How much does unemployment pay in Washington State?

That's actually higher than I expected! Do they take taxes out automatically or do I need to handle that myself?

You can choose to have 10% federal tax withheld when you file your weekly claims, but it's optional. Washington state has no income tax so no state withholding.

Wait, so the first week I don't get anything at all? Even if I qualify?

Exactly, it's called a waiting week. You still have to file that first weekly claim but you won't receive payment for it.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I discovered it last month when I was having the same problem getting through to Washington ESD. It's a service that helps you actually connect with agents - you can check it out at claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Never heard of that before, does it actually work or is it just another service that promises things?

It worked for me - I was able to get through and get my questions answered about my claim. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected.

Under review usually means they're verifying your employment history and wages. This can take 2-4 weeks depending on how quickly your employers respond to their requests for information.

Ugh, so I just have to wait and hope? This is stressful when you need the money to pay bills.

That's helpful to know, thanks! How long did it take from filing to getting your first payment?

About 3 weeks total, but that included the waiting week. So really 2 weeks of processing time.

Good to know! I was wondering about that since I might be able to pick up some freelance work.

Actually it's not a flat $200 - it's 25% of your weekly benefit amount that you can earn without reduction. So if your weekly benefit is $500, you could earn $125 without penalty.

They look at the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you filed in January 2025, they'd look at July-September 2024, April-June 2024, January-March 2024, and October-December 2023.

OK that makes more sense, thanks for breaking it down like that.

You'll need to do 3 job search activities per week and keep a log of them. Washington ESD has specific requirements about what counts as a valid job search activity.

3 activities per week doesn't sound too bad. Is applying for jobs online enough or do they want other stuff too?

Makes sense. Better to do more than the minimum anyway if I want to find work quickly.

Glad you got your answer! I might try that service too since I'm still waiting to hear back about my claim status.

Yeah it was way easier than I expected. Just wish I had known about it sooner instead of wasting weeks trying to call on my own.

So even if I can't find work right away, I have a full year to use up those 26 weeks of benefits?

Exactly, but you still need to be actively searching for work the whole time and filing weekly claims even during weeks you don't receive payment.

Thanks for the correction! I knew they adjusted it yearly but hadn't seen the 2025 figure yet.

You might qualify for SNAP (food assistance) or temporary cash assistance depending on your situation. Also check with WorkSource Washington for job training programs that might be available.

Good ideas, I'll look into those. Every bit helps when you're trying to make ends meet.

Yikes, that sounds serious. What kind of details do they want in the job search log?

Date, employer name, position applied for, method of contact, and any follow-up. Be specific and keep records of everything.

That's encouraging that it was relatively quick for you. Did you have any issues with the weekly claim filing process?

Not really, just had to remember to file by the deadline each week. They send email reminders which helped.

Glad you got it sorted out! Seems like that service is really helping people actually get through to someone.

That's exactly the kind of situation where having a real person to talk to makes all the difference. Would have taken forever to figure that out on your own.

I tried that calculator but wasn't sure if I was entering the right information. Might be worth trying again now that I understand the base period better.

I did get a small severance payment when I was laid off. How does that work exactly?

They'll calculate how many weeks that severance covers based on your normal weekly wages, and you can't collect unemployment for those weeks. But you can still file your claim to get the process started.

Thanks for the encouragement! I think I have enough information now to move forward with filing my claim.

That's a great tip I hadn't heard before. Every way to save money helps right now.