How much does unemployment pay in Washington - need to know payment amounts

Thanks! Do you know if they take taxes out automatically or do I need to request that?

You can choose to have 10% federal tax withheld when you file your initial claim. Washington doesn't have state income tax so you don't need to worry about that part.

It's actually calculated differently - it's based on your quarterly wages, not a straight percentage of your salary. The formula is pretty complex but the online calculator gives you a good estimate.

oh ok that makes sense why mine seemed low then

Never heard of that but honestly anything is better than trying to call Washington ESD directly. Their phone system is terrible.

Yeah exactly! The site is claimyr.com if you want to check it out. Saved me so much frustration when I needed to talk to someone about my adjudication issue.

Wow that's actually more than I expected! That would definitely help cover my mortgage and basic expenses while job hunting.

Keep in mind you still have to do the job search requirements though - 3 job contacts per week and registering with WorkSourceWA.

Good point, I'll make sure to keep track of all my job applications for the weekly claims.

That could be due to how they round the calculations or if there were any wage adjustments in your base period quarters.

Makes sense, it wasn't a huge difference anyway so not worth worrying about.

Adjudication delays can definitely happen, especially if there are any issues with your separation from employment or if you had multiple jobs during your base period.

Yeah they had questions about why I left my job even though it was a clear layoff situation. Took forever to get it sorted out.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr when I had adjudication issues - being able to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD made all the difference in getting things resolved quickly.

Yes, you can work part-time and still receive partial unemployment benefits. Washington has an earnings deduction formula - you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before they start reducing your benefits.

oh thats good to know, might help me transition back to full time work

Just make sure to report all earnings on your weekly claim, even if it's just a few hours. Not reporting can cause overpayment issues later.

That's really helpful to know the timing! So I'd need to file every week by Sunday to get paid on Tuesday?

Exactly. You file your weekly claim online through your SecureAccess Washington account. Pretty straightforward process once you get used to it.

Yeah I was worried it would be way less. At least it sounds like it might cover my basic expenses while I look for something new.

Just remember the benefits only last for 26 weeks in most cases, so don't take too long with the job search!

Good tip! I've been at the same job for 3 years so hopefully that makes it straightforward.

That should make it easy then. Steady employment history usually means no complications with the benefit calculation.

Thanks for the heads up! I'll definitely opt for the tax withholding when I file my claim.

Smart move. A lot of people forget about the tax implications and end up owing money at tax time.

Correct, extended benefits are triggered automatically when the state unemployment rate hits certain thresholds. Right now we're just on regular state benefits.

Hopefully 26 weeks is enough time to find something good. Job market seems pretty decent right now at least.

Good to know appeals are an option if something seems off. Did you need to provide additional documentation?

Yeah I had to submit pay stubs and my tax return from the previous year. They were pretty thorough in reviewing everything.

This is good strategic thinking. The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file, so timing can definitely matter.

Interesting, I hadn't thought about that timing aspect. I'll look at my earnings by quarter to see if waiting makes sense.

That's really important to know! So I should file right away even if I'm still figuring out the details?

Exactly. You can always ask questions later but you can't go back and get benefits for weeks before you filed.

I might need that if I run into issues. The Washington ESD phone system is notoriously difficult to get through on.

Yeah I've heard horror stories about people calling hundreds of times. Good to know there are alternatives.

That makes sense and helps with budgeting. At least I'll know exactly what to expect each week.

Just remember you still have to file every week and meet the job search requirements to keep getting payments.

Definitely will do direct deposit. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! This gives me a much better idea of what to expect.

Good luck with everything! The Washington ESD system can be complicated but once you get familiar with it, the weekly claims become pretty routine.