How much do u get on unemployment benefits in Washington state?
trying to figure out what i might get if i file for unemployment. lost my job at the warehouse last week and not sure how they calculate the weekly benefit amount. i was making about $18/hour working full time for the past year. does anyone know how much washington esd pays out? also heard something about a maximum amount but don't know what that is. really need to know so i can budget my bills
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Lucas Kowalski
Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter in your base year. They take your total wages from that quarter and divide by 26. For example, if you made $12,000 in your highest quarter, your weekly benefit would be around $461. The current maximum weekly benefit amount in Washington is $999 per week as of 2025.
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Emma Bianchi
•thanks! so if i made about $9,360 in my best quarter that would be around $360 a week? that's actually better than i thought
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Olivia Martinez
•Yep that sounds about right for your income level. Make sure you file your weekly claims on time or you'll miss out on payments.
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Charlie Yang
the weekly benefit calculator on washington esd website is pretty accurate if you want to check. just need your wage info from last year. also remember you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits so dont spend it all
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Grace Patel
•Wait really? I thought unemployment wasn't taxable income. That's going to mess up my tax return next year.
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Charlie Yang
•Yeah it's taxable at federal level and state level in Washington. You can have them withhold taxes when you file your weekly claims though.
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ApolloJackson
I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months trying to get through their phone system to ask about my benefit calculation. If you need to actually talk to someone about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on.
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Emma Bianchi
•interesting, how does that work? do they charge you to make the call?
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ApolloJackson
•They handle the calling part and connect you when an agent picks up. Way better than sitting on hold for hours. The video explains it better than I can.
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Isabella Russo
maximum benefit in washington is tied to the state average weekly wage so it goes up each year. right now it's $999 but most people don't qualify for the max unless they were making really good money. your calculation sounds right for $18/hour
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Rajiv Kumar
•What kind of salary do you need to hit that $999 maximum? Asking for a friend lol
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Isabella Russo
•You'd need to make around $65,000+ annually to max out the benefit. It's based on your quarterly wages in the base period.
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Aria Washington
dont forget about the job search requirements too. you have to apply for 3 jobs per week and keep a log or they'll cut off your benefits. also have to register with WorkSource Washington
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Emma Bianchi
•ugh really? 3 jobs every week? that seems like a lot especially if there aren't many openings in my field
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Aria Washington
•Yeah it's required. You can include stuff like networking events and job fairs though, not just applications. Just keep good records.
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Grace Patel
The benefit amount also depends on whether you quit or got laid off. If you quit without good cause they might deny your claim entirely. Since you said you lost your job you should be fine though.
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Liam O'Reilly
•What counts as good cause for quitting? I'm thinking about leaving my toxic workplace but don't want to lose unemployment eligibility.
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Grace Patel
•Things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, or significant changes to your job duties. But it's risky - they investigate quit claims pretty thoroughly.
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Chloe Delgado
been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years and the benefit calculation is usually pretty straightforward. washington esd looks at your last 4 quarters of work and uses the highest one. just make sure all your employers reported your wages correctly or it could mess up your benefit amount
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Emma Bianchi
•how do i check if my wages were reported right? should i contact my old employer?
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Chloe Delgado
•You can see your wage history when you file your claim online. If something looks wrong you'll need to contact ESD to fix it before they calculate your benefits.
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Ava Harris
PSA: file your claim as soon as possible after losing your job! You can't get benefits for weeks before you file, even if you were eligible. I waited 2 weeks thinking I'd find another job quick and lost out on that money.
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Jacob Lee
•This is so important! I made the same mistake and kicked myself for it. File immediately even if you think you'll find work soon.
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Emily Thompson
•Can you backdate claims in Washington? Or are you just out of luck if you wait?
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Ava Harris
•They might allow backdating in some circumstances but it's not guaranteed. Better to just file right away and avoid the hassle.
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Sophie Hernandez
Also remember there's a one week waiting period before you get your first payment. So even if you file immediately you won't see money for about 2-3 weeks typically.
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Emma Bianchi
•wait what? so i have to wait a whole week before benefits start? that's brutal when you're already stressed about money
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Sophie Hernandez
•Yeah the waiting week is unpaid. It's just how the system works. Plan accordingly if you can.
