How much does unemployment pay in Washington state 2025?

That's actually more than I expected! Do you know how long benefits last?

Regular UI benefits last up to 26 weeks in Washington, but you have to meet the job search requirements and file your weekly claims on time.

So if I made $52k last year, that would put me around $385 per week? That's actually more than I expected.

It depends on when you worked those wages and which quarters they fall into. Washington ESD looks at specific quarters, not just your annual total.

Good to know about the amount! What kind of questions did you have to call about?

had some confusion about my work search log and needed to verify some employment dates. spent hours trying to get through

That's helpful to know, thanks! Did they tell you right away what your weekly amount would be?

yeah it showed up in my account after like 3-4 days when my claim got approved

Thanks! So if I was making around $720/week that would put me at maybe $430-500 weekly benefit?

That sounds about right, but Washington ESD will calculate it precisely based on your wage records. You'll see the exact amount when you file your initial claim.

Thanks! So if I made $4,200/month that's about $12,600 per quarter. So my weekly would be around $484?

Exactly right! $12,600 divided by 26 equals $484 per week. That's assuming that was your highest earning quarter in your base period.

What are the job search requirements exactly? I keep hearing different things about how many jobs you need to apply for.

Currently it's 3 job search activities per week, which can include applications, networking, job fairs, etc. You need to keep a log that Washington ESD can audit.

Good to know! I was working at my current job for the whole base period so should be straightforward.

Wait I'm confused about this base period thing. If I file in February, what quarters would they use?

For February 2025 filing, they'd use October 2023 through September 2024 as your base period.

I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to Washington ESD agents without waiting on hold. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration!

Never heard of that, is it legit? I'm desperate at this point to talk to someone about my claim.

Yeah it's real, they basically call Washington ESD for you and connect you when an agent picks up. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. Saved me so much frustration!

Interesting, I'll check that out. Getting through to Washington ESD is nearly impossible these days.

Is that service legit? Sounds too good to be true.

Yeah it's real. They basically handle all the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Much better than sitting on hold for hours.

Good to know about the taxes! I definitely want to have them take some out so I don't get hit with a big bill next year.

Yeah I learned that the hard way last year when I owed like $800 in taxes on my unemployment. Always elect the withholding!

Never heard of that but sounds interesting. Did it actually work for you?

Yeah, got connected to a Washington ESD rep in about 20 minutes instead of spending my whole day redialing. Worth it for the time savings alone.

I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues filing. Thanks for the tip!

Never heard of that service before. Is it legit or just another scam?

It's legitimate - they just help you navigate the phone system to reach Washington ESD agents. Doesn't cost anything to check out their demo video.

Might try that if I have issues with my claim. The regular phone number is impossible to get through on.

There's a benefit calculator on their site? I couldn't find it when I looked earlier.

It's buried in their resources section. Search for 'benefit estimator' on the Washington ESD site.

Right, I know about the job search requirements. How many work search activities do you need per week?

It's 3 work search activities per week minimum. Can be job applications, interviews, networking events, etc.

Oh no, I didn't think about taxes. Can you have them withhold taxes from the weekly payments?

yeah you can elect to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims

Wow, $999 is a lot! What kind of wages do you need to hit the maximum?

You need to have earned at least $67,600 in your base period and have at least one dependent child to get the full max.

I don't have kids so just the regular amount for me. 26 weeks should be plenty of time to find something new.

Don't count on 26 weeks being enough time! Job market is tough right now depending on your field.

That's the minimum eligibility requirement - you need sufficient wage credits to qualify for any benefits at all.

What's your claim stuck on? Adjudication usually means they need to verify something about your employment or separation reason.

They say it's about my last day of work but I submitted all the documentation they asked for. No one will tell me what's actually happening.

This is exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr could help - you could actually talk to someone who can look at your specific case and explain what's holding it up.

I tried that but wasn't sure I was entering the right quarters. The base period thing is confusing.

The website should tell you which quarters to use based on when you're filing. It's automatic.

How many job contacts do you need to report each week?

I think it's 3 job search activities per week but check the Washington ESD website for current requirements. They changed some rules recently.

It's actually 3 job search activities per week and they need to be documented in your job search log. Can include applications, networking, interviews, job fairs, etc.

