How much do you get for unemployment in Washington - confused about benefit amounts

It's based on your highest earning quarter from the past year. Washington pays about 50% of your average weekly wage, but there's a maximum amount they'll pay regardless of how much you made. Right now the max is around $999 per week I think.

the amount varies a lot depending on your work history. i got $445 a week when i was laid off last year but my friend only got $267 even though we worked similar jobs

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount (WBA) based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. It's roughly 3.85% of your total wages in that quarter. With your income level, you're probably looking at somewhere between $350-450 per week, but it depends on how your earnings were distributed across quarters.

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base period to calculate benefits. The maximum weekly benefit amount for 2025 is $999, but most people get way less than that. Your benefit is roughly 3.85% of your total wages in your highest quarter, up to that max.

i think its different for everyone but i was getting like $420 a week when i was on unemployment last year. you gotta file every sunday though or you dont get paid that week

The maximum weekly benefit in Washington is $999 right now, but most people don't get anywhere near that. Your benefit is calculated using a formula based on your base period wages. If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify your exact amount, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

DON'T COUNT ON THAT MONEY!!! Washington ESD will find any excuse to deny your claim or put you in adjudication hell for months. I've been waiting 6 weeks just to get my identity verified even though I sent them everything they asked for THREE times.

I had such a hard time getting through to Washington ESD to ask about my benefit calculation. Kept calling for weeks and either got busy signals or got disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Finally used this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent who explained exactly how my benefits were calculated. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

the maximum is almost $1000 now?? when i was on unemployment 3 years ago it was only like $790 or something

The Washington ESD benefit calculator is supposed to give you an estimate but it's not always accurate. Your actual weekly benefit amount (WBA) depends on your base year earnings. The base year is the first four quarters of the last five completed quarters before you filed your claim.

dont count on getting the full amount right away. my first few weekly claims were reduced because they said i had "earnings" but i wasnt working. took forever to sort out

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask this same question about my specific situation. Their phone lines are impossible - I get disconnected every single time after waiting on hold forever. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

DON'T COUNT ON GETTING THE FULL AMOUNT RIGHT AWAY! I qualified for $445/week but they put my claim in adjudication for 6 weeks and I got nothing during that time. The system is completely broken and they make you jump through hoops for everything.

Your benefit amount depends on your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. Washington ESD looks at your highest quarter and uses that for the calculation. You can see this breakdown in your online account under 'Monetary Determination' once it's processed.

the amount you get also depends on if you have any other income. if you work part time while on unemployment you gotta report that and they reduce your benefit

Also remember you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits. They'll withhold federal taxes if you request it, but Washington state doesn't tax unemployment income thankfully.

You also need to factor in taxes. They don't automatically withhold federal taxes from unemployment benefits, so you'll owe at tax time unless you request withholding or set money aside.

Here's the Washington ESD benefit calculator if you want to estimate your amount: secure.esd.wa.gov has tools under the claimant services section. You'll need your wage history but it gives you a pretty accurate estimate.

Remember you have to actively look for work and report your job search activities every week to keep getting benefits. It's not just free money - there are requirements you have to meet.

Just wanted to add that the benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website is pretty accurate if you want to estimate before your claim gets processed. You just need your wage information from the last 18 months.

I used Claimyr when I needed to talk to someone about my benefit calculation because there was an error on my monetary determination. Got through to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of calling for days. Worth checking out if you need to speak with Washington ESD directly about anything.

my sister just got approved and she's getting like $280/week which seems low for someone who was making decent money. the whole system seems random honestly

I'm dealing with Washington ESD right now and trying to get clarification on my benefit amount. The automated system keeps hanging up on me and I can't reach a human being to save my life. This is ridiculous.

The minimum weekly benefit in Washington is like $295 and maximum is $999. Most people fall somewhere in between depending on their work history and wages.

I've been getting $523 per week since I got laid off in November. It's definitely helped but it's still tight making ends meet. The job search requirements are pretty strict too so make sure you're keeping track of your work search activities.

Make sure you understand the difference between your gross weekly benefit and what you actually receive. If you elect tax withholding, your direct deposit will be less than the stated benefit amount.

been on unemployment 3 times in the last 5 years and the amount always seemed random to me lol. sometimes higher sometimes lower even with similar jobs

MAKE SURE YOU FILE YOUR WEEKLY CLAIMS ON TIME! I missed one week because I forgot and it messed up my whole payment schedule. Washington ESD is not forgiving about deadlines.

Don't forget about the waiting week! You won't get paid for your first week of unemployment even if you file right away. It's basically a penalty week that Washington ESD makes everyone serve.

the calculation formula is pretty complex but basically they take your two highest earning quarters from your base year, add them together, divide by 2, then divide by 26 to get your weekly benefit amount. but there are minimums and maximums that override this sometimes

Just remember that you can only collect benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks in most cases. Sometimes there are extended benefits during high unemployment but that's not common.

I tried using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked great. Got through to Washington ESD in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours calling myself. The agent was able to explain exactly how my benefit amount was calculated and when I could expect my first payment.

Don't forget about the waiting week if this is your first claim in the benefit year. You won't get paid for your first week even though you have to file the weekly claim.

one thing i wish someone had told me is that your benefit amount might change if they find additional wage records after your claim is processed. happened to me and my weekly amount went up by $47

The waiting week is gone now thankfully. You used to have to wait a full week before getting any benefits but they eliminated that during COVID and it's stayed that way.

The benefit amount also includes any dependents allowance if you have qualifying dependents. It's an additional amount on top of your regular WBA.

The benefit amount also depends on if you have any dependents. You can get an additional allowance for dependent children which increases your weekly payment.

Whatever you do, make sure you file your weekly claims on time every week. If you miss a week you lose that money forever - Washington ESD doesn't let you go back and claim missed weeks.

If you're still confused about your benefit amount after filing, definitely try to get through to someone at Washington ESD. I used Claimyr too when I was having issues and it saved me so much frustration. Worth checking out their demo video to see how it works.

just file your claim and see what happens. all this speculation about amounts doesnt help until you actually know your wage history and base year earnings. the system will calculate it automatically once your claim is approved

Been through this process twice now and the key thing is managing expectations. The benefit calculation isn't always intuitive and sometimes takes a while to get your first payment. Budget conservatively and have a backup plan.

Pro tip: if you need help calculating your expected benefit amount or have questions about your specific situation, using a service like Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD can save you tons of time. I spent 2 weeks trying to call them myself before giving up and using their service.

Just remember that unemployment benefits are temporary. The maximum duration is usually 26 weeks in Washington unless there are special extensions. Plan accordingly and use the time to actively job search.

My advice is to set up direct deposit immediately if you haven't already. The debit card option they offer has tons of fees and restrictions. Direct deposit is much cleaner.

if your benefit seems too low compared to what you were making, double check that washington esd has all your employment history. sometimes they miss employers or quarters

The weekly benefit amount stays the same throughout your benefit year unless there are changes like going back to work part-time or having wages that weren't initially included.

Remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income. A lot of people forget this and get surprised when they file their taxes. The 10% federal withholding helps but might not cover everything depending on your tax situation.

If you end up needing to appeal any decisions about your benefit amount, do it quickly. You only have 30 days from the date of the determination letter to file an appeal with Washington ESD.

One more thing - make sure you're meeting all the eligibility requirements each week when you file your weekly claim. Being able and available for work, actively seeking work, etc. If you mess up those questions it can affect your payments.