How much does unemployment pay in Washington state - current rates?

That's actually higher than I expected! So it's based on quarterly earnings, not annual?

Yes, they look at your highest quarter and calculate 3.85% of those earnings for your weekly amount. So if your best quarter was $15,000, you'd get about $577 per week.

Thanks! So if I made $62k last year, that would put me around $460 per week roughly?

That sounds about right, but Washington ESD will calculate it based on your actual quarterly wages during your base period, not your annual salary.

Thanks! So if I made $52k last year, roughly what would that work out to weekly?

Roughly around $400-500 per week, but it really depends on which quarters they use for your base period calculation. The Washington ESD benefit calculator on their site is actually pretty accurate if you have your wage info handy.

Where do I find the calculator? I've been looking all over the Washington ESD site.

It's buried in their website but if you search 'benefit estimator' it should come up. You'll need your gross wages by quarter though.

26 weeks seems short when job hunting is taking so long these days

Yeah it goes fast. Make sure you're doing your job searches properly and documenting everything in WorkSourceWA or you could get disqualified.

I had the same problem until I found claimyr.com - it's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Interesting, never heard of that. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?

Worked for me! Got connected within an hour instead of spending days trying to call myself.

How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm still waiting after 2 weeks.

Mine took about 3 weeks because it went into adjudication. Had to verify my last employer info.

Good to know, I'll watch for that when I get my determination letter

Never heard of Claimyr before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit - they just help you get through the phone queue faster. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected.

I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my benefit amount. Might have to try this Claimyr thing.

Wait, so they don't use your most recent wages? That seems backwards.

Right, there's a lag period. If you file in January 2025, they'd look at wages from July 2023 through June 2024 typically.

26 weeks goes by fast when you're job hunting in this market. I'm on week 18 and getting nervous about finding something soon.

Have you been keeping good records of your job search activities? Washington ESD requires 3 work search activities per week and they do audit people randomly.

Yeah I log everything in WorkSourceWA. It's tedious but necessary.

Ugh I forgot about that last year and got hit with a big tax bill

Yeah it's better to just have them withhold the 10% upfront, saves headaches at tax time.

I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They basically call Washington ESD for you and get you connected to an actual person. Saved me tons of time and frustration. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Try calling right at 8am when they open. I got through after about 45 minutes yesterday. Still a pain but better than never getting through at all.

The monetary determination letter they send you will have your exact weekly benefit amount clearly stated. Should arrive within a few days of filing.

I filed 10 days ago and still haven't gotten any letter. Starting to panic about paying rent.

So I need to find work within 26 weeks or I'm out of luck?

Not necessarily out of luck, but you'd need to have earned enough wages to qualify for a new claim. The requirements are pretty specific about how much you need to earn.

The weekly benefit amount is before taxes. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them later when you file. I'd recommend having them withheld to avoid a big tax bill next year.

Good to know, thanks. I'll definitely opt for withholding.

What do you mean by that? I'm still employed but expecting a layoff next month.

You can't file until you're actually unemployed through no fault of your own. But once you do file, they look back at your earnings from the past 5 quarters to calculate your benefits. So timing can matter depending on when your highest earning quarters were.

Got it, that makes sense. I'll file as soon as I get laid off then.

The waiting week is still eliminated as of 2025. You get paid for your first week of unemployment as long as you file your weekly claim on time.

That's good news! One less thing to worry about when you're already stressed about losing your job.

That matches what I'm seeing too. The replacement rate is decent compared to other states.

OK that makes me feel better about the amount. Should be enough to cover basics while job hunting.

What counts as a job search activity?

Applying for jobs, networking contacts, attending job fairs, interviews, etc. They're pretty specific about what qualifies and you need to document details like company names and dates.

The WorkSourceWA job log is such a pain but you have to do it. Don't try to fudge it either, they audit these things.

You can work part time but you need to report all earnings when you file your weekly claim. They'll reduce your benefit by a portion of what you earn, but you can still collect partial benefits.

Thanks, I'll make sure to report everything accurately

Sounds like you might be in adjudication. That's when they need to verify something about your claim before approving it. Could be anything from your reason for separation to identity verification. Usually takes 2-6 weeks unfortunately.

I was stuck in adjudication for 5 weeks. Turns out they needed documentation about my previous employer that I didn't know I had to provide. Finally got it resolved using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier - they helped me understand what Washington ESD actually needed.

