Good luck OP! The severance situation is confusing but you'll get through it. Just remember that thousands of people deal with this same issue - you're not alone in figuring it out.

Just wanted to add something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you report your severance to Washington ESD, make sure you have all the documentation ready. They'll likely ask for your separation notice, severance agreement, and details about exactly what the payment covers. Having everything organized upfront will help speed up the adjudication process. Also, if your severance includes any stock options or deferred compensation, those might be treated differently, so mention those too if applicable.

As someone who's been navigating the Washington ESD system for years, I wanted to add that timing can really matter with these applications. If you're applying as a substitute teacher, try to submit your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work. The longer you wait, the more likely ESD might assume you're not actively seeking work or that you have some informal understanding about returning. Also, when you're filling out the application, be very specific about your employment status - don't just say "substitute teacher" but explain that you worked for multiple districts without guaranteed future employment. The clearer you are upfront, the smoother the process usually goes.

As a new member here, I just want to say how incredibly valuable this discussion has been! I'm also a substitute teacher in Washington and was completely in the dark about the reasonable assurance rules until reading through all these comments. It's really encouraging to see Jackson's success story and all the detailed advice from experienced members. I'm planning to apply for benefits this week and will definitely follow the guidance about documenting everything, being specific about working for multiple districts, and applying promptly. It's amazing how much clearer the process becomes when you have real experiences to learn from rather than trying to decode the official ESD website alone. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - both the successes and the frustrations!

One last thing - if you're worried about calling Washington ESD for any reason, that Claimyr service really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much time and stress when I needed to get my claim issues resolved.

I just went through this exact situation last month - was making $620/week and got laid off from my retail job. My weekly unemployment benefit ended up being $387, which was pretty close to what others have estimated here. The whole process took about 4 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, but that included a brief hold while they verified my employment history. One tip I'd add is to make sure you file your initial claim on a Sunday if possible - I heard from a Washington ESD rep that Sunday filings tend to process faster since there's less system traffic. Also, definitely set up direct deposit right away like others mentioned. The paper checks really do take forever!

Great to see a success story! This thread will hopefully help others who find themselves in the same frustrating situation with Washington ESD delays.

So glad to see this got resolved! Your experience really shows how broken the system is - you had to pay a third party service just to get basic information about your own benefits. But at least now others going through the same thing know there are options beyond endlessly trying to call Washington ESD. Thanks for following up with the outcome, that's really helpful for people who might be reading this later.

If your previous employer contested your claim or there are any issues with your eligibility, that could affect your benefit amount too. Make sure there aren't any outstanding issues on your account that need to be resolved.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation - was making $49k annually and my weekly benefit is only $644. What's really frustrating is that Washington ESD's online calculator seemed to suggest I'd get more when I was initially applying. Has anyone successfully gotten their benefit amount reviewed or corrected? I'm wondering if there's a way to verify they're using the right quarters for the calculation, especially since I had a raise last year that might not be reflected properly in their system.