Washington Unemployment
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How to refile for unemployment benefits after previous claim ended?
My benefit year ended last month and I'm still unemployed. I know I need to refile but I'm confused about the process. Do I start completely over on the Washington ESD website or is there a way to reopen my existing claim? I've been looking at esd.wa.gov but can't find clear instructions on refiling. Also wondering if my weekly benefit amount will change when I refile? Any help would be appreciated.
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How much do u make on unemployment in Washington - weekly benefit amounts?
hey everyone, just wondering how much do u make on unemployment here in washington? i'm thinking about filing but want to know what to expect for weekly payments. is it based on your old job salary or is there like a flat rate? also how long does it take to get approved and start getting paid? thanks
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does the weekly benefit amount ever increase or is it the same amount every week?
It stays the same throughout your benefit year unless your circumstances change (like reporting part-time earnings). The maximum amounts do get adjusted annually by the state but your individual rate stays constant.
ok good to know for budgeting purposes
How long do you have to apply for unemployment after losing your job in Washington?
I got laid off from my manufacturing job last Friday and I'm not sure how quickly I need to file for unemployment benefits with Washington ESD. Some people are telling me I need to file immediately while others say I have weeks to do it. What's the actual deadline? I'm worried about missing out on benefits if I wait too long but I also want to make sure I have all my paperwork together first.
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Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - FILE NOW! I waited 10 days thinking I had time and lost out on almost $400 in benefits. Don't make my mistake.
Wow, $400 is a lot to lose over waiting. Definitely filing today.
Update: Just finished filing my claim! Took about 25 minutes like everyone said. Thanks to everyone who pushed me to do it today instead of waiting. Already feeling less stressed about the whole situation.
Glad you got it done! The hardest part is over.
Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement. This forum was really helpful!
Can Washington ESD unemployment overpayments be discharged in Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
I received a $4,800 overpayment notice from Washington ESD last month and I'm drowning in debt. My attorney mentioned filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy but I'm not sure if unemployment overpayments can be included. The overpayment was from 2023 when I apparently didn't report some part-time work correctly - honestly the whole reporting system was confusing and I thought I was doing it right. Has anyone successfully discharged a Washington ESD overpayment through bankruptcy? I can't afford to pay this back on top of everything else.
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Talk to your bankruptcy attorney about the 'discharge exception' rules. Even if the overpayment can't be fully discharged, sometimes you can negotiate a reduced settlement as part of the bankruptcy process.
That's interesting. So even if it's not dischargeable, there might still be some benefit to including it in bankruptcy?
Exactly. The bankruptcy leverage can sometimes help negotiate better terms even for non-dischargeable debts.
Hope this works out for you. The unemployment overpayment system really needs reform - too many people get caught up in confusing rules and end up owing money they can't afford to pay back.
Thanks. It's frustrating because I was trying to do everything right. The system just makes it so easy to make mistakes.
Totally agree. The whole system needs to be more user-friendly and forgiving of honest mistakes.
Washington ESD unemployment benefit amount calculation - what determines weekly payment?
I'm trying to figure out how Washington ESD calculates my weekly unemployment benefit amount. I've been looking through their website but it's confusing. Does anyone know exactly what factors they use to determine how much you get each week? I worked for about 8 months last year making around $18/hour but had some gaps in employment. Just want to understand what my benefit amount might be before I file my claim.
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One more question - do they count bonuses or commissions when calculating the benefit amount?
Yes, bonuses and commissions count as wages for the quarter they were paid in. So if you got a big bonus in one quarter, that could significantly increase your weekly benefit amount.
Excellent, I had a decent commission quarter last year so that should help.
Liam Sullivan
One more thing to consider - if you've been doing any gig work or freelancing during your claim period, make sure you have documentation of that income too. It might affect your new base period calculation.
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CosmicCrusader
AuthorI did some freelance work but reported it all on my weekly claims. Should I gather additional documentation?
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Liam Sullivan
If you reported it properly on your weekly claims you should be fine. They have record of what you reported.
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Amara Okafor
Thanks everyone for all this helpful information! I feel much more confident about refiling now. Going to gather my documents this weekend and file early next week.
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Sean Flanagan
Good luck! And remember if you run into any issues that require talking to Washington ESD, Claimyr is there as an option to avoid the phone system frustrations.
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Amara Okafor
Definitely keeping that in mind. Thanks again!
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