How much are unemployment benefits in Washington - need to know what to expect

That's actually higher than I expected! Do you know what the maximum weekly benefit is right now in 2025?

The maximum weekly benefit amount changes each year. For 2025 it should be around $999 per week, but most people don't qualify for the maximum unless they were earning really high wages.

It's not quite 60% - Washington uses a different formula. They look at your base period earnings which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file your claim.

oh ok thanks for clarifying that makes more sense

How does that work exactly? I've already tried calling Washington ESD multiple times and keep getting disconnected.

They basically handle the calling for you and get you connected to an actual person at ESD. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting hung up on.

Sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. The ESD phone system is absolutely terrible.

I've been at this job for over 2 years so I think my base period should include my current salary. Does Washington ESD automatically calculate this or do I need to provide something?

They should have your wage records from employers automatically. But always double-check that all your employers reported your wages correctly to avoid issues later.

I know right? It's like they make it complicated on purpose. At least once you file they give you the actual amount pretty quickly.

hopefully! just want to know if its even worth filing or if i should just find any job asap

Good point! Is it better to have them withhold taxes or just pay later?

Depends on your situation. If you think you'll owe taxes anyway, might as well have them withhold 10% federal. State taxes aren't withheld from unemployment in Washington since we don't have state income tax.

Wait Washington doesn't have state income tax? That's actually pretty nice compared to other states.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. Worth every penny to actually talk to someone instead of wasting hours on hold.

At this point I'm willing to try anything. The automated system is completely useless for complex questions.

So if I made $52k in my base period, I could collect up to about $15,600 total in benefits?

That's right, but it depends on your exact base period earnings. The 30% limit catches some people by surprise, especially if they had inconsistent work history.

What counts as a job search contact? Is applying online enough or do you need to do more?

Online applications count, but you also need to include networking, contacting employers directly, attending job fairs, etc. They want to see varied activities, not just clicking apply on job boards.

How do you check if your wages were reported correctly? Is there a way to see this before filing?

You can request a wage statement from ESD to see what's on file. Better to check before filing than find out after your claim is processed.

I was laid off due to company downsizing so I should be good on that front.

Yeah layoffs are straightforward. It's when people quit or get fired for misconduct that things get complicated with the eligibility requirements.

I tried their calculator but got confused by the base period quarters. Glad to know it's at least somewhat accurate.

Good idea! I'll gather my pay stubs from the past year before filing.

Yeah especially if you had multiple jobs or any 1099 work. Keep everything organized in case they need additional documentation.

Overtime is just regular wages for benefit calculation purposes. If it increased your quarterly earnings, it should help your benefit amount.

Great! I was worried they might treat it differently somehow.

That's frustrating but normal unfortunately. The monetary determination usually comes within 2-4 weeks of filing.

If you need to check on the status, Claimyr can help you get through to someone at ESD instead of waiting indefinitely. Sometimes there are issues that need to be resolved before they can process the monetary determination.

Regular unemployment is 26 weeks maximum. Your friend might be thinking of extended benefits during recessions or other federal programs.

oh ok that makes more sense thanks

That's good to know! Every bit helps when you're suddenly without income.

Definitely! Just make sure to file your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work to avoid any delays.

Good luck! Remember to file your weekly claims every week even if your monetary determination is still pending.

And start your job search activities right away so you have documentation when they ask for it.

If you run into any issues or need to speak with someone at ESD, definitely check out that Claimyr service I mentioned. Makes the whole process much less stressful.