oh man i better start looking harder for jobs then. i thought i had way more time

How much did Claimyr cost? I'm desperate to talk to someone at ESD about my adjudication.

It was worth it just to get a real answer instead of guessing. The rep was actually really helpful and looked up my whole claim history.

Glad it worked out for you! It's crazy that we have to use a service just to reach our own state agency.

Easy to say when you're not the one looking for work in this job market. Some industries are still really tough.

I've been applying everywhere but a lot of places aren't hiring or want experience I don't have. It's not as simple as just finding 'something'.

I get that it's tough but the system can't support people indefinitely. That's just reality.

That's a good idea. The ESD rep mentioned DSHS programs but I haven't looked into it yet.

DSHS can help with food, medical coverage, and sometimes cash assistance depending on your situation. Worth applying for sure.

True, I'm grateful for what I got. Just wish it lasted a bit longer since finding work is taking longer than expected.

Same here. The job market is weird right now - lots of postings but not many callbacks.

I understand the frustration but the 26-week limit has been standard for decades. It's meant to be temporary assistance, not long-term support.

TEMPORARY FOR WHO??? Some people need more time especially if they're in specialized fields or older workers facing discrimination.

Extended benefits do exist during severe recessions, but they require specific economic triggers. The system isn't perfect but it's not designed to be punitive either.

Ok I'm convinced. Going to try Claimyr for my adjudication issue. These phone lines are impossible.

Yeah the regular ESD phone system is broken. At least with Claimyr you know you'll actually talk to someone who can see your account.

Good point. I've been logging everything in WorkSourceWA anyway so I'll keep that up.

Smart. Also keep copies of any correspondence from ESD in case you need to reference it later.

Right? Time flies when you're stressed about finding work. Good luck with your job search!

thanks, you too. hopefully we both find something soon

I know the feeling - those 26 weeks really do fly by when you're in survival mode. Have you looked into any of the other assistance programs people mentioned? Might help bridge the gap while job hunting.

Still don't understand why we need a third party service to reach our own government agency. Seems backwards.

I agree it shouldn't be necessary, but until ESD fixes their phone system, at least there's an option that works.