One last thing - remember that your unemployment benefits are taxable income. Washington ESD can withhold taxes from your weekly payments if you want, or you can pay quarterly estimated taxes. Just something to factor into your budgeting.

Based on everything discussed here, it sounds like Washington ESD uses the formula: (Total base period wages ÷ 52) × 0.0385 = weekly benefit amount. So for your situation Austin, you'd need to add up all your wages from Q1-Q4 2024 (your base period), divide by 52, then multiply by 0.0385. With your tech job paying $4,200/month for most of that period, you should qualify for a decent weekly amount, probably somewhere in the $400-600 range depending on your exact totals. The maximum is $999/week for 2025, so you won't hit the cap, but you should get enough to help with expenses while job searching.

The process can feel overwhelming at first but once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims it becomes pretty straightforward. Just stay on top of the requirements and you'll be fine.

Just want to add one more thing that might help - when you file your initial claim, make sure you have all your employment information ready including your Social Security number, driver's license, and details about your previous employers for the last 18 months. Having everything organized beforehand will make the process smoother and reduce the chance of delays. Also, if you worked for multiple employers recently, you'll need wage information for all of them. The more complete and accurate your initial application is, the less likely you'll run into issues later.

Whatever the unemployment rate is, filing for benefits is still a good safety net if you qualify. Don't let statistics discourage you from getting help you're entitled to.

I'm in a similar situation - just lost my job and wondering about filing. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like the 4.2% rate is actually pretty decent compared to a few years ago. I'm in Spokane area so hopefully the processing times aren't too bad outside of Seattle. Has anyone filed recently from eastern Washington? Curious if there are regional differences in how long claims take to process.

Another thought - if you have any coworkers who witnessed the safety issues or your conversations with management, their statements could be valuable. Even if they're still employed and scared to get involved officially, they might be willing to provide information to Washington ESD.

This is a really strong case for unemployment benefits. Washington state has robust protections for workers who report safety violations, and the timing here is pretty damning - three days between raising concerns and termination is textbook retaliation. When you file your claim, emphasize that you were terminated for protected activity (reporting safety hazards) rather than any legitimate performance issues. The fact that you have no prior write-ups or disciplinary actions will work heavily in your favor during adjudication. Make sure to gather all your documentation - photos of safety violations, any emails or texts about the issues, and definitely find that email you sent to the safety coordinator. That written evidence will be crucial.

Hang in there! I know the waiting sucks but most people do get approved. Just focus on your job search and try not to stress too much about things you can't control.

I'm in a similar situation - my claim has been under review for 12 days now and I'm getting really anxious about it. Reading through all these responses is actually making me feel a bit better knowing that this is pretty normal and most people do get approved eventually. I think I might try that Claimyr service that people mentioned since I really need to know what's going on with my claim. The not knowing is honestly the hardest part. Thanks for asking this question because I was wondering the exact same thing!