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Daniela Rossi
washington unemployment benefits last up to 26 weeks normally. during covid it was longer but now it's back to the standard 26 weeks. after that you'd have to look into extended benefits if they're available
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Ryan Kim
•Are extended benefits automatic or do you have to apply separately?
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Daniela Rossi
•Extended benefits kick in automatically when unemployment rates are high enough, but availability varies by state economic conditions.
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Zoe Walker
just a heads up that if you do any part time work while collecting unemployment you have to report it on your weekly claim. they'll reduce your benefit dollar for dollar after you earn more than a certain amount
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Emma Bianchi
•good to know. what's the limit before they start reducing benefits?
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Zoe Walker
•I think it's around $200 per week but check the current rules. Anything over that and they start deducting from your unemployment payment.
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Elijah Brown
The monetary determination letter you get after filing will show exactly how much your weekly benefit will be. Don't rely on estimates - wait for the official calculation from ESD.
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Maria Gonzalez
•How long does it take to get that letter? I filed last week and haven't heard anything yet.
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Elijah Brown
•Usually 1-2 weeks if there are no issues with your claim. If it's taking longer there might be an adjudication issue that needs to be resolved.
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Natalie Chen
if you're having trouble getting through to ESD to ask questions about your benefit amount, definitely check out that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. i used it last month when my claim was stuck in adjudication and finally got answers about my benefit calculation. way less frustrating than calling directly
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Santiago Martinez
•Is it worth paying for though? I'm already tight on money which is why I need unemployment in the first place.
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Natalie Chen
•For me it was worth it because I was losing weeks of benefits while my claim was delayed. Getting through to an actual person who could fix my issue saved me more money than the service cost.
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Samantha Johnson
make sure you understand the difference between gross and net benefit amounts too. the calculator might show gross but you'll get less after taxes if you elect to have them withheld
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Emma Bianchi
•should i have taxes withheld or just pay at the end of the year? not sure which is better
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Samantha Johnson
•I always have them withheld. Easier than getting surprised with a big tax bill next april. It's like 10% federal plus state taxes.
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Nick Kravitz
One more thing - if you were fired for misconduct your claim will probably be denied even if you would have qualified based on your wages. Washington ESD investigates separation issues pretty thoroughly these days.
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Hannah White
•What if you were fired but it wasn't really misconduct? Like performance issues or not being a good fit?
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Nick Kravitz
•Performance issues usually don't disqualify you unless it was willful. Being a poor fit definitely shouldn't disqualify you. They look at whether you deliberately violated workplace rules.
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Michael Green
been collecting unemployment for 8 weeks now and the weekly benefit amount has been consistent. just remember you have to certify every week online or by phone to keep getting payments. miss a week and you have to explain why
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Emma Bianchi
•what happens if you forget to file one week? do they cut you off completely?
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Michael Green
•No they don't cut you off but you won't get paid for that week unless you have a good reason for missing the deadline. They might let you file late with an explanation.
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Mateo Silva
The benefit calculator is helpful but remember it's just an estimate. Your actual benefit depends on the wage data ESD has on file for you, which might be different from what you think it should be.
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Victoria Jones
•This happened to me - I thought I'd get more but one of my employers hadn't reported all my wages correctly. Took weeks to get it sorted out.
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Mateo Silva
•Yeah wage issues are common. That's when having a way to actually talk to someone at ESD becomes really important instead of just waiting for them to call you back.
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Cameron Black
don't forget that unemployment benefits might affect other benefits you're getting like food stamps or housing assistance. the extra income could push you over eligibility limits for some programs
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Emma Bianchi
•oh crap i didn't think about that. do i need to report unemployment to DSHS right away?
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Cameron Black
•Yeah you should report any income changes to other benefit programs within 10 days usually. Check the rules for your specific programs.
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Jessica Nguyen
Final tip: keep detailed records of everything related to your unemployment claim. Benefit amounts, job search activities, any correspondence with ESD. If there are ever issues or audits you'll need that documentation.
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Isaiah Thompson
•Good advice. I keep a folder with everything unemployment related. Has saved me multiple times when ESD asked for proof of something.
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Emma Bianchi
•thanks everyone for all the helpful info! going to file my claim this weekend and see what happens. wish me luck
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