How much does unemployment pay in Washington state - what to expect?

So if my highest quarter was around $15,000, I'd get about $577 per week? That's actually better than I expected.

That sounds about right, but Washington ESD will calculate the exact amount when you file your claim. The system is pretty automated for the calculation part.

That's actually higher than I expected! So even though I was making over $4k monthly, I'd still get the max $999 weekly?

Exactly, the $999 is the ceiling regardless of how much you were earning. It's actually one of the higher state maximums in the country.

So if I made $11,250 in my highest quarter, that would be about $169 per week? That seems really low compared to what I was making.

Yeah that sounds about right. Remember you also have to meet the job search requirements and file your weekly claims on time to keep getting benefits.

I tried that calculator but it was confusing. Do they count overtime hours differently than regular hours?

No, they just look at your total gross wages reported by your employer. Overtime, bonuses, everything gets included in the calculation.

6 weeks?? That's terrifying. What kind of adjudication issues did you have?

they said there was some question about my separation from my employer. turned out to be nothing but took forever to resolve

This is exactly why I used Claimyr when I had issues with my claim. I was stuck in adjudication for 3 weeks and couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD. Found them at claimyr.com and they got me connected to an actual agent who cleared everything up in one call. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Good to know about the weekly filing requirement. Is it hard to do the weekly claims online?

nah its pretty easy once you get used to it, just answer the same questions every week about job searches and if you worked

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

It's legitimate - I was skeptical too but desperate after trying to call Washington ESD for days. They handle the phone queue frustration so you don't have to sit there hitting redial constantly.

How much does Claimyr cost though? If I'm already stressed about money, I don't want another expense.

The service fee was worth it for me considering how much time I was wasting trying to get through. Way less stressful than the constant busy signals from Washington ESD.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. They actually got me through to a real Washington ESD agent in like 20 minutes. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Really? I've never heard of that service. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit. They basically call for you and wait on hold, then patch you through when they get an agent. Saved me hours of frustration.

This is super helpful! So if my highest quarter was $12,000, that would be $461 weekly, right?

That math looks right - $12,000 divided by 26 weeks = $461.54 weekly. Much better than the maximum if you weren't earning as much.

Good point, I definitely meet that since I was working full time for over a year.

Wait, what if you just started a new job and got laid off after a few months? Do you still qualify?

Oh crap, I didn't think about taxes. How much do they typically withhold?

Federal withholding is 10% and you can also opt for state tax withholding. It's worth it to avoid surprises at tax time.

Good to know! Is there a specific day of the week you have to file by?

you can file starting sunday for the previous week but you have to file by the saturday deadline. i usually just do it sunday morning so i don't forget

I don't have kids, so I guess that doesn't apply to me. Good to know for others though.

wait i have 2 kids, how do i add them to my claim? i already filed but didnt know about this

You'll need to contact Washington ESD to add dependents to your existing claim. They'll need proof like birth certificates or tax returns showing you claimed them as dependents.

The benefit amount depends on what you earned before. If you had a lower-paying job, your benefits will be lower too. That's just how the system works.

yeah well when minimum wage jobs are all you can find the benefits dont help much. whole thing is broken

I get the frustration, but unemployment isn't meant to fully replace your income - it's temporary assistance while you find new work.

For reaching Washington ESD, I had great luck with Claimyr. They handle all the calling and waiting for you. Worth every penny when you're stressed about your claim.

Adjudication means they're reviewing something about your claim - could be a separation issue with your employer or a question about your work history. It's frustrating but they have to investigate certain situations.

6 WEEKS THOUGH?? How am I supposed to pay rent while they 'investigate'? This is ridiculous.

That's exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr helped me. I was stuck in adjudication hell and finally got answers when I used their service to reach an actual person at Washington ESD.

Washington doesn't provide dependency allowances for unemployment benefits like some other states do. The $999 is the flat maximum regardless of family size.

That's disappointing. Other states really give you more if you have kids?

Standby benefits are the same weekly amount, but you don't have to do the job search requirements. However, you can only be on standby for a limited time before you have to switch to regular unemployment.

Make sure your employer files the standby paperwork correctly with Washington ESD or you'll get disqualified. I've seen that happen to people.

Ugh, I didn't think about taxes. So I'll actually get less than the benefit amount after taxes?

The benefit amount is before taxes, just like a regular paycheck. You can elect to have 10% withheld when you file your weekly claims.

You can choose to have federal taxes withheld when you file your weekly claims, but it's optional. Washington state doesn't have income tax so no state taxes.

Oh good, at least I don't have to worry about state taxes. Should I have them withhold federal taxes or just save money for tax time?

I always have them withhold 10% for federal taxes. Better safe than sorry when tax season comes around.

What kind of employer information do they need exactly?

Company name, dates of employment, reason for separation, and your final day worked. Make sure it all matches what your employer reports.

26 weeks should hopefully be enough time to find something new. The job market seems better than it was a couple years ago.

depends on your industry honestly, tech is still pretty rough from what i hear

That's helpful context. Sounds like I'll probably be somewhere in the $500-600 range based on my salary.

That's good to know. Hopefully I won't need to worry about that scenario though!

learned this the hard way when i got a temp job that ended after 2 months, at least the benefit amount stayed the same when i had to file again

What would you need to earn to get the maximum benefit? Like six figures?

You'd need to earn about $65,000 in your highest quarter, which means you'd have to be making well over $100K annually. Most people get somewhere between $200-600 per week.

