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

Thanks! So if I made around $18,750 per quarter consistently, what would that translate to for weekly benefits?

Your weekly benefit would be roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings divided by 13 weeks. So around $18,750 divided by 13 = about $1,442, then multiply by 0.0385 = roughly $555 per week. That's a rough estimate though - Washington ESD has their own calculation formula.

ugh same here, I called like 15 times over two weeks and kept getting disconnected

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. I was skeptical at first but it actually got me connected within a few hours instead of spending days calling.

Interesting, I'll have to check that out. Anything is better than sitting on hold for 3+ hours just to get hung up on.

Good point about the job search requirement. Do you know if they're strict about that? Like do they actually verify the contacts?

They do random audits and if you get selected, you have to provide proof of your job search activities. I keep a detailed log with company names, dates, and contact methods just in case.

I'll try to find that calculator. My employment has been pretty steady so hopefully that works in my favor.

the calculator is buried somewhere in their site, took me forever to find it last year

Oh wow, I didn't think about that. Can you have taxes withheld automatically?

Yeah, you can request 10% federal tax withholding when you file your weekly claims. Washington doesn't have state income tax so that's not an issue here.

Good to know! Is there a reminder system or do you just have to remember on your own?

I set a phone reminder for every Sunday morning. There's no automatic reminder from Washington ESD unfortunately.

I missed filing one week and had to call to get it reopened. That's when I used Claimyr actually - saved me from sitting on hold all day.

I was laid off due to company restructuring, so that should be fine. Thanks for the heads up though.

yeah the reason for separation is huge, they'll investigate if there's any question about it

So I should expect to wait 2 weeks before my first payment?

Exactly. First week is the waiting week, then you file your first weekly claim, then you get paid for that second week. So about 2 weeks total before you see money.

That range seems reasonable based on what others have said. I'll just have to wait and see what Washington ESD calculates.

the calculation is pretty complicated, I never would have figured it out on my own

Good advice. My last day is this Friday so I'll file over the weekend.

Yeah don't wait, I delayed filing for a week and regretted it

That's reassuring to hear. I was worried about horror stories from other states.

Yeah Washington ESD has their issues but overall it's not too bad. The phone system is the worst part.

Agreed about the phone system being terrible. That's why services like Claimyr are so helpful - they handle the phone maze for you so you can actually talk to someone when you need help.

That's smart. I'll start a tracking system right away.

WorkSourceWA also has resources to help with job searching if you need it

Thanks for the tip. I'll gather all my pay stubs and employment records before I start the application.

having everything organized definitely helps, the application asks for a lot of specific details

Thanks for mentioning the mobile app! I didn't even know Washington ESD had one. And good point about keeping copies - I'll make sure to screenshot or save everything I submit. Really appreciate all the helpful advice from everyone in this thread.

That's a really important point about severance pay! I hadn't considered that it might delay benefits. I am getting a small severance package - about 3 weeks of pay. Does anyone know if it matters whether it's paid as a lump sum vs. spread out over time? I should probably call Washington ESD to clarify how this will affect my claim timing.

From what I understand, the structure of severance can make a difference. If it's paid as a lump sum, Washington ESD typically allocates it over the period it's meant to cover (like your 3 weeks). But if it's paid out weekly like regular wages, it might be treated differently. I'd definitely recommend calling to clarify - better to know upfront than be surprised later. You might also want to ask if you can delay filing your claim until after the severance period ends, or if you should file right away and just expect the delay.

This severance pay issue is so confusing! I'm in a similar situation - getting laid off from a startup and they're offering me 2 weeks severance. I was planning to file for unemployment immediately but now I'm wondering if I should wait. Has anyone dealt with this recently? I'm worried about missing out on benefits if I wait too long, but I also don't want to mess up my claim by filing at the wrong time. The Washington ESD website doesn't make this very clear at all.

@Connor Rupert I went through this exact situation last year when I got laid off from my previous job with 2 weeks severance. Here s'what I learned: you should definitely file your unemployment claim right away, even with the severance. Washington ESD will just delay your benefit start date to account for the severance period. If you wait to file, you re'actually losing out on establishing your claim date, which can affect your overall benefit year. When I filed, I reported the severance honestly and they automatically calculated that my benefits would start 2 weeks later. The key is being upfront about it in your initial application. Don t'try to game the system - just file immediately and let them handle the timing. You can always call to confirm, but in my experience the online system handled it correctly once I provided all the severance details.