How much do you make unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Thanks! That's really helpful. I think my best quarter was around $5,500 so that puts me around $200/week. Better than nothing but gonna be tight.

Don't forget you can also get partial benefits if you find part-time work while claiming. As long as you earn less than 1.25 times your weekly benefit amount, you'll still get something.

I've been working steady for 2 years so I should definitely meet those requirements. Just worried about the amount being enough to cover basic expenses.

Have you tried calling Washington ESD to get an exact estimate? I know their phone lines are always busy but they can give you a precise calculation based on your work history.

I tried calling yesterday and today but keep getting disconnected after waiting on hold for like 45 minutes. So frustrating!

That's close to what I'm expecting then. Did you have trouble getting through to Washington ESD when you had questions?

Oh yeah, the phone system is terrible. I actually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to a real person at Washington ESD. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Yeah I'm worried about that too. My rent is $650 plus utilities so even $200/week is going to be really tight.

Look into food banks and other assistance programs too. United Way has a good resource finder for Washington state.

Good point about the job search requirement. Do they actually check that or is it just honor system?

They can audit your job search log at any time, and if you get selected for review you'll need to provide proof of your applications. Better to keep detailed records from the start.

I got audited last year and had to submit screenshots of all my applications plus contact info for employers. They're definitely checking now.

That matches what the other person calculated. Sounds like I should expect around $200-220 range.

Just remember this is before any taxes if you choose to have them withheld. You can elect to have 10% federal tax taken out of your benefits.

Someone else mentioned that service too. Is it actually legit? Seems too good to be true that they can get you through when everyone else is having problems.

Yeah it's real. They basically handle the waiting and calling back for you. I was skeptical at first but it worked when I needed to get my adjudication issue resolved.

Good idea, I should look into what else is available. Every little bit helps right now.

211 is a good number to call for information about local assistance programs. They can tell you what you might qualify for.

No kids for me so that doesn't apply, but good to know for others reading this.

Wait really? I have 2 kids and didn't know about the extra money. How do I add them to my claim?

You need to contact Washington ESD and provide proof of dependency like birth certificates or tax returns showing you claimed them as dependents.

Yeah definitely not planning to do anything shady. I want to do this all by the book.

You can work part-time and still collect partial benefits though, as long as you report all your earnings when filing your weekly claim.

I filed my claim 3 days after getting laid off so hopefully that was quick enough. Still waiting to hear back about approval.

That's plenty quick. Initial processing usually takes 1-2 weeks. You should get a determination letter explaining your benefit amount and duration.

How much does something like that cost? Seems like it might be expensive.

It's pretty reasonable considering how much time it saves. Way better than spending half your day trying to get through on the phone.

My work was pretty steady so hopefully no surprises. I'll just have to wait and see what the official amount ends up being.

The determination letter will also tell you exactly which quarters they used for your base period and show the calculation breakdown.

Thanks, I appreciate the support. This whole thread has been really helpful for understanding what to expect.

Already started applying to places. Figure the sooner I find something the better, even if the unemployment helps in the meantime.

Smart approach. The job market isn't terrible right now for warehouse work so you might not need the full 26 weeks of benefits.