How much is unemployment pay in Washington - what's the weekly benefit amount?
I'm thinking about filing for unemployment but want to understand the financial side first. How much is unemployment pay in Washington state? I was making about $52,000 per year at my last job and wondering what my weekly benefit would be. Also does anyone know if there are taxes taken out automatically or do I need to set money aside? I've never been on unemployment before so any info would be helpful.
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Diego Chavez
Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. The maximum weekly benefit is $999 but most people get between $300-700 depending on their wages. You can use the benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website to get an estimate.
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Chloe Robinson
•Thanks! I'll check out that calculator. Do you know roughly what percentage of your income it replaces?
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Diego Chavez
•It's supposed to replace about 50% of your average weekly wage but there are caps so higher earners get less percentage-wise.
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NeonNebula
i think its around 60% of your weekly pay but theres a max amount. when i was on it last year i was getting like $650 a week but i was making good money before
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Chloe Robinson
•That's helpful to know! Was that amount enough to cover your bills while you were looking for work?
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NeonNebula
•barely lol. had to cut back on a lot of stuff but it kept me afloat
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Anastasia Kozlov
The tax situation is important to consider too. Washington ESD will withhold federal taxes if you request it but you have to ask for it when you file your claim. Otherwise you'll owe taxes on all the unemployment income at the end of the year.
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Chloe Robinson
•Good point about taxes! I definitely want to have them withheld so I don't get hit with a big bill later.
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Sean Kelly
•Yeah I learned that the hard way my first time on unemployment. Owed like $1800 in taxes because I didn't have anything withheld.
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Zara Mirza
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about your specific benefit amount, I recently discovered Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you get connected to actual ESD agents without waiting on hold for hours. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helpful when you need to talk to someone about your claim details.
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Chloe Robinson
•Interesting! I haven't tried calling yet but good to know there are options if I can't get through.
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Luca Russo
•Wait is this like a paid service? How much does it cost to use?
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Zara Mirza
•They don't make you pay upfront or anything complicated. Just helps you actually reach someone at ESD when you need to.
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Diego Chavez
For your income level around $52k, you'd probably qualify for somewhere in the $600-750 range per week. The exact amount depends on which quarter had your highest earnings and how the calculation works out.
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Chloe Robinson
•That would actually be really helpful! I was worried it might be way less than that.
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Nia Harris
•Don't forget you also have to meet the job search requirements to keep getting benefits. It's not just free money.
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Sean Kelly
The whole system is so confusing honestly. I've been trying to figure out my benefit calculation for weeks and still don't understand how they got to my number. The base period thing makes no sense to me.
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Diego Chavez
•The base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January-December 2024.
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Sean Kelly
•OK that actually helps explain it better. I was looking at the wrong time period I think.
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Luca Russo
Does anyone know if the unemployment amount changes based on how long you've been unemployed? Like do you get less money after a certain number of weeks?
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Diego Chavez
•No, your weekly benefit amount stays the same throughout your claim. What changes is how many weeks you can collect - regular unemployment is up to 26 weeks in Washington.
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Luca Russo
•Good to know! I was worried it would decrease over time.
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GalaxyGazer
just a heads up the waiting period to get your first payment can be pretty long right now. took me like 5 weeks to see any money even after my claim was approved
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Chloe Robinson
•5 weeks?! That's crazy long. How are people supposed to survive that long without income?
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GalaxyGazer
•yeah its ridiculous. thats why a lot of people end up calling nonstop trying to get answers
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Anastasia Kozlov
The payment delays are definitely frustrating. I ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone at Washington ESD and found out my claim was stuck in adjudication. The agent was able to explain what documentation they needed to move it forward.
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Chloe Robinson
•What kind of documentation did they need? I want to make sure I have everything ready when I file.
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Anastasia Kozlov
•In my case it was proof of my last day worked and reason for separation. But it varies depending on your situation.
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NeonNebula
pro tip: when you do file make sure you have all your employer info ready including exact dates and addresses. if anything is wrong it can delay your whole claim
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Chloe Robinson
•Thanks for the tip! I'll gather all that info before I start the application.
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Mateo Sanchez
•Yeah and don't guess on the dates. Get the exact dates from your pay stubs or HR if you can.
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Nia Harris
Washington unemployment benefits are actually pretty decent compared to other states. The max is $999 per week which is one of the higher amounts in the country. But you have to remember it's temporary and you need to be actively looking for work.
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Chloe Robinson
•Good point about the job search requirement. What exactly do they require for that?
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Nia Harris
•You need to make 3 job contacts per week and keep a log of your job search activities. They can audit it anytime.
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Aisha Mahmood
if you end up having issues with your claim getting processed, i had good luck with that claimyr service someone mentioned. saved me hours of calling and actually got me connected to someone who could help
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Chloe Robinson
•Several people have mentioned that service now. Seems like it might be worth trying if I run into problems.
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Luca Russo
•I'm still skeptical about using a third party service but if it actually works...
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Diego Chavez
One more thing to keep in mind - if you have any issues with your employer disputing your claim, that can affect your benefit amount or eligibility. Make sure you understand your separation reason and have documentation if needed.
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Chloe Robinson
•My separation was due to layoffs so hopefully that shouldn't be an issue. But good to know about potential disputes.
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Ethan Moore
•Layoffs are usually pretty straightforward. It's when you quit or get fired that things get complicated.
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Yuki Kobayashi
The whole process seems overwhelming but the benefit amount sounds reasonable. I've been putting off filing because I wasn't sure it would be worth the hassle.
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Chloe Robinson
•Same here! That's why I wanted to understand the financial side first.
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Diego Chavez
•Don't wait too long to file. You can't get benefits for weeks before you file your initial claim, even if you were eligible.
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Carmen Vega
does anyone know if unemployment benefits count as income for things like food stamps or medicaid? asking for a friend...
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Anastasia Kozlov
•Yes, unemployment benefits count as income for most means-tested programs. But the income limits for those programs are usually higher than unemployment benefits anyway.
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Carmen Vega
•thanks, that's what i figured but wanted to make sure
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QuantumQuester
For what it's worth, I was making about $55k and my weekly benefit came out to $684. So your estimate of $600-750 sounds about right for that income level.
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Chloe Robinson
•That's really helpful to have a real example! Thanks for sharing.
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Andre Moreau
•How long did it take from when you filed to when you got your first payment?
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QuantumQuester
•About 3 weeks for me, but this was before the recent delays people are talking about.
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Zoe Stavros
washington esd is so backed up right now. took forever to get my claim processed and then when i had questions about my benefit amount i couldnt get through on the phone
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Zara Mirza
•That's exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr really helps. Instead of calling for hours, they handle getting you connected to an actual person.
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Zoe Stavros
•might have to try that next time i need to call
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Jamal Harris
Just want to add that the benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website is pretty accurate. I used it before filing and my actual weekly amount was within $20 of what it estimated.
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Chloe Robinson
•Good to know the calculator is reliable! I'll definitely use that to plan my budget.
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Mei Chen
•Where exactly is the calculator on their website? I've been looking for it.
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Jamal Harris
•It's under the 'File a Claim' section, there's a link that says 'Estimate Your Benefits' or something like that.
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Liam Sullivan
Bottom line - if you're eligible, the benefits in Washington are decent enough to help while you job search. Just be prepared for potential delays and have your documentation ready.
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Chloe Robinson
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much more prepared to file now.
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Diego Chavez
•Good luck with your claim! Feel free to ask if you run into any issues during the process.
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