How much do I get for Washington ESD unemployment benefits weekly?

So if I made $15k in my best quarter, that would be around $577 per week? That seems pretty reasonable actually.

Yeah that sounds about right. Just remember you'll need to file your weekly claims every week to keep getting paid.

This is getting confusing. Do they use one quarter or two quarters for the calculation?

They use your highest quarter divided by 26 for the weekly amount, but they need earnings in at least two quarters to qualify you for benefits at all.

I had to call Washington ESD three times to get someone to explain this to me properly. The phone system is impossible to get through.

Wait really? How does that work exactly? Do they just call for you?

Yeah they basically navigate the phone system and get you connected to an actual Washington ESD agent. Saved me so much time and frustration.

Sounds too good to be true tbh. What's the catch?

That range sounds more realistic. I guess I won't know for sure until I actually file my claim.

Just file online at esd.wa.gov, it's pretty straightforward. You'll get your monetary determination letter within a few days showing your exact weekly amount.

Good point. Is there anything I need to do to make sure I get the full 26 weeks?

Just keep filing your weekly claims and do your job search activities. You need to apply for 3 jobs per week and log them in WorkSourceWA.

Actually it's 3 job contacts per week, not necessarily full applications. Can include networking, attending job fairs, etc.

I'm not going to get into pricing here but it was worth it for me considering how much time I was wasting trying to get through on my own.

Fair enough. I might check it out if I can't get through to Washington ESD myself.

I wasn't planning to work part-time but good to know. What's the threshold?

You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start reducing your benefits. So if you get $500/week, you can make up to $495 without any reduction.

And anything over that gets deducted dollar for dollar from your benefit amount.

That's pretty quick. I was expecting it to take weeks like everything else with government agencies.

The monetary determination is usually fast. It's when you have adjudication issues that things slow down significantly.

I have my last pay stub and W-2 from last year. Should that be enough?

That should cover it. Washington ESD will verify your wages with employers directly, but having your own records helps if there are any questions.

47 calls?! That's insane. There has to be a better way.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. Couldn't deal with the phone nightmare anymore.

@claimyr_user might have to look into that if I need help again. The phone system is designed to make you give up.

Definitely doing direct deposit. How long does it usually take for the first payment after you're approved?

Usually 2-3 business days after you file your first weekly claim, assuming there are no issues with your claim.

That's not very reassuring lol. Hopefully the monetary determination letter will make it clear.

The letter does break it down pretty well. It shows your base period, quarterly wages, and how they arrived at your weekly amount.

True, I'm probably overthinking it. I'll just file and see what happens.

Exactly. The important thing is to file as soon as possible since benefits don't backdate to when you lost your job, only to when you filed.

That's helpful context, thanks. Sounds like I should expect something in the mid-600s then.

Probably yeah. The calculation is pretty straightforward once you understand it's based on your highest earning quarter.

I'm planning to start job searching immediately anyway. What exactly do I need to document?

You need to log at least 3 job search activities per week in WorkSourceWA. Can be applications, networking, interviews, job fairs, etc.

And keep records of everything in case Washington ESD audits your job search activities later.

That's reassuring. I was expecting a bureaucratic nightmare.

It's only a nightmare if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD. The automated parts work fine.

I might actually try this. I've been trying to resolve an adjudication issue for weeks with no luck reaching anyone.

Perfect use case for it. Those adjudication issues really need to be resolved by talking to a real person.

Yeah that's what I'm taking away from this too. File first, ask questions later if needed.

That's the right approach. The system will calculate everything for you and send you a detailed breakdown.

Good tip. I'll plan to file tomorrow morning then.

Smart move. And make sure you have all your employment history ready before you start the application.

Glad it helped you too! Feels good to know I'm not the only one confused by all this.

Definitely not alone. The unemployment system is confusing for everyone the first time through.