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I'm in a similar boat. Benefits running out in 3 weeks and getting desperate. This thread has been really helpful though - lots of ideas I hadn't thought of.
Same here. The Claimyr thing especially caught my attention since I can never get through to Washington ESD.
One last suggestion - look into local churches and community organizations. Even if you're not religious, many have emergency assistance funds for people in tough situations. Sometimes they can help with a month's rent or utility bill to give you breathing room.
Quick question - does the reason for business closure matter? Like if it was due to personal reasons vs economic factors?
Last piece of advice - if your claim gets held up in adjudication, don't just wait around. Use that Claimyr service people mentioned or find another way to get through to Washington ESD to check on the status. Squeaky wheel gets the grease!
Absolutely agree. I would still be waiting if I hadn't used Claimyr to get through to someone.
Just want to echo what others have said about keeping detailed records. Washington ESD can ask for documentation at any time, so keep all your job search logs, wage stubs, and correspondence organized.
Hope this helps everyone! The Washington unemployment system can be confusing but once you understand how the benefit calculation works, it's pretty straightforward. Good luck with your claim OP!
If you run into any problems with Washington ESD during your 26 weeks - like claims getting stuck or needing to talk to someone about your case - that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I used it when my weekly claim got flagged for some reason and I needed to speak with an agent to resolve it.
Just to be crystal clear since I see some confusion in other threads - Washington state unemployment benefits are available for a maximum of 26 weeks (6 months) during a benefit year. Your benefit year starts when you file your initial claim. After 26 weeks, your benefits end regardless of whether you've found work or not.
Kara Yoshida
One last thing - make sure you report any severance pay or vacation payout you received. This can affect your benefits timing, but it's better to report it upfront than have ESD find out later and create an overpayment situation.
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Kara Yoshida
•Report it when you file your initial claim. They'll tell you how it affects your benefit start date.
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Philip Cowan
•Yeah, don't try to hide any payments. ESD will eventually find out and then you'll have bigger problems to deal with.
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Caesar Grant
Good luck with your claim! The process seems overwhelming at first but once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims it becomes second nature. Most people have their claims approved without major issues.
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Harold Oh
•Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to file my claim today and hopefully everything goes smoothly.
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Lena Schultz
•You've got this! Come back and update us on how it goes.
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