How much is unemployment benefits in Washington state - need to know weekly amount

So if I made like $7,000 in my best quarter that would be around $270 per week? That seems low compared to what I was earning.

Yeah that sounds about right. Remember unemployment is only supposed to replace part of your income, not all of it. You also have to meet the job search requirements to keep getting paid.

What's a base period? Is that just the last year I worked?

Base period is the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed quarters before you file your claim. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024.

How much does that cost though? I'm already broke waiting for my claim to get approved.

It's worth it when you consider how much time you save not sitting on hold. Plus they can help you get answers about your exact benefit calculation instead of guessing.

Tell me about it! I spent 3 hours on their website yesterday and still couldn't get a straight answer about how much I'd qualify for.

exactly! like why can't they just have a simple chart that shows if you made X amount you get Y amount per week

I don't have any kids so I guess no extra money for me. What counts as gross wages - is that before taxes?

Yes gross wages are before any deductions. Look at your W2 or pay stubs to see your total earnings for each quarter.

Same here! My claim has been pending for 6 weeks with no explanation.

It's ridiculous. How are we supposed to pay rent when we don't even know if we qualify or how much we'll get?

That's way more than the $270 I calculated earlier! How do I know which calculation is right?

You need to look at your actual quarterly earnings. The $7,000 example was just a random number, not based on your specific wages.

26 weeks should be enough time to find another job hopefully. Is there anything I need to do each week to keep getting paid?

Yes you have to file a weekly claim every week and report any work or income. You also need to do job searches and keep a log.

Did they actually help resolve your adjudication issue or just get you connected to someone?

They got me through to an actual adjudicator who reviewed my case right away. Turned out there was a simple issue with my employer verification that got fixed immediately once I talked to someone.

You're welcome! We've all been through this confusion before.

seriously this thread has been more helpful than 2 hours on their official website

What's standby status? I thought there was just regular unemployment.

Standby is when your employer expects to call you back within a certain timeframe. You don't have to do job searches but the benefit calculation might be different.

The maximum benefit amount is adjusted annually based on the state's average weekly wage. It usually goes up a little each year but not by much.

hopefully it goes up soon because $999 doesn't go very far with rent prices these days

I only worked in Washington so I guess that doesn't apply to me.

Yeah if all your work was in Washington then you file here. Just thought I'd mention it for anyone else reading.

Ugh I didn't think about taxes. So the $400+ per week isn't actually what I'll take home?

Right, you'll owe federal income tax on unemployment benefits just like regular wages. You can have them withhold 10% or just save money yourself.

But what if I file and then don't qualify? Does that hurt my chances later?

No, filing a claim doesn't hurt anything. If you don't qualify they'll just tell you why and you can address any issues.

Good to know, I might need that if my claim ever gets approved!

Yeah definitely keep it in mind. The phone system is impossible to navigate on your own.

True, I should probably just file and see what happens instead of trying to calculate everything first.

Exactly! All this math is pointless if you can't even get through their system.

Thank you! That gives me a much better idea of what to expect. I'll file this week.

Good luck! Make sure you have all your employment info ready when you file.

That's what these forums are for! Everyone helping each other figure out the system.

definitely beats trying to decode the washington esd website on your own

That's correct! Plus you have to be unemployed through no fault of your own and meet all the other eligibility requirements.

cool thanks for confirming, this stuff is confusing but starting to make sense