I feel your frustration. The system is definitely not user friendly.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone who could explain it properly. Sometimes you just need a human to walk you through it.

How long does it usually take to get the monetary determination after filing?

Usually within a week if there are no issues with your claim. Sometimes faster if everything is straightforward.

That's helpful to know, thanks for sharing actual numbers

Wait really? Even if my claim is still pending?

yep, keep filing weekly no matter what. they'll pay you retroactively if your claim gets approved

Wait what job search requirements? Nobody told me about that when I filed.

Yeah you need to log your job search activities in WorkSourceWA or they can deny your benefits.

The job search requirement is 3 job contacts per week unless you're on standby with your employer.

That's a huge difference! I guess I should be grateful for Washington's higher benefit amounts.

Yeah but our cost of living is way higher too. $700 a week doesn't go as far here as $275 might in Florida.

True, but it's still better than nothing. And at least Washington doesn't have the horror stories you hear about other state unemployment systems.

True, but it's better than nothing while you're job hunting

Definitely better than nothing, just wish it was more realistic for current living costs

How much does Claimyr cost? Might be worth it if I can actually get answers.

It's reasonable considering how much time it saves. Check their website for current pricing.

Good point! I'll make sure to set up tax withholding when I file my weekly claims.

Yeah, 10% federal withholding is what I do. Better than owing a huge tax bill later.

I know it's frustrating, but once your claim is processed you'll get a clear breakdown of your weekly benefit amount.

Hang in there - the initial confusion is the worst part. Once you get your first payment everything becomes clearer.

I've only worked in Washington, so that shouldn't be an issue for me.

Good, that keeps it simple. Washington has pretty decent benefits compared to most states.

Same experience here. The hold times are ridiculous.

This is exactly the problem Claimyr solves. Instead of sitting on hold for hours, they handle the calling for you and get you connected when an agent is available.

That's a good way to think about it - the total amount you're eligible for over the whole benefit year.

Makes sense. Hopefully I won't need the full 26 weeks to find something new.

Yes, Washington has partial unemployment benefits. You can work part-time and still collect some unemployment if your hours or wages have been reduced. They'll calculate your benefit based on the difference between your reduced earnings and your regular weekly benefit amount.

That's great to know! Do I still have to do the job search activities if I'm working part-time?

Yes, you still need to meet the work search requirements unless you're on standby with your employer. The idea is that you're looking for full-time work to replace your reduced income.

How strict are they about the timing? What if you're a day late?

Pretty strict. I forgot once and had to call to get that week reinstated. They can do it but it's a hassle and you have to explain why you were late.

I set a calendar reminder on my phone for every Sunday morning. Too important to forget about.

How long do you have to file an appeal if the amount is wrong?

30 days from the date on your monetary determination letter. Don't wait if you think there's an error.

OK I'm convinced. Going to try Claimyr tomorrow since I still can't get through to ESD.

Let us know how it goes! I might try it too if my claim runs into issues.

Yeah same here, this thread has been really helpful for understanding what to expect

When do the weekly claims open up? Is it the same day each week?

Usually available Sunday morning for the previous week. I always file mine Sunday evening to stay on schedule.

Yeah don't procrastinate on the weekly claims. I almost missed one and it was a huge hassle to fix.

Oh no, I am getting a small severance. How does that work exactly?

Depends on how the severance is structured. If it's a lump sum, they might allocate it over time based on your regular salary. If it's paid out over several weeks, those weeks might not be eligible for unemployment. You'll need to report it when you file your claim.

This is getting complicated. I should probably talk to someone at Washington ESD directly about my specific situation.

What kind of income would be disqualifying?

Things like pension payments, workers comp, or certain types of contractor income. The rules are pretty specific and sometimes confusing.

How much does that service cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to the agency that owes us benefits.

I agree it's frustrating that we need a third party service, but honestly it was worth it for my peace of mind. The cost was reasonable compared to the stress I was experiencing.

Perfect summary, thank you! I feel much more prepared now for when the layoff happens.

Good to know about the appeal deadline, I'll keep that in mind when I get my determination

Definitely. Appeals take time to process so the sooner you file if needed, the better.

This is really helpful! I had no idea about the 3.85% calculation or the base period thing. One quick question - when you say "highest quarter earnings," does that mean if I had one really good quarter with overtime or bonuses, that would boost my weekly benefit amount significantly?