Per federal guidelines, Extended Benefits program set to end in Washington
OLYMPIA – Due to the lower unemployment rate in Washington state, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) notified the Employment Security Department last week that our state’s Extended Benefits (EB) program is ending March 13, 2021.
Per the guidance from USDOL, we will continue to pay EB through this week – the benefit week ending March 13, 2021.
The EB program goes into effect when the unemployment rate is high and provides an additional 13-20 weeks of benefits for those who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits and other extension programs.
The U.S. Congress is currently working on a stimulus bill to extend unemployment benefits. If this bill passes, claimants currently receiving EB can be eligible for additional weeks of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits. The best thing for claimants to do is to continue filing weekly claims and keep an eye out for more information from us.
To learn more about Extended Benefits, please visit our website.