How much does unemployment pay in Washington - need to budget my bills

Thanks! So they don't just look at my most recent salary? They go back further than that?

Right, 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 your wages from January 2024 through September 2024.

Yeah their online tools are terrible. I gave up trying to use their benefit calculator and just waited to see what they said when I filed my claim.

If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about benefit calculations, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Wait, that seems really low. If I made $26,000 in my two highest quarters combined, that would only be like $38 per week?

No sorry I mixed up the calculation! It's more complicated than that. They take your highest quarter, divide by 13, then take a percentage. You'd probably get around $400-500 weekly based on your salary.

This is why I hate trying to figure out Washington ESD stuff online. Everyone gives different answers and half of them are wrong.

That makes more sense than the other calculation someone posted. So if my highest quarter was $13,000, I'd get about $500 per week?

Yeah that sounds about right. But don't forget they'll deduct taxes if you choose to have them withheld, and any partial work earnings get deducted too.

So if my highest quarter was around $13,000, that would be $500 a week? That's actually better than I thought!

Yes, that sounds about right. Just remember you'll still need to file your weekly claims and meet job search requirements.

I know but I really need to know roughly what to expect so I can figure out if I can afford my rent and car payment.

Totally understand wanting to budget ahead. The good news is Washington has pretty decent benefit amounts compared to other states.

I don't have any kids so I guess that doesn't apply to me.

The dependent allowance is like $25 per dependent I think, so it's not huge but every bit helps when you're unemployed.

Good to know about the part-time work thing. I might try to pick up some freelance work while I'm looking for a full-time job.

Just make sure you report all earnings when you file your weekly claims. Washington ESD is pretty strict about that and you don't want to deal with an overpayment notice later.

Speaking of reporting earnings, does anyone know if you have to report cash jobs or just W-2 work?

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 reach an agent - check out claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Worked great for me.

Never heard of that but I'll definitely check it out. Getting so tired of calling 200 times a day with no luck.

Wait, you have to pay for that service though right? I'm already broke from being unemployed.

It's worth it when you consider how much time you save not calling constantly. Plus they actually get you through to someone who can answer your questions.

How much does something like that cost? I'm trying to be careful with money right now.

It's really reasonable for what you get. Way cheaper than spending all day trying to call them yourself and getting nowhere.

Oh no, what happened? Why is your claim in adjudication?

They said there was an issue with my separation from my last job even though I was clearly laid off. Now I can't get anyone on the phone to explain what's going on.

You should definitely appeal if they deny your claim. Don't let adjudication drag on forever without taking action.

I don't think it's intentional, just that unemployment law is really complicated and they're dealing with outdated computer systems.

Maybe but it shouldn't be this hard to get a straight answer about something as basic as benefit amounts.

That's helpful! So even at the minimum I'd get almost $300 per week. That might actually cover my basic expenses.

295 minimum seems low for washington, are you sure thats right?

Pretty sure but benefits get adjusted each year so it might have changed recently.

Good point, I should probably have them take out taxes from the start.

Yeah you can choose to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims.

I'll try that, thanks! Do I need to create an account to use the calculator?

No, it's just a public tool on their website. Super easy to use.

I used that calculator and it was spot on with what I actually got approved for. Definitely worth checking out.

What counts as a job search activity? Just applying for jobs?

Applying, networking events, job fairs, informational interviews, even some online training courses. They're pretty flexible about what counts.

You have to log everything in WorkSourceWA too. Don't skip that step or you might have issues with your weekly claims.

It depends when you file. If you file in the first quarter of 2025 (Jan-Mar), your base year would be the four quarters of 2023. If you file in Q2 2025, base year would be Q1 2023 through Q4 2023.

So they're looking at pretty old earnings? What if I just started making good money recently?

You might be able to use the alternate base year if your recent earnings are higher. Worth asking about when you file.

That seems unfair, especially with how much everything costs these days.

Yeah it's one of those things that makes you realize how the system needs updating. At least Washington's benefits are better than a lot of states.

Yeah I'm already applying to jobs. The job search requirement is 3 contacts per week right?

That's correct, and you need to log them in your WorkSourceWA account. Don't forget to do that or they can deny your benefits.

You'd need to be making around $130k+ annually I think. The maximum is designed for high earners but most people get way less.

Makes sense. I was making about 45k so I'll probably get somewhere in the middle range.

You have to request tax withholding when you file your claim. If you don't, you'll owe taxes when you file your return next year.

good to know, thanks. i definitely dont want a surprise tax bill later

Good luck with your job search! Remember to keep detailed records of all your job search activities for your weekly claims.

And file your weekly claims on time every week, even if you're still waiting for your initial claim to be approved. You can't go back and claim weeks you missed.

Exactly why I used Claimyr when I needed to get through. Saved me so much frustration compared to calling on my own.

I'll keep that in mind if I run into any issues with my claim. Hopefully it goes smoothly but good to know there are options.

It really helps to have people explain it in plain English instead of trying to decode the official Washington ESD materials.

Agreed. They should make this info way more accessible on their website.

That's actually close to what I calculated. How long did it take for your first payment to show up?

About 2 weeks after filing, but I didn't have any issues with my claim. Some people have to wait longer if there are complications.

So if I make $100 one week from a side gig, they'd take $95 off my unemployment check?

Exactly. That's why some people avoid working part-time while on unemployment even though you're supposed to report all income.

Just remember you HAVE to report any work or income when you file your weekly claim. Don't try to hide it or they'll come after you for overpayment.

Do they adjust the amounts based on cost of living or something?

I think it's tied to average wages in the state. They review it periodically and make adjustments.

Good to know! What day of the week do you usually file?

i always do it sunday mornings with my coffee. makes it routine so i dont forget

I mean, it is supposed to be temporary assistance to help you find new work, not a permanent income replacement.

Sure but they make it unnecessarily difficult even for people who legitimately need help. The phone system alone is a nightmare.

That's exactly why I'm going to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. At least then I can actually talk to someone when I have questions.

There's a waiting week? So you don't get paid for the first week you claim?

In Washington there's no waiting week anymore, they eliminated that a few years ago. You can get paid for your first week if you're eligible.

That's correct, Washington got rid of the waiting week. Some other states still have it but not here.

Are there training programs that pay you while you're learning new skills?

Yeah, WorkSource has some programs that can extend your benefits if you're in approved training. Worth looking into if you want to change careers.

What determines if you get the maximum? Just how much you were making before?

Yeah it's all based on your wages during the base period. You'd need to have been making really good money consistently to hit the max.

What kind of documents do they need for ID verification?

Driver's license, Social Security card, sometimes bank statements. The ID.me system they use can be picky about photo quality.

I had to try the ID verification like 5 times before it finally accepted my photos. Very frustrating when you're already stressed about money.

How quickly were you able to get through using their service?

It was pretty fast, maybe 15-20 minutes total instead of hours of trying on my own. The agent was able to look at my account and explain exactly how they calculated my weekly amount.

That's scary. So even if you qualify, the payments aren't guaranteed every week?

right, if you forget to log job contacts or report income incorrectly they can hold up your payment until you fix it

That's helpful to know. Thanks everyone for all the information, this has been really useful for planning!

Good luck with your claim! File as soon as possible and make sure to keep up with your weekly claims and job search requirements.