How much is unemployment benefits in Washington state - need to know what to expect

That's helpful, thanks! So they look at quarterly earnings, not just my hourly wage?

Exactly. It's all based on your actual reported wages from employers, not your hourly rate.

Wow, $999 is pretty good. I doubt I'll get anywhere near that though.

Yeah the max is for people who were making really good money. Most regular jobs end up in the $400-600 range.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents - you can check it out at claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work? I'm getting desperate here.

Yeah it worked for me. I was able to get through and talk to an actual person about my claim status. Way better than spending hours on hold.

You should get your monetary determination letter within 1-2 weeks of filing. That will show your weekly benefit amount and total benefit year amount.

ok good to know, hopefully it comes soon

I don't have kids but that's good to know for people who do.

Wait really? I have two kids and nobody told me about this when I filed. How do I add them?

You need to contact Washington ESD and provide proof of dependency. Birth certificates usually work.

There is actually a benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website, but it's kind of hidden. You have to dig around to find it.

I looked everywhere and couldn't find one. Do you have a link?

That's a decent amount. Should help while you're looking for another job.

Boeing layoffs have been rough. Hope you find something soon.

Thanks, yeah it's been a tough time but the unemployment benefits are helping me stay afloat.

Good point. I should probably have them withhold taxes so I don't get hit with a big bill later.

Yeah I'd recommend it. The withholding is 10% for federal taxes.

Yes, overtime counts. Washington ESD looks at all your reported wages, including overtime pay.

Awesome, that should help my numbers then.

The unofficial calculators aren't always accurate because they use different formulas. The only way to know for sure is to wait for your monetary determination from Washington ESD.

Makes sense. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what they say.

That's actually a pretty typical amount. Probably means she was making around $40-45k per year.

Yeah that sounds about right for her job.

I've only worked in Washington so hopefully that makes things simpler.

Yeah you should be fine then. Multi-state claims are much more complicated.

I've been at my job for 2 years so I should qualify for the full 26 weeks right?

Most likely yes, but it depends on your total earnings over the base period, not just how long you worked.

I mentioned this earlier but Claimyr really helped me get through to someone at Washington ESD. Worth checking out if you're having trouble with the phones.

At this point I'm willing to try anything. The regular phone system is useless.

Good point. So even if I get approved for 26 weeks, there's still a total cap?

Exactly. Your total benefit year amount is usually 26 times your weekly benefit amount, but there are some exceptions.

Self-employed people usually can't get regular unemployment benefits unless they've been paying into the system voluntarily. You might want to look into other programs.

Ah ok, that's what I was afraid of. Thanks for the info.

I filed pretty quickly after getting laid off. How long do you have to wait?

You should file as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. There's no benefit to waiting.

I used it and it worked great. Finally got to talk to someone about my claim status instead of getting stuck in phone hell.

I was skeptical at first but it actually helped me get through when I needed to resolve an issue with my weekly claim.

Good to hear it works. I might give it a try since the regular phone system is hopeless.

Yeah I've been filing every week like clockwork. Don't want to mess anything up.

Smart. It's one of the most important things to remember about the whole process.

That's reassuring. I was worried it wouldn't be enough to cover my expenses.

It won't replace your full salary but it should help bridge the gap while you're job hunting.