How much do you get paid on unemployment in Washington - need to know the payment amounts

Washington ESD uses your highest quarter earnings from the last 18 months to calculate your weekly benefit amount. It's roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings, but there's also a maximum weekly benefit amount that changes each year. For 2025 I think the max is around $999 per week.

I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months trying to get my claim sorted out. The benefit calculation is confusing but the real problem is actually getting through to someone to ask questions. I spent weeks calling the 800 number with no luck until I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

The benefit amount also depends on whether you have any dependents. You can get an additional $26 per week for each dependent child under 18. Also keep in mind that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have them withhold federal taxes from your payments.

just filed my claim last month and im getting $567 per week. my wages were all over the place because i worked construction so some weeks were good and some were terrible. the calculation is based on your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed

This whole system is ridiculous. I made $65k last year and my benefit amount is only $623 per week. That's not even half of what I was making! How are people supposed to survive on this? And don't even get me started on the job search requirements - you have to apply to 3 jobs per week and keep a log of everything.

The maximum benefit in Washington is actually $999 per week for 2025, but most people don't get that much. I think you need to have made over $65k in your base period to get the max. The minimum is $295 per week.

Be prepared for delays if there are any issues with your claim. Mine got stuck in adjudication for 6 weeks because my previous employer disputed it. I couldn't reach anyone at Washington ESD no matter how many times I called. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got connected to an agent who explained what was happening with my case.

Pro tip: apply for benefits as soon as possible even if you're not sure about the amounts. There's a waiting week for the first payment and you can't get benefits for weeks before you file. The sooner you start the process, the sooner you'll start receiving payments.

I get $445 per week and honestly its not enough to cover everything but its better than nothing. been on unemployment for 3 months now and still looking for work. the job market is tough right now especially in my field

One thing to remember is that your benefit year lasts 52 weeks from when you file, but you can only collect up to 26 weeks of benefits during that year. So if you find work and then lose it again within your benefit year, you might be able to reopen your claim without filing a new one.

ugh the whole system is so confusing. i tried to calculate my benefit amount using their online calculator but it gave me a different number than what i actually got. ended up being about $50 less per week than what the calculator said

The benefit calculation can be tricky because it's based on your base period wages, not your most recent job. If you recently got a raise or started a new higher-paying job, that income might not be included in your base period yet. This is why some people are surprised by their benefit amount being lower than expected.

Does anyone know if overtime counts toward your benefit calculation? I worked a lot of OT last year especially in the 4th quarter.

Be careful about working part-time while collecting benefits. You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start reducing your unemployment payment. So if your benefit is $500, you can earn up to $495 without any reduction.

I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my benefit amount calculation because I think there's an error. Finally got through using Claimyr and found out they were missing wages from one of my employers. The agent was able to add the missing wages and recalculate my benefit amount. Went from $389 to $521 per week.

just want to add that if you have questions about your benefit amount the easiest way is probably to check your monetary determination notice. it breaks down exactly how they calculated your benefits and shows all the wages they have on file for you

The payment amounts vary so much between people. My coworker and I both got laid off from the same job but she gets $150 more per week than me because she has a dependent and worked more hours during her base period. It's all about your specific wage history.

Don't forget about the waiting week! You won't get paid for your first week of unemployment even if you're eligible. I made the mistake of thinking I'd get paid right away and had to scramble to cover bills that first week.

One more thing - if you're getting severance pay or vacation payout, that might affect when you can start collecting benefits. Washington ESD considers some types of separation pay as wages, which could delay your eligibility.

The whole process is honestly overwhelming at first but once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims it becomes pretty straightforward. The hardest part is dealing with any issues that come up and trying to reach someone at Washington ESD when you need help.