How much is unemployment per week in Washington state - confused about my benefit amount
I just got approved for unemployment benefits after being laid off from my retail job last month. My weekly benefit amount shows $362 but I'm not sure if that's before or after taxes? Also does this amount change based on how many hours I work part-time? I've been trying to find clear info on Washington ESD's website but it's confusing. Can someone explain how the weekly benefit calculation actually works?
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Nora Brooks
Your $362 is your gross weekly benefit amount before taxes. Washington ESD will withhold 10% for federal taxes if you choose that option when you file your weekly claim. The amount can change if you work part time - they'll reduce your benefits based on your earnings.
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Jayden Reed
•Thanks! So if I make $100 working part time one week, they'll subtract that from my $362?
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Nora Brooks
•Not exactly - they have a formula. You can earn up to about $181 before they start reducing your benefits, then it's dollar for dollar after that.
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Eli Wang
The weekly benefit amount depends on your earnings in your base year. Washington ESD looks at your highest quarter and calculates about 3.85% of those earnings as your weekly amount, up to the maximum.
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Cassandra Moon
•What's the maximum weekly benefit right now? I thought it was around $844 but I'm not sure if that changed for 2025.
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Eli Wang
•Yes, the maximum weekly benefit amount for 2025 is $844. Most people don't get the max though - depends on how much you earned.
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Zane Hernandez
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about your benefit calculation, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. They have this system that calls for you and connects you when someone picks up. Check out claimyr.com - there's even a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
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Jayden Reed
•That sounds interesting. I've been trying to call for days but keep getting the busy signal or getting disconnected.
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Genevieve Cavalier
•I used something similar last year when I had issues with my claim. It's definitely worth it if you need to talk to someone quickly.
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Cassandra Moon
Just remember you have to report ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim, even if it's just $20. I made that mistake once and got an overpayment notice months later.
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Jayden Reed
•Good to know! Do I report gross earnings or net earnings?
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Cassandra Moon
•Always report your gross earnings - before taxes and deductions. Washington ESD is very strict about this.
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Ethan Scott
Your benefit amount also depends on whether you qualify for any dependents allowance. If you have kids under 18, you might get extra money added to your weekly amount.
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Jayden Reed
•I don't have kids so that doesn't apply to me, but good info for others reading this.
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Lola Perez
•The dependent allowance is like $25-30 per child I think, but there's a maximum total you can get.
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Genevieve Cavalier
Make sure you're doing your job search activities too. Washington ESD requires 3 job search contacts per week to keep getting benefits. They can audit your job search log anytime.
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Jayden Reed
•Yes, I've been keeping track of my applications in WorkSourceWA. Is that enough or do I need to do something else?
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Genevieve Cavalier
•That's good but make sure you're actually applying and not just browsing jobs. Each contact needs to be a real application or employer contact.
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Lola Perez
I'm getting $284 per week and worked for 15 years at the same company. Seems low compared to what other people are getting. How do they actually calculate this??
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Nora Brooks
•It's based on your earnings in your base year, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. If your wages were lower in that period, your benefit amount will be lower.
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Lola Perez
•That makes sense actually. I had taken some unpaid time off during that period for health reasons.
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Nathaniel Stewart
Does anyone know if the weekly benefit amount includes the additional federal unemployment money or is that separate? I'm confused about what programs are still active.
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Nora Brooks
•The extra federal benefits like the $600 and $300 payments ended in 2021. What you're getting now is just regular state unemployment insurance.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Oh okay, I wasn't sure if there were any current federal programs still running. Thanks for clarifying.
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Riya Sharma
Pro tip: if you're not sure about your benefit calculation, you can look at your monetary determination letter that Washington ESD sent you. It breaks down exactly how they calculated your weekly amount.
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Jayden Reed
•I think I threw that letter away thinking it wasn't important. Can I get another copy?
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Riya Sharma
•Yes, you can request a copy through your online account on the Washington ESD website or by calling their customer service line.
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Zane Hernandez
Speaking of calling Washington ESD - I mentioned Claimyr earlier but wanted to add that it really helped me when I had questions about my benefit amount. Instead of spending hours trying to get through, they connected me to an agent in about 20 minutes. Worth checking out if you need to speak with someone directly.
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Santiago Diaz
•How much does that service cost? I'm already tight on money with reduced unemployment benefits.
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Zane Hernandez
•I'd rather not discuss pricing here, but they focus on getting you connected quickly rather than having you waste time calling over and over. The time saved was worth it for me.
