How much is unemployment a week in Washington - confused about benefit amounts
I'm trying to figure out how much unemployment benefits I'll get per week in Washington state. I've been working retail for about 2 years making around $18/hour but my hours varied a lot. Some weeks I worked 35 hours, other weeks only 20. I know it's based on your wages but I can't find a clear answer anywhere on the Washington ESD website about the actual weekly amount. Does anyone know how they calculate this? I'm really stressed about making rent if I get laid off.
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Liv Park
Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. The maximum weekly benefit is currently $999 but most people get way less than that. For retail wages around $18/hour, you're probably looking at somewhere between $250-400 per week depending on how many hours you consistently worked.
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Charlee Coleman
•Thanks! That helps give me a ballpark. Do you know if they use your last 4 quarters or just the highest one?
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Liv Park
•They look at your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. Then they use your highest earning quarter from that period to calculate your weekly amount.
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Leeann Blackstein
i think its like 50% of your average weekly wage or something like that. but honestly the washington esd website is so confusing, i couldn't figure it out either when i filed last year
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Ryder Greene
•It's actually more complicated than 50%. They use a formula based on your quarterly earnings. I had to call Washington ESD three times before someone could explain it clearly to me.
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Carmella Fromis
•Calling Washington ESD is a nightmare though. I spent literally hours on hold just to ask about my benefit calculation. There's gotta be a better way to get through to them.
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Theodore Nelson
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about your benefit amount, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach a live agent. They have some kind of system that gets you connected faster than calling yourself. Check out claimyr.com - they even have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of waiting on hold when I needed to verify my benefit calculation.
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Charlee Coleman
•Is this legit? I'm desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD but don't want to get scammed.
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Theodore Nelson
•Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They don't ask for your personal info or anything sketchy, just help you get connected to Washington ESD's actual phone system.
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AaliyahAli
•I used Claimyr last month when I had questions about my weekly benefit amount. Definitely worth it if you can't get through the normal way.
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Carmella Fromis
The formula is your highest quarter earnings divided by 26, then they take a percentage of that. But there's also a minimum and maximum weekly benefit amount. For 2025 the minimum is $295 and maximum is $999. Most retail workers end up somewhere in the $300-500 range.
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Charlee Coleman
•That's actually really helpful to know the range. I was worried it would be like $200 or something impossible to live on.
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Ellie Simpson
•Don't forget you also have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits. That weekly amount is before taxes so budget accordingly.
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Arjun Kurti
UGH the Washington ESD benefit calculator online is BROKEN half the time. I tried using it when I got furloughed and it kept giving me error messages. Finally had to wait 3 weeks to get my actual benefit determination letter to see my weekly amount.
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Raúl Mora
•Same here! The online tools are trash. Everything with Washington ESD takes forever.
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Liv Park
•The online calculator can be glitchy but your actual benefit determination is what matters. That comes after you file your initial claim and Washington ESD processes your wage information.
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Margot Quinn
I worked retail too and got $387 per week. I was making about $19/hour but worked pretty consistent 32-35 hour weeks. The benefit amount really depends on how stable your work history was.
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Charlee Coleman
•That gives me hope! My hours were all over the place but I've been consistently employed for 2 years.
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Margot Quinn
•Yeah, consistent employment definitely helps. Just make sure you report any part-time work correctly when you file your weekly claims.
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Evelyn Kim
There's also the additional $25 per week if you're eligible for federal programs, but I think that expired. The base Washington state amount is what you'll get.
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Liv Park
•You're thinking of the pandemic-era federal additions. Those ended in 2021. Now it's just the regular Washington state unemployment benefits.
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Evelyn Kim
•Oh right, I always forget which programs are still active. Thanks for clarifying.
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Diego Fisher
honestly just file your claim and see what happens. the benefit amount will be in your determination letter. trying to calculate it yourself is more stress than its worth
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Charlee Coleman
•I get that but I'm trying to plan my budget in case I get laid off. Need to know if I can cover rent or if I need to start looking for a second job now.
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Henrietta Beasley
•Smart planning! Better to know roughly what to expect than be surprised.
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Lincoln Ramiro
When I filed last year I think I got around $425/week and I was making $22/hour in food service. But I had worked there for 3 years with pretty steady hours. The benefit amount really varies based on your work history.
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Charlee Coleman
•That's encouraging! I've been consistent at my job even though the hours vary.
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Faith Kingston
•Steady employment history definitely helps with the benefit calculation. Washington ESD looks at your earnings pattern over the base period.
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Emma Johnson
Pro tip: if you do get laid off, file your claim immediately. Benefits don't start until the week you file, so don't wait thinking you'll find a job quickly.
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Charlee Coleman
•Good to know! I always thought there was a waiting period.
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Emma Johnson
•There used to be a waiting week but Washington eliminated that. Now you can get benefits starting the first week you're unemployed if you file right away.
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Liam Brown
The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator but like others said it's not always working. Your best bet is calling them directly if you need an exact estimate before filing.
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Olivia Garcia
•Good luck getting through though. Their phone system is always busy.
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Theodore Nelson
•That's exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier. It's the only way I've found to actually get through to Washington ESD without spending all day on hold.
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Noah Lee
I was making about $16/hour at my last job and got $298 per week in benefits. It wasn't great but it helped cover basic expenses while I looked for work.
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Charlee Coleman
•That's actually not as bad as I expected for $16/hour. How long did it take to get your first payment?
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Noah Lee
•About 2 weeks after filing. Make sure you do your weekly claims every week even if your initial claim is still processing.
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Ava Hernandez
Remember you can also work part-time while collecting unemployment. They'll reduce your weekly benefit but you won't lose it entirely if you work under a certain number of hours.
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Charlee Coleman
•That's good to know! I was thinking about picking up some gig work if I get laid off.
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Liv Park
•Just make sure you report any work and earnings when you file your weekly claims. Washington ESD will calculate the reduction for you.
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Isabella Martin
The benefit amount also depends on when you file. If you've been working more hours recently, that might help your calculation since they look at your recent quarters.
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Charlee Coleman
•My hours have been pretty consistent this year, maybe slightly more than last year. Hopefully that helps.
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Isabella Martin
•Yeah, any increase in earnings will help your benefit calculation. They use your highest earning quarter as the base.
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Elijah Jackson
just wanted to add that if you're worried about money, you should also look into other assistance programs. unemployment might not cover everything but there are food programs and utility assistance available too
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Charlee Coleman
•Thanks, that's actually really helpful. I hadn't thought about other programs.
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Sophia Miller
•211 is a good resource for finding local assistance programs if you need help beyond unemployment benefits.
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Mason Davis
I used Claimyr when I had questions about my benefit amount and it was super helpful. Way better than trying to navigate the Washington ESD phone system on my own. Definitely worth checking out if you need to talk to someone there.
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Charlee Coleman
•Multiple people have mentioned this service. I might try it if I can't get answers online.
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Mia Rodriguez
•It's legit - I was skeptical at first but it really does work. Saved me so much time and frustration.
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