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The bottom line is be completely honest and report everything. It's better to lose some benefits temporarily than to deal with fraud allegations later. Washington ESD takes unreported work very seriously.
For anyone still having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked. Got through to an agent in about 10 minutes instead of spending hours trying to call.
Sorry you're going through this! The uncertainty is the worst part. But based on what you've described, you should definitely qualify for benefits. File ASAP and try not to stress too much about it.
If you need help navigating the system or have trouble reaching Washington ESD later, there are resources available. That Claimyr service mentioned earlier can be a real lifesaver when you're stuck in phone tree hell trying to get answers about your claim.
Bottom line: expect 3-4 weeks for a typical claim, keep filing weekly, and try not to panic if it takes the full month. The system is slow but it does work eventually.
One last thing - if you do end up needing to contact Washington ESD for any reason during the process, early morning (like 8 AM) seems to be the best time to try calling. Still hard to get through but slightly better odds.
Been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years and the max benefit has definitely gone up each time. It's one of the few things that actually keeps pace with cost of living increases in Washington state.
Thanks everyone for all the detailed info about Washington unemployment maximums. This thread answered way more questions than I expected when I started reading!
Dana Doyle
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea the maximum was that high or that there were dependent allowances.
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Vanessa Figueroa
•Same here! I learned way more from this discussion than I did from the official Washington ESD website.
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Dana Doyle
•Seriously, the website is so hard to navigate. Real people explaining things is so much better.
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Liam Duke
For anyone still confused about the calculation, Washington ESD has a benefit calculator tool on their website, but it's pretty buried in the menus. Might be worth checking out if you want to estimate your benefit amount.
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Vanessa Figueroa
•I'll definitely look for that calculator. Would be nice to double-check my benefit amount.
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Liam Duke
•Yeah it's under the 'Calculate Benefits' section if you can find it. Not the most user-friendly interface but it works.
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