That's encouraging! Did she have any issues with the application process?

Pretty smooth for her. Just had to wait for them to verify her employment history but no major delays.

Oh right, I forgot about taxes. Can you have them withhold federal taxes when you file your weekly claims?

Yes, you can elect to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you first file or change it later in your account settings.

Good point, I forgot about that. Probably better to have them withhold taxes so I don't get hit with a big bill later.

Yeah definitely have them withhold. I learned that the hard way and owed like $2000 at tax time.

I was laid off due to store closures so I should be fine on that front, thankfully.

Yeah layoffs due to business reasons are usually straightforward approvals.

Totally agree! I used Claimyr to get through when my claim had issues. Worth it just to avoid the endless hold times and disconnects.

I should have done that instead of wasting weeks trying to call myself.

Good to know I could pick up some side work if needed without losing everything.

The partial benefits calculation is complex - basically they deduct earnings over 25% of your weekly benefit amount. So if your benefit is $500/week you could earn $125 without reduction.

Thanks for the correction! I knew there was some formula but couldn't remember exactly how it worked.

What are the current job search requirements? I haven't looked into that part yet.

You need to make at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a detailed log. This includes applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking activities, etc. You have to be able to provide documentation if they audit you.

That's good to know. So I could do some freelance work and still collect something?

yeah as long as you report it correctly and don't exceed your weekly benefit amount plus the small earnings allowance

Yes, all wages including overtime count toward your benefit calculation. Washington ESD looks at total gross wages reported by your employer.

Sweet, that should boost my weekly amount then!

Is there really a waiting period? I thought they eliminated that during COVID.

You're right, the waiting week was suspended during the pandemic and hasn't been reinstated yet. So you should be eligible for benefits starting with your first week of unemployment.

Good to know, I might pick up some gig work while job hunting.

Just make sure to report all earnings on your weekly claims or you could face overpayment issues later.

Adjudication can take forever. Have you tried calling to get an update on your case?

Wait there's a week where you don't get paid even if approved?

Yeah the first week is a waiting week. You file the claim but don't get benefits for that week. Then if approved you start getting paid from week 2 onwards.

Usually takes about a week to get your monetary determination after filing. Sometimes longer if there are issues with wage records.

Okay good to know. Getting anxious waiting for it.

How much does that service cost? Seems too good to be true.

They don't ask for any personal info and it's way cheaper than taking time off work to keep calling. Check out their demo video to see how it works.

I'll check that out. Sounds like my benefit amount should be decent based on what everyone's saying.

Just make sure you have all your employment info ready when you apply. Pay stubs, dates of employment, reason for separation, etc.

How do you know if they contest it? Do they notify you?

washington esd will send you a notice if there's a dispute. then you usually have to provide more documentation or do a phone interview

There's a waiting week? I thought you got paid right away once approved.

Washington eliminated the waiting week in 2021, so you can get paid for your first week of unemployment if your claim is approved.

Tell me about it. My rent alone is $2200/month. Unemployment barely covers half of that.

That's why it's called unemployment ASSISTANCE, not unemployment REPLACEMENT. It's meant to help, not fully replace your income.

Did you find the job search requirements helpful or just busy work?

honestly a mix of both. it forces you to stay active in your search but some of the activities feel like checking boxes

Good advice! I'll make sure to do that. When do weekly claims need to be filed by?

Weekly claims are due by midnight Saturday for the week ending that Saturday. But you can file them starting Sunday morning.

How did they miscalculate it? I want to make sure that doesn't happen to me.

They were missing wages from one of my employers. Had to provide pay stubs to prove my earnings.

Will do! I have all my pay stubs saved digitally so should be easy to provide if needed.

I'm definitely bookmarking that for later. Everyone says the phone system is terrible.

I'm skeptical of paying for something that should be free but if it actually works...

@profile11 I get the skepticism but when you need answers about your benefits and can't reach anyone for weeks it becomes worth it. Plus you can watch their demo first to see how it works.

Your weekly benefit amount stays the same for your entire benefit year. The only thing that changes is the maximum amount, which is adjusted annually.

Got it, thanks for clarifying!

Yeah I'm starting to realize there's a lot more to this than just the money amount.

Yikes, thanks for the warning! I'll make sure to keep track of everything.

