How much does unemployment pay in Washington - confused about weekly benefit amount

Thanks! So if my claim shows $385 weekly, that's what I'll get before taxes? Do I need to report any part-time work I might pick up?

Yes, $385 is your gross amount. And definitely report ANY work - even one day. Washington ESD will reduce your benefits based on earnings over $5 per week.

Wait is there really a benefit calculator? I've been trying to figure this out for weeks but can never get through to anyone at Washington ESD on the phone.

Yeah it's buried on their site somewhere. But honestly calling them is a nightmare - I tried for 3 weeks straight.

If you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD, I found this service called Claimyr that calls for you and gets you connected to an agent. Saved me hours of redialing. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Oh that's interesting! I had a full-time job before my part-time one. Would they use those wages instead?

They use your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters. So if you filed in January 2025, they'd look at Q3 2023 through Q2 2024 typically.

You get up to 26 weeks as long as you keep filing weekly claims and meet job search requirements. And yes, you can work part-time and still collect partial benefits if your wages are less than your weekly benefit amount plus $5.

the job search thing is such a pain though - 3 job contacts per week minimum and they check!

Same boat here! My claim has been stuck in some kind of review for a month. I call every day and either get disconnected or told to wait longer.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD. They handle all the calling and waiting so you don't have to sit on hold for hours. Worth every penny when you're waiting for benefits.

Never heard of that but might be worth trying at this point. Nothing else is working.

Good to know! I was wondering about that. Is it better to have them withhold or just save money for taxes?

I'd have them withhold honestly. It's one less thing to worry about and prevents a surprise bill at tax time.

Washington doesn't provide dependent allowances for regular unemployment benefits. You might be thinking of other states.

oh really? I thought I read somewhere that they did. Maybe I'm confusing it with something else.

Standby pays the same weekly benefit amount, but you don't have to do job searches since you're expected to return to your employer. Just make sure your employer filed the standby paperwork with Washington ESD.

Thanks! They said they filed it but I haven't heard anything yet. How long does standby approval usually take?

They'll establish a new claim with a new base period if enough time has passed and you've earned sufficient wages since your last claim. The benefit amount could be higher or lower depending on your recent earnings.

That makes sense. I actually made more money at my recent job so hopefully the benefit amount will be higher this time.

Sure! If you file in Q1 2025 (Jan-Mar), your standard base period is Q3 2023, Q4 2023, Q1 2024, and Q2 2024. They look at your wages during those 4 quarters to calculate your benefits.

Oh that helps a lot! So they're looking pretty far back, not just recent wages.

Sometimes they can use an alternate base period if you don't qualify with the standard one, which looks at more recent quarters.

How did you finally get through? I've been trying to call for days.

I actually used a callback service that calls Washington ESD for you. It's called Claimyr and it saved me so much time and frustration.

Is that legit? I'm desperate at this point but don't want to get scammed.

Yeah it's real. They have a website at claimyr.com and everything. Way better than spending hours on hold every day.

I didn't get any severance but good to know for future reference.

Yes this is important! I got a small severance package and it delayed my benefits by several weeks.

The benefits might be decent but the system for actually getting them is terrible. I'd trade some benefit amount for a system that actually works.

Fair point. The technology and customer service definitely need improvement.

Thanks for clarifying that! I was wondering why there were two different amounts on my claim summary.

Exactly! The maximum is usually 26 times your weekly amount, but it can be less if your base period wages weren't high enough.

No, your weekly benefit amount stays the same throughout your claim period. The state adjusts the maximum weekly benefit amount annually, but that only affects new claims filed after the adjustment.

Got it, that makes sense. So if I'm getting $400/week now, that's what I'll get for the whole 26 weeks.

That's the second time someone mentioned that service. Might be worth checking out if I run into issues.

Definitely worth it. They have a demo video that shows exactly how it works if you want to see it first.