Unemployment benefits are designed to provide unemployed workers with an income while they actively search for work. As long as you are actively searching for work and you haven’t exhausted your  benefit weeks, you can collect your unemployment compensation during your benefit year. Most people will receive between 13 and 26 weeks of benefits for every base year.  How many weeks you get will depend on how long you have been employed and how much you earned during your base year.

A benefit year comprises of 52 weeks from the date your first claim. Once you make a claim, you cannot make another claim in Washington State until your benefits year is over. Note that you will not be able to claim again even though you run out of benefits.

However, if you run out of your regular Washington State Unemployment benefits, you may qualify for one of the extended benefits available to long-term unemployed workers who cannot find work after their initial benefits run out. These programs include the Federal Extended Benefits Program, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program and the Federal $25 week stimulus.

Many of these programs have phased out, but Washington State is still accepting applications in case Congress approves a further extension of these Federally sponsored programs.

Although as of today there has not been an extension for these programs, everything indicates the extension will be approved as part of a broad tax cut deal between Republicans and Democrats. This extension would provide unemployed workers with up to 53 weeks of Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which would provide unemployed workers with up to 99 weeks of benefits. However, it will not provide additional unemployment insurance benefits. In other words, if you have already claimed your 99 weeks, or whatever your quota is, then you will not receive any additional unemployment benefits. This extension will only benefit those who are already eligible to receive the benefits but can’t because the program has phased out.

How long you will receive benefits for will depend on your personal circumstances, such as the starting date of your federal extended benefits, your eligibility and how many weeks you have already claimed in this base year.

To ask for specific information on your case call the Washington Employment Security Agency at  877-558-8509 and explain your situation. You cannot apply for extended benefits online so if you need to file for extended benefits take the time to visit your local employment office.

The question, “how long can I get unemployment benefits for?” is one of the most popular queries we get on this website. It is not surprising. Although most of us want to get back to work as soon as possible when we lose our job, it is important for us to know we have an income to support us while we are searching. The economic crisis we now live in the United States is making harder for unemployed workers to get back to work in Washington.

The State of Washington offers unemployed workers up to 99 weeks of unemployment due to the high unemployment rates the state is currently experimenting. There is often confusion about how these 99 weeks are calculated and who qualifies them. This article will break down the system the Washington Employment Security Department uses to calculate how many weeks you can get unemployment benefits for.

Regular Benefits. (26 weeks)

These are the box-standard 26 weeks per benefits year unemployed workers are entitled to as long as they reach the minimum wages in their base year. The amount of money you receive during these 26 weeks (or 13 in some cases) will depend on the highest wages you received in any two quarters (three-month periods starting from January).

Emergency Unemployment Compensation Tier 1 (20 weeks)

These benefits apply to all states. As long as you apply (it is not automatic) and you meet the eligibility requirements of being fit and able to work you can receive tier 1 benefits once your regular benefits finish. However, Washington Employment Security Department sends forms by mail to all those who may qualify. If you think you qualify and did not receive forms, call 360-902-9289 for more information.

Tier 2 (14 weeks)

These benefits are available for workers in states that have a three-month unemployment rate of 6 percent or more, such as Washington.

Tier 3 (13 weeks)

All states receive these benefits. Once you are enrolled in the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program you can roll from one tier to another. However, currently the program is phasing out, so you will have to apply for a new tier of benefits at an Employment Security Department office in person.

Tier 4 (6 weeks)

For states with high unemployment (8.5 percent or higher) like Washington there are 6 extra weeks of benefits.

Extended Benefits. (13 weeks)

Once unemployed worker use all their Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits, they can apply for the Federal Extended Benefits program for an additional 13 weeks.

Additional Extended Benefits. (7 weeks)

A final seven weeks of extended benefits is awarded to unemployed workers living in states with an unemployment rate of 8 percent or higher.

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