Yes the job search requirements are strictly enforced. Keep detailed records of all your job search activities in case they audit your claim.

Self-employed generally don't qualify for regular UI unless you paid into the system as an employee somewhere. You might qualify for other programs though.

Ah okay, I'll look into what other options might be available.

Thanks everyone, this has been super helpful! Going to file my claim this week.

Good luck! The process isn't too bad once you get started, just be patient with the system.

Because then people who worked one really good quarter but were unemployed most of the year would get huge benefits. The current system tries to be more fair.

I guess that makes sense, even if it is confusing to calculate.

Correct, $999 is the gross amount. If you choose tax withholding, they'll take out 10% federal tax, so you'd get about $899 net.

Thanks, wanted to make sure I understood that correctly for budgeting purposes.

Yeah I have friends in other states getting like $300-400 max. We're lucky here in Washington.

Good to know! Hopefully I won't be on it for too long but nice to know it's a decent safety net.

Yes, you file in the state where you worked, not where you live. So you'd file with Washington ESD.

Perfect, that's what I thought but wanted to double check.

Correct, Washington eliminated the one-week waiting period. You can get paid for your first week if you're eligible.

Great, every week counts when you're out of work!

Same here! Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain how it all works.

Can't you file late claims if you miss a week?

You can try but it requires calling Washington ESD to request backdating and they don't always approve it. Better to just set a reminder and file on time.

This is another situation where having access to Claimyr would be helpful - if you do miss a week and need to speak with someone about backdating your claim.

Washington ESD uses your first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters as your base period. So if you file in January 2025, they'd typically look at quarters from July 2023 through June 2024. If that doesn't qualify you, they can use an alternate base period with more recent quarters.

that makes sense, thanks for explaining it clearly

Good luck with your claim! File as soon as possible and keep good records of everything.

yeah definitely worth filing. just be prepared for potential delays and keep copies of all your documentation

I do have about 2 weeks of vacation pay coming. Will that completely delay my benefits?

It depends on how much and when you received it. They'll calculate it as if you're still employed for those weeks. Better to be upfront about it when filing.

Definitely planning to start looking right away. The benefits just give me some breathing room to find the right position instead of taking the first thing available.

I used some of their resume workshops and networking events. Not bad for meeting the job search activity requirements and they actually had some decent resources.

good to know, might check it out for next week's activities

What kind of records should I keep besides the job search log?

Screenshots of your weekly claim confirmations, copies of any documents you submit, records of any phone calls or correspondence with Washington ESD. Basically anything related to your claim.

You can file for partial unemployment benefits if your hours or wages were reduced. As long as you're earning less than your weekly benefit amount plus $5, you should qualify for some benefits.

Thanks! I'll look into filing then since my hours got cut by more than half.

How much does a service like that cost? Seems like it could get expensive if you need to call multiple times.

I found it reasonable considering the time it saved me, but I'd recommend checking their website for current pricing. The value for me was avoiding the frustration and lost time of trying to get through myself.

Great job filing quickly! Most claims get approved within a week if there are no issues with your employment separation.

fingers crossed you don't hit any snags. keep an eye on your account for any requests for additional information

Will do! I'll update this thread if anything interesting happens with the process.

I've been working steadily for 2 years so I should be fine on that front.

Yeah 2 years should definitely be enough. They look at your highest earning quarter and total earnings over the base period.

I'll try that calculator! Should give me a better idea of what to expect.

Make sure you use gross earnings not net when doing the calculation.

Good tip! I'll definitely choose direct deposit to avoid any fees.

The debit card fees are annoying but direct deposit takes a few weeks to set up initially.

I'll keep that in mind for tax season. Better to have too much taken out than owe money later.

Yeah unemployment income counts as regular income for tax purposes. Don't spend it all thinking it's tax-free money!

Hopefully I won't need to appeal but good to know it's an option.

Appeals are another situation where getting through to Washington ESD by phone is crucial. Claimyr helped me reach someone during my appeal process too - sometimes you need to speak with a human to resolve complex issues.

The appeal deadline is strict - I think you only have 30 days from the determination notice to file your appeal.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much more prepared to file my claim now.

Good luck with your claim! The process can be stressful but the benefits really help while you're job searching.

Just remember to start your job search right away even while waiting for approval. The market is competitive right now.