How much can you collect unemployment in Washington - what's the maximum weekly benefit?

Thanks! So with my salary I should get close to the maximum then. Do you know if they look at gross or net income?

They use your gross wages reported by employers. Make sure all your previous jobs properly reported your earnings to Washington ESD or it could affect your benefit calculation.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I found them at claimyr.com and they actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent in like 20 minutes. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Never heard of that but I'm definitely going to check it out. These phone lines are impossible.

I was skeptical about Claimyr at first but it really does work. Used it last month when I had questions about my weekly claim and actually got to talk to someone instead of just getting hung up on.

What exactly counts as a job contact? Do I need to apply for jobs or can I just inquire about openings?

You need to make a genuine effort to find work. Applications definitely count, but so do networking contacts, attending job fairs, or contacting employers about future openings. Just keep good records in your job search log.

Oh wow, I didn't think about taxes. So I should probably elect to have them withheld then?

I would recommend it. They withhold 10% for federal taxes if you choose that option. Better than owing a big chunk at tax time.

Good to know! When do you typically file the weekly claims? Is there a specific day?

You can file starting Sunday for the previous week. I always do mine Sunday morning so I don't forget. The system is usually less busy then too.

My earnings were pretty consistent month to month, so hopefully that won't be an issue for me.

Yeah if your earnings were steady you should be fine. The issues usually come up when someone had a big bonus in one quarter or worked seasonally.

I did get 2 weeks severance. Will that delay my benefits for 2 weeks then?

It depends on how much the severance was and how Washington ESD allocates it. They might spread it out over several weeks. Definitely report it when you file your initial claim.

The maximum benefit is set by state law and gets reviewed periodically, but it doesn't automatically adjust for inflation. It's been $999 for a while now.

Yeah it's frustrating that it doesn't keep up with costs. $999 a week sounds like a lot but in Seattle it barely covers rent and basic expenses.

What's the total maximum? Is it just 26 times the weekly amount?

It's usually 30% of your total base period wages, but it can't exceed 26 times your weekly benefit amount. Most people hit the 26-week limit rather than the dollar limit.

Yes, they count all wages reported by your employer including overtime, bonuses, and commissions. Anything that shows up on your W-2 gets included.

Great, that should help my benefit amount then. I worked a ton of overtime last year.

Yes, you can work part-time and still collect partial benefits as long as you earn less than 1.5 times your weekly benefit amount. You have to report all earnings on your weekly claim.

That's good to know. I might be able to pick up some freelance work while I'm looking for full-time employment.

If your employer contests it, your claim will go into adjudication while Washington ESD investigates. This is where Claimyr really helps because you might need to talk to an adjudicator about your case. Much easier than trying to get through on your own.

My claim has been in adjudication for 2 weeks already. I'll definitely look into Claimyr if this drags on much longer.

That's good news. I was worried I'd have to wait a week before benefits kicked in.

Yeah they eliminated the waiting week a few years ago. One of the better changes Washington ESD has made recently.

Good advice! I'll make sure to set that up when I file my claim.

Definitely do direct deposit. I waited 3 weeks for my first paper check and it never came. Had to request a replacement.

Good to know. I'm not planning to move but that's useful information.

Yeah, they need to know because you might have to register with the workforce agency in whatever state you move to. It can complicate things.

I agree! The monetary determination notice they send is confusing as hell. Half the time I can't tell if the numbers are right.

This is exactly why services like Claimyr exist. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person to understand what's going on with your claim instead of trying to decode all the paperwork.

Welcome to the unemployment journey! One thing I'd add is to keep really detailed records of everything - save all the emails from ESD, screenshot your weekly claim confirmations, and keep notes about any phone calls. I've found that having documentation saved me when there were issues with my claim later. Also, don't be discouraged if your first payment takes a while - mine took about 3 weeks even though there were no issues with my claim. The system just moves slowly sometimes. Good luck with your application!