How much do you get from unemployment benefits in Washington?

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base period to calculate your weekly benefit amount. You'll get roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings as your weekly benefit. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $999 and minimum is $295.

Washington unemployment benefits are calculated based on your earnings during your base period. The maximum weekly benefit amount is $999 per week as of 2025. Your actual amount depends on how much you earned in your highest earning quarter during the base period. Generally you can expect around 50-60% of your average weekly wage.

i got $847 a week when i was on unemployment last year. was making about 65k before i got laid off from boeing. took about 3 weeks to get my first payment though

i think mine was like $650 a week but i made decent money before getting laid off last year. you can check the washington esd calculator online to get an estimate

The benefit amount calculation uses your two highest earning quarters in your base period. For 2025, minimum weekly benefit is $295 and maximum is $999. Most people get somewhere between $400-700 per week depending on their work history. You also need to meet the job search requirements - 3 job contacts per week.

Getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status or ask questions can be really frustrating with their phone system. I spent weeks trying to call them about my benefit amount calculation. Finally found out about Claimyr.com - they have this service that helps you get through to an actual ESD agent. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made all the difference for me.

The whole system is confusing honestly. I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks to get clarification on my benefit amount because the online portal shows a different number than what I calculated. Their phone lines are always busy and when I do get through, I get disconnected. Has anyone found a reliable way to actually talk to someone there?

Your benefit amount also depends on whether you qualify for the dependency allowance. If you have dependent children, you can get an extra $25 per week per child up to 5 kids, so maximum extra $125 weekly.

BEWARE - they might reduce your benefit amount if you have any other income sources. I had a small pension from my previous job and they deducted that from my weekly benefit. Also make sure you report EVERYTHING accurately or you'll end up with an overpayment notice later.

Keep in mind that unemployment benefits are taxable income. Washington doesn't have state income tax, but you'll still owe federal taxes on whatever you receive. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your weekly payments or pay them later.

The base period thing is important to understand. Washington ESD looks at the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at Q1-Q4 of 2024, not including Q4 2024 if it's not complete yet.

depends on your base period earnings but most people i know get between 500-800 per week. took me forever to figure out how they calculated mine lol

I'm making $45k and got approved for $587 weekly. The calculation seemed accurate based on what others have said here. The hardest part was actually getting through to confirm everything with Washington ESD.

One thing to keep in mind - your benefits are taxable income. Washington ESD will give you the option to have taxes withheld from your weekly payments, or you can choose to pay them later when you file your tax return. I'd recommend having them withhold 10% to avoid a big tax bill next year.

I'm currently getting $723 per week. Was making about $58k before I got laid off in December. The process was pretty smooth once I got my claim approved. Just make sure you file your weekly claims on time every week or you'll lose those benefits.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE! I've been waiting 6 weeks for them to process my claim and still haven't received a penny. They keep saying it's under review but won't tell me what they're reviewing. Meanwhile I can't pay my bills!

Just a heads up - if you work part-time while collecting unemployment, they'll reduce your weekly benefit. You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start deducting dollar-for-dollar from your UI payment.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator tool that's pretty accurate. I used it before I filed and it was within $20 of what I actually got approved for.

Just filed for unemployment last week after getting laid off from Microsoft. Still waiting for my claim to be processed but based on my income I'm expecting around $850-900 per week. The online application was pretty straightforward.

The benefit amount also depends on your work history. You need sufficient wages in your base period to qualify. I think the minimum is around $3,000 in your highest quarter and total wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter.

whatever you do dont try calling their customer service line. been trying for 2 weeks to get through and either get hung up on or stuck on hold for hours. the system is completely broken

Don't forget about the waiting week. In Washington, you don't get paid for your first week of unemployment. It's basically a one-week penalty before benefits start.

Been on unemployment twice in the last 5 years. First time got $612/week, second time got $701/week because my wages had gone up. The system definitely works but you have to stay on top of your weekly claims and job search requirements.

max is $999 but very few people actually get that much. you have to have been making really good money consistently for several quarters to hit the maximum

Don't forget you can collect for up to 26 weeks in Washington unless there's some special extension program. So even if you get a decent weekly amount, start looking for work right away because it won't last forever.

I had to appeal my initial benefit determination because they calculated it wrong the first time. Ended up getting $150 more per week after the appeal was approved. Don't just accept the first amount if it seems too low.

For someone making $52k you're probably looking at $550-650 per week depending on how your earnings were distributed across quarters. That's enough to cover basic expenses while you job hunt but definitely not as much as your regular paycheck.

Pro tip: if you have questions about your benefit amount or claim status, try using Claimyr to get through to ESD. I was stuck in adjudication for weeks and couldn't get anyone on the phone. Used their service and got connected to an agent the same day who was able to explain what was holding up my claim.

My sister had issues with her benefit calculation because she had wages from multiple jobs. Washington ESD combined all her wages from different employers to determine her benefit amount, but it took extra time to verify everything.

Check your employment history on the Washington ESD website before filing. Make sure all your wages are reported correctly because that's what they'll use for the calculation. If something's missing, you might need to contact previous employers.

The maximum benefit of $999 sounds high but remember that's gross, not net. After taxes it's probably closer to $750-800 depending on your tax situation.

I've been collecting for 12 weeks now and the process gets routine after the first few claims. The hardest part was the initial application and waiting for approval. Once you're in the system, filing weekly claims is pretty straightforward.

One thing that helped me was using Claimyr when I had questions about my benefit calculation. Instead of spending hours trying to get through to Washington ESD, they connected me with an agent who walked through exactly how my amount was calculated and confirmed it was correct.

Based on your salary of $52k, you're probably looking at somewhere between $500-700 weekly, assuming your earnings were consistent. The exact amount depends on how your wages were distributed across quarters.