Thanks for the heads up! I'll double-check everything when I file online.

yes! and keep records of everything - your separation notice, pay stubs, any communication with your employer about the layoff

Great news! Keep filing those weekly claims even while it's pending.

fingers crossed you don't get stuck in adjudication like i did

Every state has different benefit formulas and maximum amounts. California's maximum is higher but their cost of living is also higher in most areas.

still feels unfair when you see other states paying more. makes me want to move just for better unemployment benefits lol

Maybe for people who don't get stuck in adjudication purgatory like me! 6 weeks and counting...

That's why I keep mentioning Claimyr - it's specifically designed to help people get through to Washington ESD when they're stuck. Worth checking out their demo if you're having issues.

The job search requirement doesn't change your benefit amount, but you have to meet it to keep getting paid. It's 3 job search activities per week, not necessarily 3 applications.

What counts as a job search activity besides applying?

Attending job fairs, networking events, creating profiles on job sites, career counseling sessions - Washington ESD has a list of approved activities on their website.

What happens if you file late on the weekly claims?

you can still file late but they might ask why you were late. if you miss a whole week without filing you just lose that week's payment

Good point. I'll factor that into my budget planning.

easier said than done, their phone lines are impossible

That's literally why Claimyr exists - to solve that exact problem. I wouldn't keep mentioning it if it didn't actually work for getting through to them.

That's really helpful! I didn't know they had an online calculator. I'll check that out before filing.

the calculator is helpful but the actual amount might be slightly different depending on how they calculate your base period

Thanks everyone for all the advice! This thread has been super helpful. I'm going to file my claim tomorrow.

good luck! hope your claim goes smoothly and you find something new soon

Good call, I'll set that up in my account. Didn't realize the debit card had fees.

Yeah, they charge for ATM withdrawals and other transactions. Direct deposit is definitely the way to go.

What counts as a job search activity? Just applying to jobs or other things too?

Job applications, networking events, career fairs, informational interviews, even some online career courses. Just has to be legitimate job search related.

So even with no problems, it's still 2-3 weeks? That's longer than I hoped.

Unfortunately yes, that's pretty standard. Make sure you have some savings to cover that gap.

The maximum does get adjusted annually based on state wage data, but you're right that it doesn't always keep pace with living costs in expensive areas.

Exactly my point from earlier. The system doesn't work for people who actually need it most.

Right, so with taxes it's really more like $800-850 take home depending on withholding.

Exactly. Always plan your budget based on the net amount, not the gross benefit.

How much does something like that cost though? Seems like it could be expensive.

It's worth it when you're dealing with delayed benefits. They focus on getting you connected to resolve issues rather than endless holds and busy signals.

All my recent work was in Washington so I think I'm good there.

Perfect, then Washington ESD is definitely the right place to file.

Don't wait! The sooner you file, the sooner you can start receiving benefits. The online application walks you through everything step by step.

And if you do run into problems, that's when services like Claimyr become really valuable for getting things sorted out quickly.

Glad it helped! This community is great for getting real answers about unemployment stuff.

That's what we're here for. Good luck with your claim filing!

How much did Claimyr cost? I'm getting desperate to talk to someone about my claim.

It was worth every penny compared to the hours I wasted trying to call myself. Much easier than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

What happens after the 52 weeks are up? Do you have to start over?

Yes, you'd need to file a new claim if you're still unemployed after your benefit year ends. They'll look at your earnings from a new base period.

The job search log is really important. Make sure you're keeping detailed records because Washington ESD does audit those and you could lose benefits if you can't prove you did the searches.

yeah i learned that the hard way. they asked for my job search records and i almost got disqualified because my log was incomplete

You can work part-time and still collect partial unemployment benefits. Washington ESD deducts your gross earnings from your weekly benefit amount, minus the first $5. So if you earn $100, they'd deduct $95 from your benefits.

That actually sounds pretty fair. At least I wouldn't lose all my benefits for working a few hours.

Just make sure you report ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim. Even if it's just $20, you have to report it or risk getting an overpayment notice later.

The current system is designed to replace a percentage of your lost wages while encouraging you to return to work quickly. It's based on federal guidelines that all states have to follow.

its all about keeping benefits low so people will take any crappy job instead of holding out for something decent

The extra federal benefits (like the $600 weekly FPUC payment) ended in 2021. What you're getting now is just regular state unemployment benefits without any federal supplements.

That explains it. Those pandemic benefits spoiled everyone I guess. This regular amount barely covers anything.

They only use your highest earning quarter for the weekly benefit calculation, so low quarters won't hurt you there. But you still need to meet the minimum earnings requirements across all quarters to qualify at all.

If you're not sure about qualification, you might want to call Washington ESD to check. I used Claimyr again last month for a different question and they're still helping people get through the phone system quickly.

Congrats on getting approved! How long did the whole process take from when you first filed?

about 3 weeks total but that included some back and forth about my separation reason. once that got cleared up the payments started pretty quick

The online estimator is just that - an estimate. Your actual benefit amount is calculated using the exact wage records your employers reported to Washington ESD, which might be different from what you thought you earned.

Makes sense. At least I still qualified for a decent amount. $523 should help while I job search.

They have to verify your wage records with all your employers first, which takes time. But I agree the communication could be better about what's happening during the waiting period.

That's another reason I ended up using Claimyr - I needed to talk to someone who could explain what was taking so long with my claim processing. Sometimes you just need to hear it from a real person.

Thanks for breaking it down simply! That's actually helpful to understand the formula.

yep and if you made minimum wage your whole highest quarter would be like $3900 so you'd get about $150 per week. barely enough to survive on

easy to say when you're not the one trying to pay mortgage and car payments on $300 a week

I've been there too. It's definitely tough, but the alternative is no assistance at all. The system isn't perfect but it does provide some help during difficult times.