How much do you get a week on unemployment in Washington state?

Thanks for the breakdown! So if I made $13,000 in my highest quarter, that would be around $500 per week?

Yes, that sounds about right. ($13,000 ÷ 26) × 0.0385 = roughly $483 per week.

Same problem here! I've been calling every morning at 8am sharp but still can't get through.

I actually found a service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They handle the calling for you - check out claimyr.com. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Interesting, I'll look into that. Getting desperate to talk to someone about my claim status.

Good to know! I don't have kids but that's helpful info for others.

Wait, is that $35 per kid or total? I have 3 children so want to make sure I'm getting the right amount.

It's $35 per child, so you'd get an extra $105 per week with 3 kids.

Ugh yes, wish someone had told me this earlier. Ended up owing like $2,000 in taxes.

You can elect to have 10% federal taxes withheld when you file your weekly claims to avoid that surprise.

Adjudication can take 4-6 weeks unfortunately. Have you checked if there are any pending issues in your account that need to be resolved?

I've checked everything and there's nothing showing that needs my attention. Just says 'adjudication in progress' for weeks now.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr - they got me connected to an adjudication specialist who explained what was holding up my claim. Worth every penny when you're not getting paid.

That's a good point I hadn't considered. Better to plan for the net amount, not the gross.

That sounds right. The formula works out to about 47% of your average weekly wages from your highest quarter.

Good to see a real example! That gives me confidence in what to expect.

Yes, and they do audit these! Make sure you're keeping detailed records of your job search activities.

What counts as a valid job search contact? I've been applying online but not sure if that's enough.

Online applications count, but you need employer name, date, position applied for, and method of contact. Also attending job fairs, networking events, etc.

Hopefully I won't need the full 26 weeks but good to know what the limit is.

Right now it's the standard 26 weeks since we're not in a recession period with extended benefits.

That's correct - they want to encourage people to work but still provide some support during the transition.

I've been doing some gig work and wasn't sure how that affected my benefits. Thanks for clarifying!

I'm definitely going to try this. Been 2 months of trying to reach them on my own with no luck.

How does Claimyr work exactly? Do they just call for you or do they provide other services too?

They handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you directly to a Washington ESD agent when they get through. Check out the demo video to see how it works.

Oh that's important to know! I did get a raise about 8 months ago so hopefully that will be included.

They use your base year which is the first 4 quarters of the 5 quarters before you filed. So recent raises might not count depending on timing.

This is super important! I know people who missed weeks and lost out on thousands of dollars.

Good reminder. I'll make sure to file every week once I submit my initial claim.

I tried using that calculator but it was confusing. Couldn't figure out which quarters to use for the calculation.

You need your wage statements from the past 15 months to use the calculator properly. It's more accurate to just file and let them calculate it officially.

Good to know there's an appeal process if something seems wrong with the calculation.

Appeals can take a while though. Better to make sure all your wage information is accurate when you first file.