How much is unemployment weekly payment in Washington state?

Thanks! So they look at my best 3 months of earnings? I had some really good months last summer with overtime.

Exactly, they take your highest earning quarter and divide by 13 to get your base weekly amount. Then multiply that by 0.385 to get your actual benefit.

What's adjudication? Should I be worried about that?

It's when they review your claim for issues. Mine was because I had a brief period between jobs. Just delays everything.

I'll check that out, thanks. Hopefully it's more accurate than what my buddy told me.

That sounds too good to be true. How does it work exactly?

They handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you to an actual Washington ESD representative when they get through. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

I've heard of services like this but never tried one. Does it actually work for getting claim info?

Yeah I'm not expecting to get rich, just trying to figure out if I can cover my basic expenses while job hunting.

Good to know. What are the job search requirements exactly?

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log. They can audit you so keep good records of where you applied.

This is so stressful trying to keep track of everything while dealing with being unemployed.

Good tip, I'll make sure to do that when I apply.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr - got tired of wasting entire days trying to reach someone at Washington ESD. Within a few hours they had me connected to an adjudicator who explained what was holding up my claim.

At this point I'm willing to try anything. This is ridiculous.

I don't have kids so that doesn't apply to me, but good to know for others reading this.

You can choose to have federal taxes withheld when you set up your claim. I'd recommend it unless you want a big tax bill next April.

Thanks, I'll definitely have them withhold taxes then.

Yes, you have to report any earnings when you file your weekly claim. They'll reduce your benefit based on how much you earn, but you can still collect partial benefits.

OK so it's not an all or nothing thing, that's good to know.

Definitely planning to be completely honest. Not worth the risk.

Yeah I'm planning to apply first thing Monday morning. How long did it take to get your first payment?

About 3 weeks from application to first payment, but that was pretty typical timing back then.

Wait, there's a waiting week? So even if I get approved I don't get paid for the first week?

That's correct, the first week is unpaid. It's called the waiting week and it's just how the system works in Washington.

You just need to have worked in Washington and earned enough wages during your base period. You can collect benefits even if you move to another state.

Good tip! I'll try to file on Monday or Tuesday instead of waiting until the weekend.

YES! That's part of what's holding up my claim. They want all these documents and the upload system keeps failing.

That's another area where Claimyr really helped me out. The rep they connected me with walked me through exactly what documents I needed and the best way to submit them.

Thanks for the encouragement. This whole situation is pretty stressful but I'm trying to stay positive.

Good to know there's an appeal process. Hopefully I won't need it but it's reassuring.

The appeal deadline is pretty strict though, so don't wait around if you disagree with a decision.

Good luck with your claim! Feel free to ask if you run into any issues.

Hope everything goes smoothly for you. The system can be frustrating but it does work eventually.