Does Washington ESD unemployment match your salary when you file?

So it's based on quarters, not just my most recent salary? How do they figure out which quarters to use?

Yes, they look at your base period earnings. If you file now, they'd typically use quarters from last year. You can see the exact calculation on the Washington ESD website when you file your claim.

That's actually higher than I expected! Did you have any issues getting your claim approved?

Mine went into adjudication for about 3 weeks because they had to verify my last employer, but it eventually got approved. Just had to be patient.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already worried about money.

It's worth checking out their site for details. For me, getting through to verify my claim details was more important than spending hours on hold.

I've heard of services like this but wasn't sure if they were legit. Good to know it actually worked for someone.

This is helpful! So if I made $50,000 in my base period, I'd get about $480 per week?

That's roughly right, assuming you meet all the other eligibility requirements. You also have to be actively looking for work and file your weekly claims.

Yeah, I'm already looking at cutting expenses. Did working part-time affect your unemployment benefits?

you can work part time but you have to report the hours and earnings on your weekly claim. they reduce your benefits based on what you earn

The job search requirement is such a pain. I spend more time documenting my searches than actually searching sometimes.

I know it feels tedious, but they do audit these logs. Better to be thorough than risk getting disqualified.

How long did each claim last? I'm hoping to find something within a few months.

First claim lasted about 4 months, second one about 6 months. You get up to 26 weeks typically, depending on the unemployment rate.

I'll check that out! Do I need my tax returns or just pay stubs?

They have your wage information from employers already, but having your records helps verify everything matches up.

The waiting is the worst part! I was so anxious until I got my first payment. How long ago did you file?

Filed Monday, so it's only been 5 days but feels like forever. Did yours go into adjudication?

Mine was approved within a week luckily. Keep checking your account for any action items that need attention.

Was it easy to use? I've been trying to reach them for weeks about an issue with my claim.

Super easy. You just tell them what you need to discuss and they handle getting you connected. Check out their demo video if you want to see how it works.

How did you find out about the wage reporting issue? Did ESD tell you?

I had to call and ask why my benefit amount seemed low. The agent looked into it and found the discrepancy. Take about 3 weeks to get it corrected.

Good point! I hadn't thought about the tax implications. Is it better to have them withheld?

Depends on your situation, but I always have them withheld to avoid a big bill later. It's 10% federal withholding if you choose it.

The monetary determination can be confusing. If you think there's an error, you can appeal it within 30 days. Don't wait if something looks wrong.

That's good to know. I think one of my previous employers' wages might be missing. How do I prove what I earned?

Gather your pay stubs, W-2s, or any other wage documentation and include that with your appeal. ESD can also contact the employer directly.

Yeah, I'm definitely filing this week. Better to get the process started than wait and lose out on potential benefits.

Smart move. I waited two weeks thinking I might find a job quickly and regretted it when the search took longer than expected.

I keep seeing this mentioned. Is it only for getting through on the phone or do they help with other stuff too?

Just for phone connections as far as I know. But that was exactly what I needed - someone to explain why my benefits were calculated the way they were.

What's the threshold? I might do some freelance work while job hunting.

I think it's around $150 per week you can earn before they start reducing benefits, but definitely verify that with ESD. The rules can change.

That's actually pretty close to what I was hoping for based on my salary. How has the job search been going?

Slow but steady. The job search requirements actually help keep me motivated and organized. Document everything carefully!

Thanks for all the advice everyone! This gives me a much better idea of what to expect. Going to file my claim tomorrow.

Good luck! The process isn't too complicated once you get started. Just stay on top of your weekly claims and job search requirements.