How much can you make from unemployment in Washington - weekly benefit amounts explained

Thanks! So if my highest quarter was around $6,000, I'd get about $230 per week? That seems pretty low compared to what I was making.

Yeah that sounds about right. Remember you also need to meet the minimum earnings requirement - you need at least $7,000 in your base year and at least $405 in your highest quarter to qualify.

That's helpful to know! Did it take long to get your first payment after approval?

about 2 weeks after my claim was approved. make sure you do your weekly claims on time or you'll miss payments

Is that legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my benefit amount and keep getting busy signals or getting disconnected.

Yeah it's legitimate. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. Saved me hours of calling and redialing. The agent was able to explain exactly how my benefit amount was calculated.

sounds like a scam to me. why would you pay someone to make phone calls when you can do it yourself?

Wait, that's different from what the other person said about dividing the highest quarter by 26. Which calculation is correct?

You're right to be confused - I think I mixed up the old calculation method. The current method is indeed your highest quarter divided by 26, with a minimum weekly benefit of $295 if you qualify for any benefits at all.

Yeah the 3.85% method isn't used anymore. It's definitely highest quarter divided by 26 now. Washington ESD changed this a few years back.

That's awful! How long does the appeal process take?

Been waiting 6 weeks so far for my appeal hearing. Meanwhile bills are piling up and I can't get any benefits. The whole system is rigged against workers.

Sorry to hear about your situation. Did you document the harassment? That could help your case if you have evidence of a hostile work environment.

If you file your claim in early 2025, your base year would be the first four quarters of the last five completed quarters. So it would probably include some of 2023 and the first three quarters of 2024. If you didn't work in 2023, you might not have enough earnings to qualify.

Ugh this is so complicated. I wish there was an easier way to figure this out without having to call Washington ESD and wait on hold forever.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr when I had questions about my base year. The ESD agent they connected me with was able to look up my account and tell me exactly which quarters were being used and what my benefit amount would be.

That's good to know. So I could potentially keep my part-time job and still get some unemployment benefits?

yeah as long as you're still looking for full time work and meet all the other requirements. just make sure to report all your earnings when you file your weekly claim

Yeah I'm not expecting to get rich, just want to make sure I can pay my basic bills while job hunting.

That's the right attitude. Also remember you have to actively search for work and document your job search activities or they'll cut off your benefits.

Do they automatically take out taxes or do you have the option?

You can choose to have federal taxes withheld when you file your initial claim. I think it's 10% for federal taxes. State of Washington doesn't have income tax so no state taxes to worry about.

How do you check if your wage information is correct?

You can log into your eServices account on the Washington ESD website and check your wage and employment history. If something looks wrong you need to contact ESD to get it corrected before you file your claim.

Thanks for the tip! I hadn't thought about other assistance programs.

Yeah definitely look into SNAP benefits and maybe low income energy assistance. Every little bit helps when you're unemployed.

Yeah I'm already trying to figure out which expenses I can cut if I end up needing to file for unemployment.

Start with subscription services and eating out. Those add up fast. Also talk to your creditors if you're having trouble making payments - some will work with you.

Yes, Washington adjusts the maximum weekly benefit amount annually based on the state's average weekly wage. It usually goes up a little bit each year but not by much.

Good to know. So if I file a claim this year I'd get the 2025 rates, not what it was when I was last working.

So the weekly benefit amount is like the maximum I could get each week, but it might be less depending on other factors?

exactly. your weekly benefit amount is what you get if you have no earnings that week and meet all the requirements. any work or other income can reduce it

How much does that service cost? I'm already worried about money so I don't want to spend a lot.

I'd rather not say the exact amount but it was definitely worth it for me. Check their website at claimyr.com for current pricing. Saved me probably 20+ hours of trying to call on my own.

I've never filed for unemployment before so it would be a completely new claim.

Then they'll use your base year earnings like everyone explained. Just make sure you have all your employment information ready when you file.

Wait, really? So there's always a one week delay before you start getting payments?

Yep, it's called a waiting week. You still have to file your weekly claim for that week, you just don't get paid for it. Then you start getting paid from week 2 onwards.

Actually I think Washington eliminated the waiting week during COVID and it hasn't come back. You should get paid for your first week if you're eligible.

26 weeks seems like a long time but I know job hunting can take months sometimes.

It goes by faster than you think, especially if you're picky about jobs. Start applying right away even if you think you have plenty of time.

That's good advice. I keep hoping I won't need to file but better safe than sorry.

Exactly. There's no penalty for filing and then not using the benefits if you find work. But if you wait and don't find work, you lose those weeks forever.

That's interesting. I'll have to see if my employer would be open to that instead of a full layoff.

It's called work sharing or partial unemployment. Not all employers participate but it's worth asking about. You still have to meet the job search requirements though.

yeah i did this for a while. worked 3 days a week and got partial unemployment for the other 2 days. helped bridge the gap until business picked up again