How much do you get paid for unemployment benefits in Washington?

That's actually higher than I expected! How do I find out what my base period quarters were?

Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file now in January 2025, it would be Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. You can see all your quarterly wages on your Washington ESD account once you apply.

It's not quite 60% of your total wages - it's more complex than that. The formula takes your highest quarter earnings, divides by 26, then multiplies by various factors. The actual replacement rate varies depending on your income level.

yeah whatever the math is, its not enough to live on if you had a decent job

Wait, there's actually a way to get through to Washington ESD without waiting forever? How much does that cost?

They focus on getting you connected rather than the cost aspect. For me it was worth it just to get my questions answered quickly instead of spending my whole day trying to call.

Sounds too good to be true tbh. What's the catch with this Claimyr thing?

What counts as an eligible dependent for the extra $25?

Dependent children under 18, or under 19 if still in high school. You can claim up to 5 dependents for a maximum of $125 additional per week.

don't forget you gotta pay taxes on unemployment too, its not free money

Good point about taxes. Is there state income tax on unemployment in Washington?

No state income tax in Washington at all, so you only worry about federal taxes on your unemployment benefits.

Correct - federal taxes apply to unemployment benefits, but Washington has no state income tax so that's one less thing to worry about.

What do you mean by waiting week?

Washington ESD has a one-week waiting period for new claims. So the first week you file, you don't get paid for that week even if you're eligible. It's just how the system works.

Actually, Washington eliminated the waiting week during COVID and it's still eliminated as of 2025. You should get paid for your first eligible week now.

I never thought about that! I'll check with my HR department before I file.

Definitely do that. My last company provided an extra $200/week for the first 12 weeks of unemployment. Made a huge difference.

How do you appeal if they got your wages wrong?

you get a monetary determination letter that shows all your wages by quarter. if something looks off you can appeal within 30 days. just need to send them proof of the missing wages like pay stubs or W2s

This is really important - always review your monetary determination carefully. Sometimes wages from recent jobs don't show up immediately in the system.

What's the difference between regular unemployment and standby?

Standby is when your employer temporarily lays you off but expects to call you back within a specific timeframe. You don't have to do job searches but you have to be available to return to work immediately when called.

Actually, the part-time work calculation is more nuanced. In Washington, you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction. After that, benefits are reduced dollar-for-dollar.

That's good to know since I do get some commission. Did they explain how that affects the base period calculation?

Yeah, they count commission as regular wages in whatever quarter you actually received it, not when you earned it. So timing of commission payments can affect which quarter is your highest.

What counts as a valid job search contact?

Applying for jobs, contacting employers directly, attending job fairs, networking events, even some online activities like updating your LinkedIn. Just has to be a genuine effort to find work.

And keep records of everything! Washington ESD can audit your job search activities at any time.

That's a huge variation! I guess it really does depend on your specific situation.

yep and timing matters too. if you get laid off right after a good quarter vs right before, it can change which quarters they use for calculation

How do you find out about these training programs?

WorkSourceWA is the main place to look. They have partnerships with local colleges and training providers. Some programs are approved for what's called 'training benefits' where you can collect UI while learning new skills.

Good tip! How soon after applying do you typically get the monetary determination?

Usually within a week or two if there are no issues with your claim. But start filing weekly claims immediately after your application is submitted.

Exactly right. You can file weekly claims while your initial application is being processed. Just don't miss any weeks or you'll lose those benefits permanently.

That's something I hadn't thought about. Thanks for mentioning it.

Yeah it's easy to overlook but important if you're struggling financially and might need multiple types of assistance.

How do you request a fact-finding interview?

Usually you can request it when you get your monetary determination letter if you disagree with the amount. There should be instructions on the letter about how to respond if you think there's an error.

Good luck with your claim! Don't hesitate to ask if you run into any issues during the process.

And remember that Claimyr service if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD quickly. Made my whole experience way less stressful.

Just make sure to file as soon as you're unemployed - there's no benefit to waiting and you want to start that benefit year clock as soon as possible.