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First payments are always nerve-wracking but they do come through. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on time while you wait. Missing a week can really mess things up.
Just want to add that if you think there's an error in your benefit calculation, you can appeal it. I had to do this once when they missed some of my quarterly wages and it was worth the effort.
Bottom line - if you were making $130k+ annually, you'll probably qualify for close to the maximum benefit. At $85k like the original poster mentioned, you're looking at somewhere around $650-700 per week depending on how your earnings were distributed across quarters.
The benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website is pretty accurate if you want to estimate what you'll get before filing. Just need your wage information from the last 18 months.
Bottom line is $999 is the max but most people get somewhere between $400-700 per week depending on their previous earnings. Still better than nothing while you're looking for work.
Final thought for anyone still worried about reaching Washington ESD with questions - I ended up using Claimyr three different times during my unemployment claim process. Really helpful for getting quick answers when the phone lines are jammed. Worth checking out their demo video if you're on the fence: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ
Ethan Brown
Best of luck with everything! The first few weeks are always the most stressful but it gets easier once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims and job searching.
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Javier Gomez
•Thank you! I'm feeling much more confident about this whole process thanks to everyone's help here.
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Yuki Yamamoto
You'll do fine. Just stay organized and keep good records of everything. The unemployment process in Washington is actually pretty user-friendly once you get the hang of it.
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Javier Gomez
•That's reassuring to hear. I'm going to start my application right now. Thanks again everyone!
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