How much do you get on unemployment from Washington ESD?

Thanks! So if I made around $650-700 per week, I'd get maybe $300-350? That's actually not as bad as I thought.

Yeah that sounds about right. Just remember you have to file your weekly claims every week and do job search activities to keep getting paid.

Okay so they don't just look at my most recent pay stubs? They go back over a year?

Exactly. It's based on your base year earnings, not your most recent job. So if you had a higher paying job earlier in that period, it could help your benefit amount.

I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you get through to ESD agents without all the waiting and busy signals. There's even a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.

Really? How does that work exactly? I'm desperate at this point.

They basically handle the calling process for you and connect you directly to an agent when one becomes available. No more sitting on hold or getting busy signals.

Good to know there's a minimum! I was worried I might only get like $100 a week or something.

The minimum helps but honestly $295 a week is still really hard to live on, especially with rent prices these days.

Oh wow, I didn't think about taxes. So I should probably set aside some money or have them withhold taxes?

Yeah, you can choose to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims. Better safe than sorry.

Adjudication means they're reviewing something about your claim - could be your separation from work, availability for work, or identity verification. It can take several weeks unfortunately.

I was in adjudication for almost 6 weeks. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got connected to an agent who explained what was happening. Turns out they needed additional documentation from my employer.

Six weeks?! I can't wait that long. Maybe I should try that service too.

I don't have kids but good to know for others reading this.

Yeah the dependency allowance is like $25 per week per dependent child. Not a huge amount but every bit helps.

How many job contacts do I need to make each week?

It's typically 3 job search activities per week, but it can vary. Check your individual requirements when you file your weekly claim.

The job search requirement is such a pain. I spend more time documenting my searches than actually looking for jobs sometimes.

That's really helpful, thanks! Gives me a better sense of what to expect.

That sounds about right for that salary level. The percentage varies a bit but usually lands around 50% of your average weekly wage.

26 weeks should hopefully be enough time to find something new. I'm already starting my job search.

Sometimes there are extended benefits available if unemployment rates are high, but don't count on that. Better to find work within the regular 26 weeks.

Oh good! I was wondering about that since I saw some posts online about waiting weeks.

Yeah Washington got rid of the waiting week a few years ago which is nice. Every week counts when you're unemployed.

Seems like a lot of people are recommending that service. I'll keep it in mind if I run into issues.

I was skeptical at first but it really does work. Saved me probably 10+ hours of trying to get through on the phone.

Good point. I might try to pick up some gig work while I'm looking for full-time employment.

Just make sure you report all earnings accurately on your weekly claims. They cross-check with employers and if they find unreported income, you could face penalties.

Thanks for the encouragement! I'm going to file my claim this week and see how it goes.

Good luck! The process can be frustrating but the benefits definitely help when you need them. Just stay on top of the requirements and you should be fine.