How much do you get when on unemployment in Washington - what to expect from Washington ESD
I'm about to file my first unemployment claim with Washington ESD and honestly have no idea what kind of weekly benefit amount I should expect. I was making $52,000 a year at my last job before getting laid off. Does anyone know how they calculate the weekly benefit amount? I'm trying to figure out my budget and whether I can afford my rent while looking for work. Any info would be helpful since I can't get through to anyone on the phone.
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Brian Downey
Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from the last 18 months to calculate your weekly benefit amount. It's roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings. So if you made $13,000 in your best quarter, you'd get around $500 per week. The maximum weekly benefit in Washington is $999 for 2025.
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Myles Regis
•That's actually higher than I expected! I think my best quarter was around $14,500 so that would put me at about $560 a week if I'm doing the math right.
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Jacinda Yu
•Don't forget you'll have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits if you choose to have them withheld. I learned that the hard way last year.
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Landon Flounder
The formula is your highest quarter wages divided by 26, but there are minimums and maximums. Minimum weekly benefit is $295 and maximum is $999 for 2025. You can actually estimate your benefit amount on the Washington ESD website before you file your claim.
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Myles Regis
•I tried looking on their website but couldn't find the calculator. Do you have a direct link?
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Landon Flounder
•It's buried in their resources section. Search for 'benefit calculator' on the Washington ESD site and it should come up.
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Callum Savage
I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for three weeks about my benefit amount calculation and can't get through. The phone system is impossible. I finally found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to actual agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was a lifesaver for me.
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Ally Tailer
•How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money and don't want to spend more just to talk to someone.
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Callum Savage
•It's worth it to get your questions answered quickly instead of calling hundreds of times. Much better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected.
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Aliyah Debovski
•I used Claimyr too when I had benefit calculation issues. Got through to an agent in 20 minutes instead of the usual nightmare of calling.
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Miranda Singer
Your weekly benefit amount also depends on when you file. If you file late, you might miss out on some weeks. Make sure to file as soon as possible after your last day of work.
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Myles Regis
•I got laid off last Friday so I'm planning to file this week. Should I file immediately or wait until this weekend?
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Miranda Singer
•File as soon as possible. There's a one-week waiting period anyway, so the sooner you file, the sooner you can start collecting benefits.
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Cass Green
been on unemployment twice and the benefit amount they give you is never enough to cover all your bills. better than nothing but dont expect to live comfortably on it
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Myles Regis
•Yeah I'm definitely going to have to make some budget cuts. At least it's something though.
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Finley Garrett
•The benefits are designed to be temporary assistance, not full income replacement. That's why they encourage active job searching.
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Madison Tipne
Don't forget about the job search requirements! You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week to keep getting benefits. Keep detailed records because they do audit.
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Myles Regis
•What counts as a job search contact? Just applying for jobs or do informational interviews count too?
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Madison Tipne
•Job applications, networking events, career fairs, informational interviews - lots of things count. Check the WorkSourceWA website for the full list.
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Holly Lascelles
•I got audited last year and had to provide detailed logs of all my job search activities. Keep everything documented!
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Malia Ponder
The weekly benefit amount is only part of it. You can collect for up to 26 weeks in most cases, but that can vary depending on the unemployment rate and your specific situation.
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Myles Regis
•So with a $560 weekly benefit, I could potentially get around $14,560 total over 26 weeks? That's actually not terrible for a safety net.
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Malia Ponder
•Exactly, but remember that's if you're eligible for the full 26 weeks. Some people find jobs sooner, which is obviously the goal.
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Kyle Wallace
MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROSS AND NET BENEFITS! If you elect to have taxes withheld, your actual check will be less than the weekly benefit amount they quote you.
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Myles Regis
•Good point. I think I'll have them withhold taxes so I don't get stuck with a big bill next year.
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Ryder Ross
•Smart move. I didn't withhold taxes and owed $2,400 when I filed my return. Lesson learned.
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Gianni Serpent
Also remember that if you do any part-time work while on unemployment, they'll reduce your weekly benefit. It's not dollar-for-dollar but they do deduct based on your earnings.
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Myles Regis
•I was thinking about doing some freelance work. How much can I earn before it affects my benefits?
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Gianni Serpent
•You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start reducing your benefits. So if your weekly benefit is $560, you could earn up to $555 without any reduction.
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Henry Delgado
I had issues with my benefit calculation being wrong and spent weeks trying to reach Washington ESD. Finally used Claimyr to get through to an agent who fixed the error in one call. Wish I'd known about it sooner.
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Olivia Kay
•What kind of error did they make with your calculation? I want to make sure mine is right from the start.
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Henry Delgado
•They had my wages from the wrong quarter. The agent was able to pull up my wage records and recalculate everything correctly.
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Joshua Hellan
The benefit amount is based on your base year wages, which is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. It can be confusing to figure out which quarters they're using.
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Myles Regis
•That sounds complicated. Is there a simple way to figure out which quarters they'll use for my calculation?
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Joshua Hellan
•If you file in January 2025, they'll use quarters from January 2023 through December 2023. The Washington ESD website has a chart that shows the base year for each filing period.
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Jibriel Kohn
Don't stress too much about the exact amount before you file. The important thing is to get your claim started as soon as possible. You can always call later if you think there's an error in the calculation.
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Myles Regis
•True, I'm probably overthinking it. I'll file this week and see what happens.
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Edison Estevez
•That's the right attitude. The sooner you file, the sooner you can start the process and get some financial relief.
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
remember to keep looking for work even while collecting benefits. unemployment is temporary assistance not a permanent solution. the job search requirements are there for a reason
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Myles Regis
•Absolutely. I'm already updating my resume and reaching out to contacts. Hopefully I won't need the full 26 weeks.
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James Johnson
•Good luck with your job search! The market is pretty good right now in most industries.
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Sophia Rodriguez
One more thing - if you're not sure about your benefit amount or have questions after filing, Claimyr really is helpful for getting through to Washington ESD agents. I was skeptical at first but it saved me hours of calling.
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Myles Regis
•I might give that a try if I run into issues. Thanks for all the helpful info everyone!
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Mia Green
•This thread has been really informative. Good luck with your claim!
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