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Millie Long
I've been on standby status for 3 months and getting partial benefits. My weekly amount varies between $150-300 depending on the work hours my employer gives me that week. It's confusing but at least it's something.
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Jayden Reed
•What's standby status? I haven't heard of that before.
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Millie Long
•It's when your employer temporarily reduces your hours but expects to bring you back to full time soon. You can collect partial unemployment while working reduced hours.
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KaiEsmeralda
Make sure you understand the difference between your weekly benefit amount and your maximum benefit amount. Your weekly is what you get each week, but your maximum is the total you can collect over the entire benefit year.
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Jayden Reed
•What happens when you reach your maximum benefit amount?
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KaiEsmeralda
•Your benefits stop even if you're still unemployed, unless you qualify for a new claim based on work you've done since filing.
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Debra Bai
This whole system is so confusing! I just want to know how much money I'll get each week so I can budget. Why can't Washington ESD just make this information clearer on their website?
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Gabriel Freeman
•I totally agree. The website is a maze and the phone system is even worse. At least forums like this help people figure things out.
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Debra Bai
•Yeah, I've learned more from reading posts here than from any official Washington ESD communication.
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Laura Lopez
For anyone still confused about benefit calculations, the formula is roughly: (highest quarter earnings in base year ÷ 13) × 0.5 = weekly benefit amount. But there are minimums and maximums that apply.
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Jayden Reed
•That's actually really helpful! I wish Washington ESD explained it that simply.
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Victoria Brown
•The minimum weekly benefit is $295 and maximum is $844 for 2025, just to complete that information.
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Samuel Robinson
Don't forget that if you receive other income like pension payments or severance, that might affect your weekly unemployment amount too. I learned this the hard way.
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Jayden Reed
•I got a small severance payment when I was laid off. Do I need to report that?
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Samuel Robinson
•Yes, you need to report any severance payments. Depending on how it's structured, it might delay your benefits or reduce your weekly amount.
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Camila Castillo
One thing that helped me was using the benefit calculator tool on WorkSourceWA before I filed my claim. It gave me a rough estimate of what to expect for my weekly amount.
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Jayden Reed
•I didn't know there was a calculator tool! I'll have to check that out for future reference.
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Camila Castillo
•It's not 100% accurate but gives you a ballpark figure so you're not completely surprised by your benefit amount.
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Brianna Muhammad
Just wanted to thank everyone for all the helpful information. This thread has been more useful than anything I found on the official Washington ESD website. Really appreciate the community help!
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Nora Brooks
•That's what these forums are for! We've all been through the confusion of figuring out the unemployment system.
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Jayden Reed
•Agreed! I feel much more confident about my benefits now. Thanks everyone for taking the time to explain everything.
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Zane Hernandez
Final thought - if you ever need to speak directly with Washington ESD about your specific benefit calculation or have complex questions, remember that Claimyr service I mentioned can save you hours of phone frustration. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get clear answers.
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JaylinCharles
•I might actually try that service. I've wasted so much time trying to get through to Washington ESD on my own.
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Jayden Reed
•Same here. The phone system is definitely the worst part of dealing with unemployment benefits.
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Yuki Tanaka
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just got approved and seeing $289 as my weekly benefit amount. One thing I wanted to add for anyone reading is that Washington ESD also has different payment methods available. You can get benefits through direct deposit, the ReliaCard debit card, or even paper checks (though that takes longer). I set up direct deposit and usually get my payment within 1-2 business days after filing my weekly claim. Just make sure to file your weekly claim every week even if you worked some hours - the system will calculate the partial benefits for you automatically based on what you report.
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Amy Fleming
•Great point about the payment methods! I'm still using the ReliaCard they sent me but direct deposit sounds much more convenient. How long did it take for your direct deposit to get set up? I'm worried about any delays in switching payment methods while I'm already receiving benefits.
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Liam Murphy
•@bd69a9972b96 Thanks for mentioning the payment options! I had no idea you could switch to direct deposit after already being set up with the ReliaCard. Do you know if there are any fees with the ReliaCard that I should be aware of? I've been using it for ATM withdrawals but wondering if direct deposit would save me money in the long run.
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Aria Khan
•@bd69a9972b96 That's really helpful info about the payment methods! I didn't realize direct deposit was an option - I've been using the ReliaCard they automatically sent me. Quick question - when you file your weekly claim and report part-time earnings, does the system immediately show you what your reduced benefit amount will be for that week, or do you have to wait to see the actual payment? I'm nervous about reporting my part-time hours correctly and want to make sure I understand how the partial benefits calculation works in practice.
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