How much do you get unemployment benefits in Washington State?

Thanks! That actually makes sense. My best quarter was probably around $17,000 so that would put me close to the $650 range weekly.

The base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file, just FYI.

That sounds about right for your income level. Did you have any issues with Washington ESD calculating it correctly?

Nope, they got it right the first time. The tricky part was just getting through to verify some employment info during adjudication.

Interesting, I hadn't heard of that before. Is it legitimate? I'm always skeptical of third-party services for government stuff.

Yeah it's real, they just help you get through the phone system. I was on hold for literally hours trying to reach Washington ESD on my own and this cut that down significantly.

I've heard good things about Claimyr too. When you can't get through normally it's worth trying alternatives.

Good to know about the minimum requirements. I definitely earned more than $7,700 so I should qualify.

Don't forget you also need to be able and available for work and actively seeking employment to keep getting benefits.

Oh right, I forgot unemployment benefits are taxable income. Thanks for the reminder!

Yeah learned that the hard way my first time on unemployment. Definitely opt for tax withholding.

Good point about Washington not having state income tax. That's definitely a benefit compared to other states.

Exactly, so you only need to worry about federal taxes on the unemployment income.

That's good to know in case I pick up some freelance work while job hunting.

Yeah just make sure to report all earnings on your weekly claim or you could get in trouble for overpayment.

The partial unemployment rules are actually pretty generous compared to some states. You can still work and collect benefits.

I looked for the calculator but couldn't find it easily on their site. Do you have a direct link?

It's buried in their website somewhere. Honestly easier to just call and ask them to calculate it, but good luck getting through on the phone.

So higher weekly benefits don't mean I get them for less time? That's reassuring.

Right, everyone gets up to 26 weeks regardless of their weekly amount, as long as they have enough total earnings in their base period.

That's encouraging to hear. I was worried about potential calculation errors.

nah they have it down to a science at this point. the hard part is just getting approved initially

How long did the appeal process take? And did you need to provide additional documentation?

Took about 3 weeks and yes I had to provide pay stubs from the employer they missed. But they corrected it and gave me back pay for the difference.

Appeals are definitely worth filing if the amount seems wrong. Washington ESD is usually pretty responsive to legitimate appeals.

I didn't know timing could affect the calculation. How soon should you file after losing your job?

File as soon as possible after your last day of work. There's a one week waiting period anyway, so no reason to delay.

How much does a service like that cost? Seems like it could be worth it if you're having trouble reaching them.

It's worth checking out their website for details. For me the time saved was definitely valuable since I needed to resolve my issue quickly.

Yeah I read about that. Do the job contacts have to be actual applications or can they include networking events and job fairs?

They can include various activities like job fairs, networking, informational interviews, etc. Just keep detailed records of everything.

The WorkSourceWA website has good info on what counts as valid job search activities.

That's helpful to understand. So the benefit year and the actual weeks you can collect are two different things.

Exactly. The benefit year is just the time frame, but you're limited to 26 weeks of actual benefit payments regardless of when they occur within that year.

Good to know the calculation details are transparent. I appreciate everyone's input on this topic.

No problem! The Washington unemployment system isn't perfect but the benefit calculation part works pretty well.

Thanks for mentioning that. I'll look into what other programs might be available.

Food assistance and healthcare subsidies are the main ones to check out. Every bit helps when you're between jobs.

Definitely helped a lot! I feel much more prepared now if I need to file for unemployment. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge.