How much is unemployment benefits in Washington ESD weekly payment?

Thanks! So if I was making $4200 a month that should put me pretty close to the maximum right?

Depends on how long you worked at that salary. They look at the 12 month period before you filed, specifically your highest earning quarter in that timeframe.

That's really helpful to know! Did you have any trouble getting your claim approved?

Mine went through pretty smoothly actually. Filed online and got approved within about 10 days.

Oh I didn't even think about taxes! So if I get like $900 a week that would be $90 taken out?

Exactly, if you choose the withholding option. You can also choose not to withhold and just deal with it at tax time.

I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com - they actually get you through to Washington ESD agents without the wait. I watched their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and it looked legit, ended up using it last month when my claim got stuck in adjudication.

That sounds too good to be true honestly but I'm desperate at this point. Did it actually work for you?

Yeah I was skeptical too but I got connected to an agent in like 15 minutes. Way better than spending my whole day redialing.

There actually is a benefit calculator buried somewhere on their site but it's not very user friendly. The manual calculation isn't too bad once you understand the base period concept.

I looked for it but couldn't find it anywhere. Do you remember where it was located?

What are the job search requirements exactly? I haven't started looking yet since I just got laid off.

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log. Washington ESD can audit your job search activities so definitely keep good records.

Good to know, thanks! I better start applying places soon then.

The $999 is the absolute maximum for regular unemployment insurance in Washington. There used to be additional pandemic benefits but those ended in 2021.

Okay that makes sense. I was confused because I thought I read something about different benefit types.

The determination letter should show your base period quarters and the calculation. If you're still confused you might want to call and ask them to explain it.

Yeah good luck getting through to them on the phone. I've been trying for weeks.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - I needed to understand why my benefit amount seemed wrong and couldn't get through the normal way. The agent was able to walk me through the calculation step by step.

How much can you earn before they cut off your benefits completely?

It depends on your weekly benefit amount but generally you can earn up to 25% of your benefit without any reduction. After that they start reducing your payment dollar for dollar.

Did you have any deductions? Sometimes they take out things like child support or previous overpayments.

I don't think so but honestly the payment stub was so confusing I couldn't tell what was going on.

That's good to hear! I was worried it wouldn't be enough to cover my basic expenses.

Yeah it should help bridge the gap while you're job hunting. Just don't wait too long to start applying places because of the job search requirements.

Oh wow I didn't know that! I've been waiting to hear back before filing any weekly claims.

Yeah definitely start filing right away. You can backdate claims but it's easier to just stay on top of it from the beginning.

I agree the online filing is easy but when you have questions or problems that's when you need to call and that's impossible.

True, the phone system is definitely the weak point. I've been lucky not to have any issues that required calling.

It stays the same for your entire benefit year unless there's an error in the calculation that gets corrected. Your benefit year is 52 weeks from when you first filed.

Good to know, thanks for clarifying that!

You lose them - unemployment benefits are use it or lose it. But if you get laid off again within your benefit year you might be able to reopen your claim.

Makes sense, thanks! I guess the goal is to find work as soon as possible anyway.

What kind of employer details do they need exactly?

Names, addresses, dates you worked there, reason you left each job. Basically your complete work history for the past 18 months or so.

Should I be documenting this stuff starting now even before my claim is approved?

Absolutely! Better to have too much documentation than not enough if they ever audit your claim.

Agreed! I feel much more prepared to file my claim now. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their experiences.

Glad we could help! Good luck with your claim and job search.