How much can you get with unemployment benefits in Washington state?

That's actually higher than I expected! So it's based on quarterly earnings, not annual? That makes more sense.

Yeah the quarterly calculation can work in your favor if you had a really good quarter with overtime or bonuses

Good to know about the job search requirements. Is that something they check regularly?

They can audit your job search log at any time, so definitely keep detailed records of your applications and contacts.

Interesting, never heard of that service before. Have you used it personally?

Yes, used it last year when I couldn't get through on my own after dozens of attempts. Got connected within a few hours instead of spending weeks trying.

How much does something like that cost though? Seems like it might be expensive

It was worth it for me to avoid the frustration of endless busy signals and getting hung up on. The peace of mind was valuable.

Oh wow, I hadn't thought about taxes. So the amounts everyone mentioned would be before taxes then?

Exactly - those are gross amounts. Federal taxes will reduce your actual take-home, but at least Washington doesn't have state income tax.

That's reassuring to hear it actually covers living expenses. How long did it take to find work?

first time took about 4 months, second time was quicker at 2 months. having that financial cushion really helped me be selective about jobs

Wait, so you can work part-time and still collect full unemployment? That seems too good to be true

Not full unemployment - you can earn UP TO your weekly benefit amount before reductions kick in. So if your benefit is $700/week, you could earn $700 in part-time work and still get your full unemployment payment.

Ok that makes more sense, thanks for clarifying!

Good to know! So I'd get paid for the week I file my initial claim?

Yes, as long as you're eligible and file your weekly claim on time. The first payment usually takes 2-3 weeks to process though.

Should I gather pay stubs or just have the general information?

Having pay stubs is helpful but not required for the initial filing. The system will pull your wage data automatically from employer reports in most cases.

What causes a claim to go into adjudication? Want to avoid that if possible

Could be anything - job separation issues, wage discrepancies, identity verification. Sometimes it's random. Having direct phone access through claimyr.com really saved me time and stress.

Adjudication is the worst part of the whole process. Weeks of waiting with no communication from ESD.

It's pretty accurate if you have your quarterly wage information correct. The tricky part is knowing which quarters to use - it's not always the most recent four quarters.

That's confusing. How do you figure out which quarters they use?

They use your 'base period' which is typically the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. It's complicated but the system calculates it automatically.

Is there a best time to file during the week? I've heard the system gets overloaded on certain days

Weekday mornings seem to work best. Avoid Sunday evenings when everyone is trying to file their weekly claims.

What day of the week do you file? Is it the same for everyone?

You can file your weekly claim starting Sunday for the previous week. Most people do it Sunday or Monday to avoid forgetting later in the week.

Good reminder - I'll set a weekly calendar alert once I get approved

That's helpful to know it's not just applications. Are there other activities that count toward the requirement?

Yeah - informational interviews, career counseling sessions, skills assessments, even some online courses can count. They want to see you're actively looking, not just going through the motions.

I'm usually skeptical of these third-party services but honestly the Washington ESD phone system is so broken that anything that helps you actually talk to someone seems worth it

That was exactly my thinking. Spending hours on hold or getting disconnected was costing me more in stress and lost time than just getting help to connect properly.

Yes, severance can delay your benefits depending on how it's paid. If it's a lump sum, it might not affect anything. If it's paid out over time like regular wages, it could delay your start date.

It's being paid over 4 weeks like regular paychecks, so I guess I need to wait until that's done?

You should still file your claim right away and report the severance payments on your weekly claims. Washington ESD will handle the calculations and timing.

That's reassuring. I was worried it would be a huge time commitment every week

Nope, pretty simple. The questions are basically the same every week - did you work, did you look for work, are you able and available. Takes longer to log in than to actually complete it lol

Good point about record keeping. I'll start a folder right away. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information!

Screenshots are your friend too. The ESD website sometimes has glitches and having proof of what you submitted can save you headaches

Will definitely do that. This thread has been incredibly helpful - way more info than I expected to get!

Thank you! Feeling much more confident about the process now