How much can I get from Washington ESD unemployment benefits in 2025?

Thanks! So if I made $12,600 in my highest quarter, that would be about $485 per week? That's actually better than I expected.

Exactly! And you can receive benefits for up to 26 weeks if you have sufficient earnings in your base period.

Thanks! So if my highest quarter was around $6,000, I'd get roughly $230 a week? That's actually better than I expected.

Sounds about right, but you should double-check by looking at your quarterly wage statements in your SAW account. The exact calculation can vary slightly.

I tried looking for that but couldn't find it. Do you have a link?

It's under the 'Before You Apply' section on the Washington ESD homepage. There's a benefit estimator tool there.

How long did it take to get your first payment? I'm worried about the gap between filing and actually getting money.

took about 3 weeks for me but that was pretty normal. make sure you file your weekly claims even while waiting for approval

Oh no, I wasn't planning on quitting my part-time job. Can I still collect unemployment while working reduced hours?

Yes, but they'll reduce your weekly benefit based on how much you earn. Anything over about $175 per week starts getting deducted from your UI payment. But seriously, calling Washington ESD to check on adjudication is nearly impossible - I've tried hundreds of times.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I was stuck in adjudication hell for 6 weeks last year and couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD no matter how early I called. Found Claimyr online (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an actual person within a few hours. There's a video demo that shows exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Totally worth it when you're losing money every week waiting.

Never heard of that service but honestly at this point I'm desperate. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit - they basically handle the phone calling nightmare for you. I was skeptical too but when you're facing rent being due and can't reach anyone at Washington ESD, you try anything that might work.

I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents - worked great for me. Check out claimyr.com, they even have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach anyone at Washington ESD.

Yeah it's real - I was skeptical too but it actually connected me to an agent in about 20 minutes when I needed to resolve an adjudication issue. Way better than spending entire days trying to call.

I'll check that calculator out, thanks! Do you know if tips count toward the wage calculation? Most of my restaurant income is tips.

Tips should count if they were reported on your W-2, but cash tips that weren't reported won't show up in Washington ESD's wage records. That might hurt your benefit amount calculation.

I get the frustration, but once you understand the basic formula it's not too bad. The complexity comes from trying to make it fair for people with different work histories.

maybe fair but definitely not user friendly. took me forever to even understand what a 'base period' was

What counts as job search activities? Just applying for jobs or other stuff too?

Job applications, networking events, career fairs, skills assessments through WorkSource, informational interviews - lots of things count. Keep good records of everything.

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

Online applications count, but also networking contacts, job fairs, informational interviews. The key is documenting everything in your WorkSourceWA account.

they're super picky about the job search log. i got a warning letter because i didn't have enough detail in my entries. make sure you include company names, dates, and specific positions

That's a good point. I guess I need to do the math on whether the extra income is worth dealing with all the paperwork and requirements.

definitely worth it if you qualify for a decent amount. even $200-300 a week can make a huge difference when you're struggling to pay bills

That's a good rate! How long did it take for your claim to get approved?

took about 2 weeks but that was before all the staffing issues they have now

Same situation here. Have you tried using that Claimyr service people are talking about? I'm getting desperate enough to try anything at this point.

Haven't heard of it but I'll check it out. At this point I'd pay reasonable money just to talk to a human being at Washington ESD.

If you're in adjudication, it means they need additional information to determine eligibility. Sometimes it's just verification of identity or work separation details. Once resolved, you should get back pay for the waiting period.

Wow, I had no idea it could be that high! What kind of income do you need to qualify for the maximum?

You'd need to have earned around $67,000 in your highest quarter, which means making well over $250k annually. Most people get way less than the maximum.

Oof, that's something I need to think about. Probably half my tips were cash that I didn't fully report.

This is why it's important to report all income properly. Not just for taxes but for stuff like unemployment benefits too.

Good point! I didn't think about the tax implications. Is that something you set up when you first file?

Yes, there's an option during the application process. You can also change it later through your online account.

Good to know. I've been working pretty consistently for the past 3 years, so hopefully that helps.

Yeah, consistency definitely helps. Also make sure to file as soon as you become unemployed or have reduced hours - you can't get benefits for weeks before you file.

The restaurant just closed down completely so hopefully that won't be an issue. But good to know that could happen.

Even with business closures, some employers contest claims to keep their unemployment tax rates lower. It's ridiculous but it happens.

How do you file the weekly claims? Is that through the same online system?

Yes, through your eServices account. You'll get prompts to file every Sunday, and you have until Saturday night to complete it for that week.

And be honest about any work you do or money you earn during the week, even small amounts. They cross-reference with tax records and will catch discrepancies eventually.

I'm a regular W-2 employee, so that shouldn't be an issue. Thanks for the reminder though!

8 weeks is crazy! Did you ever find out what was causing the delay?

They said it was an identity verification issue but never explained why it took so long to resolve. The whole thing was incredibly frustrating.

That's smart advice. I'll log into my account and take a look at my wage history tonight.

good idea. i found an error in my wage statements that would have cost me about $50/week in benefits. took forever to get it fixed but worth it in the long run

Oh wow, I didn't think about taxes. So the $230 a week I calculated earlier would be less after taxes?

Right, that $230 is before taxes. You can choose to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you set up your claim.

How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money waiting for benefits.

I'd rather not discuss pricing here, but when you're potentially losing hundreds of dollars in weekly benefits because you can't reach an agent, it pays for itself quickly. Check their website for current rates.

Someone else mentioned that service earlier. Seems like it might be worth knowing about in case I run into issues.

yeah i heard about claimyr too. haven't used it myself but everyone says the phone situation with washington esd is awful. might be worth bookmarking just in case

That makes sense. I was worried they'd only count my net pay which would have been much lower.

Oh that's huge! I probably had another $800-1000 per month in reported tips. That should help my benefit amount significantly.

Exactly! Make sure Washington ESD has all your wage information. Sometimes they don't get complete records from employers automatically.

Good to know it's indexed to inflation somewhat. Still not enough to maintain most people's standard of living but better than nothing.

So I'd get 25 weeks of payments instead of 26? That's annoying but I guess I understand the reasoning.

Actually, if you don't exhaust all 26 weeks, you don't get paid for that first week at all. Only if you use up all your benefits do you get that waiting week paid.

I wasn't in a union at the restaurant, but that's good advice for others reading this thread.

Yeah, mine was off by about $30 per week from what the estimator said. Not a huge difference but worth noting.

Good luck! File as soon as possible since benefits are only paid from the date you file, not from when you became unemployed.

And remember to keep detailed records of your job search activities from day one. You'll need them for your weekly certifications.

I'm not expecting to be called back to my old full-time job, so regular unemployment sounds like the right option for me.

Yeah, regular UI sounds right for your situation. Standby is more for seasonal workers or temporary layoffs.