How much is the unemployment benefit in Washington - confused about weekly amounts

That helps! So it's not just a percentage of my last paycheck? I was expecting something closer to my $850/week.

Nope, unemployment is designed to replace about 50% of your average wages, not your final salary. It's based on your earning history over the base period.

How does that work exactly? Do you have to pay them to call ESD for you?

No they don't call for you - they help you get through the phone lines faster so you can talk directly to ESD yourself. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

OK so if my highest quarter was like $12,000, that would be $12,000 x 0.0385 = $462 per week?

Exactly! And you can receive up to 26 weeks of benefits in Washington, so your total potential would be around $12,012 in your case.

Wait I thought it was 30 weeks max? Or is that just during emergencies?

Regular UI is 26 weeks max. Extended benefits only kick in during high unemployment periods, which we're not in right now.

If your claim is still pending, it might be in adjudication. That's different from just waiting for your benefit calculation. Check your SecureAccess Washington account for any outstanding issues.

I checked and there's nothing there that I can see. This is so stressful when you need the money to pay bills

The $999 max applies to regular UI claims. Standby is when you're temporarily laid off but expect to return to work - same benefit calculation rules apply.

Good to know, thanks. I'm on standby from my restaurant job and wasn't sure if the amounts were different.

How long did it take from filing to getting your first payment? I'm worried about the timing.

About 3 weeks for me, but that included the waiting week. If there are no issues with your claim it should be pretty straightforward.

The calculator is just an estimate. Your actual benefit depends on the exact wages reported by your employers, which might differ slightly from what you remember earning.

That makes sense. At least it was close enough to plan with.

I don't think I've gotten that letter yet. Should it be there already if I was just approved?

It should appear in your account within a few days of approval. If it's not there yet, give it another day or two.

Oh wow I didn't even think about taxes. How do you set that up?

When you file your weekly claims there's an option to have 10% withheld for federal taxes. Definitely recommend it unless you want a big tax bill next year.

I learned this the hard way last year - owed like $1800 in taxes on my unemployment. Definitely have them withhold!

I'm getting desperate enough to try anything. The regular ESD phone lines are impossible.

I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Check out their demo video to see how it works before you decide.

So if I make $100 in a week, they'd reduce my benefits by $75?

Exactly. So if your weekly benefit is $400 and you earn $100, you'd get $325 from unemployment that week ($400 - $75).

Adjudication delays are frustrating but usually mean they need to verify something about your employment or eligibility. Have you checked for any outstanding requests for information?

I've checked everything a million times. There's nothing I can see that needs attention but nobody will tell me what's going on.

Same calculation method applies regardless of seasonal work. It's still based on your highest quarter earnings in the base period, so seasonal variations are already factored in.

That's good to know. I was worried they'd somehow penalize seasonal workers.

I used Claimyr and it's not that they call for you - they help you get through faster. When you've been trying for weeks to reach ESD, it's worth it to finally get answers.

Interesting, I might have to look into that if I keep getting nowhere with the regular phone lines.

That's really helpful to know. I was wondering what happens if I find work but then lose it again.

Exactly - you wouldn't have to refile or recalculate, just reopen your existing claim.

The calculator is just an estimate - your actual benefit in your account is based on the wages your employers actually reported, which is more accurate.

ok that makes more sense. I was worried there was an error somewhere.

This thread has been super helpful. Thanks everyone for breaking it down in plain English!

Agreed! Way clearer than trying to decode the official ESD explanations.