Bottom line - your weekly benefit amount will be roughly 50-65% of what you were making per week when you were working, up to the state maximum. Not enough to live comfortably but hopefully enough to get by while you find your next job.

I went through this same confusion when I filed my claim a few months ago. The formula everyone mentioned is accurate - they take your highest quarter earnings from your base year and divide by 26 to get your weekly benefit amount. What helped me was looking at all four quarters of my base year earnings and identifying which one was highest. In my case, I had worked overtime during Q3 which made that my highest quarter at around $16,200, so my weekly benefit came out to about $385. Also definitely claim those dependents right away if you have kids - that extra $35 per week per child adds up over time and is much easier to do upfront than trying to add them later.

Bottom line: Employers fund the unemployment system through taxes, but they don't pay your individual benefits. It's an insurance model where everyone contributes to a pool. Your former employer's main role now is just to confirm the details of your separation when Washington ESD contacts them. Since you were laid off, there shouldn't be any issues with your claim.

I work in benefits administration and can add some additional context to what everyone's explained so well. Washington state's unemployment insurance is funded through the Employment Security Department's trust fund, which is built from employer contributions. The key thing to understand is that this is a "pay-as-you-go" system - current employer taxes fund current benefit payments. Your specific employer's tax rate is determined by their "experience rating" which looks at their claim history over the past few years. So while they're not cutting a check for your specific benefits, companies with higher claim rates do pay higher taxes. Since you mentioned it was a legitimate layoff due to lack of work, your former employer would have no grounds to contest your claim and it should process smoothly through the system.

The Washington ESD benefit calculator gave me an estimate of $392 per week and I actually got approved for $388, so it was pretty close. Not perfect but good enough for planning purposes.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like I should expect around $370-400 per week plus the $50 for my two kids. I'm going to use the ESD calculator to get a rough estimate but won't stress if the final amount is slightly different. Really appreciate the tip about filing weekly claims even before getting the determination letter - I'll make sure to stay on top of that. Hopefully I can find something new within the 26 weeks but at least this will help cover expenses while I'm searching.

One last thought - keep documenting everything during this waiting period. Save emails, take screenshots of your account status, keep records of when you file weekly claims. It's all useful if you need to appeal or if there are any issues later.

I'm in a similar situation - been waiting 3 weeks for a determination on a contested separation issue. One thing that's helped me stay sane is setting up a simple spreadsheet to track my weekly claim filings and any status changes. Also, make sure you have all your documentation ready (termination notices, emails, etc.) because if they do contact you for additional info, you want to respond quickly to avoid further delays. The waiting is brutal but at least we're not alone in this process!

Had a friend who thought benefits lasted longer and didn't start seriously job hunting until week 20. Big mistake - barely found something before benefits ran out and had to take a job paying way less than what he was hoping for.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that Washington also has a SharedWork program that can help extend your benefits if your employer participates. Instead of being fully laid off, you work reduced hours and get partial unemployment benefits to make up some of the difference. This can help your regular benefits last longer since you're not using full weekly benefit amounts. Not all employers participate, but it's worth asking about if you're facing hour reductions rather than a full layoff.