How much do people get for unemployment benefits in Washington state?

So if I made $13,000 in my highest quarter that would be $500 divided by 60%? That seems like around $300 a week?

Yeah roughly in that ballpark. The exact formula is a bit more complex but $300-400 weekly sounds about right for your income level.

5 weeks in adjudication?? That's crazy. Did you have to do anything special to get it moving or did it just eventually process?

I tried calling Washington ESD probably 200 times but could never get through. Finally used this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to a real person. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Never heard of that but might be worth looking into if I run into issues. Thanks!

wait so if I just started this job 6 months ago but made good money at my previous job, which one counts for the calculation?

Both jobs would count if they're within your base period. Washington ESD looks at all covered employment during those 4 quarters to determine your benefit amount.

That's awful! Have you tried the Claimyr service that someone mentioned above? I've heard they're really good at getting people through to Washington ESD agents when there are payment issues.

Honestly at this point I'll try anything. This whole process has been a nightmare.

What are the job search requirements like? I keep hearing different things about how many jobs you have to apply for each week.

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep detailed records. They can audit your job search log at any time so don't mess around with that part.

Tell me about it. I spent hours calling before I found out about phone services that can get you through faster. Sometimes you gotta work smarter not harder with government agencies.

what phone services? ive never heard of that

Services like Claimyr that handle the calling for you. Worth checking out if you're stuck in phone tree hell.

That sounds about right for your income level. Just remember you'll need to file your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work to avoid any delays in processing.

And seriously, if you run into any issues with adjudication or getting your payments, don't waste time trying to call Washington ESD directly. Use Claimyr or similar services to actually reach a human being who can help.

Part-time work definitely affects the calculation since it's based on your total earnings during the base period quarters.

Good to know! I don't have kids but that could help other people in similar situations.

how much extra do you get for dependents?

I think it's around $25-30 per dependent per week, up to a maximum of 5 dependents. You have to provide documentation to qualify though.

Glad you got it sorted out! Did you end up using one of those calling services or manage to get through the regular way?

I used the Claimyr thing after seeing it mentioned here. Worked way better than I expected - got connected within like 10 minutes instead of spending hours getting busy signals.

26 weeks should hopefully be enough time to find something new. Thanks for all the info everyone - this thread has been super helpful!

Oh wow I didn't even think about taxes. That's a good point to remember.

Yes, unemployment benefits are fully taxable at the federal level. You can elect to have 10% withheld when you file your initial claim or change it later through your online account.