How much do you get unemployment benefits in Washington - need to figure out my weekly amount

That's really helpful! So it's based on quarterly earnings, not annual. I think my highest quarter was probably around $14,500 so that would be about $558 per week if I'm doing the math right.

yeah that sounds about right, I was making similar and got around $520/week when I was on unemployment last year

Good to know they calculate it automatically. I was worried I'd have to figure out all the math myself when filing.

Just make sure you have your employment history ready when you file. Washington ESD will verify everything with your employers anyway.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents by calling for you. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked - got connected to someone within an hour. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Check out claimyr.com if you're tired of trying to call yourself.

I don't have any kids so that won't apply to me, but good to know for others.

How much extra do you get for dependents? I have two kids under 18.

I think it's like $25 per dependent per week but don't quote me on that. You'd need to check with Washington ESD for the exact amount.

6 weeks?? That's insane. What was the adjudication about?

something about needing to verify my separation from my employer, even though it was a clear layoff situation

Adjudication delays are the worst part of the whole process. I went through the same thing and it was so stressful not knowing when I'd get paid.

I got two weeks of severance pay. Will that affect my benefits for the entire time I'm on unemployment or just those first two weeks?

Usually just for the weeks that the severance covers. So if you got two weeks of severance, those first two weeks of unemployment might be reduced or you might not be eligible for those weeks at all.

There are some unofficial calculators online but I don't know how accurate they are.

The Washington ESD website does have some general information about benefit calculations, but you're right that it's not very user-friendly.

I looked at their website and it's like reading legal documents. Not helpful at all for regular people trying to figure out their benefits.

Good point! I hadn't thought about the tax implications. Can you have taxes withheld from unemployment benefits?

Yes, you can request to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your claim or anytime after through your online account.

I learned this the hard way - ended up owing a bunch of money at tax time because I didn't have anything withheld.

That's actually really good to know. I was wondering what happens if you find work and then lose it again quickly.

Yeah the benefit year thing trips up a lot of people. You might need to file a new claim if your benefit year expires.

You'd need to have earned about $25,974 in your highest quarter to get the maximum benefit. That's like making $100k+ per year consistently.

I know someone who got close to the max because they worked a lot of overtime in their highest earning quarter. It's possible but not common.

Makes sense. I was making decent money but nowhere near that level.

How many job contacts do you have to make each week? I've heard different numbers.

It's 3 job search activities per week, but they can be different things - applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, etc. Just make sure you keep good records.

And they do audit people randomly, so don't fake your job search log. I know someone who got in trouble for that.

Same here! Filed a month ago and still haven't seen a dime. I've tried calling Washington ESD but can never get through.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone at Washington ESD. The wait times to speak with an agent are ridiculous if you try calling yourself. With Claimyr I was able to get connected and find out there was a simple verification issue holding up my payments. Definitely worth checking out if you're stuck in limbo.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown! That helps me understand exactly how they calculate it.

The minimum benefit is helpful to know about. Even if you were working part-time or lower wage jobs, you might still qualify for something.

Good advice. I haven't started working yet but I'll keep that in mind if I pick up any temporary or part-time work.

Yeah, overpayment notices are no joke. I got one last year and had to pay back $1,200 because I didn't report some freelance work properly.

The key is to report everything accurately. Washington ESD would rather you report too much information than too little.

Glad it helped! I feel much more confident about filing my claim now too.

Same here. The Washington ESD website makes it seem so complicated but this explanation makes it much clearer.