How much money do you make on unemployment - Washington ESD weekly benefit amounts

Thanks for the formula! So they look at my best quarter, not my total annual salary? That's confusing but good to know.

Yeah the base year thing trips everyone up. It's not the last 12 months, it's like 15-18 months ago depending on when you file.

Where do I find my wage history? Do I need to get that from my employer or does Washington ESD already have it?

Washington ESD gets your wage info from employers automatically through quarterly reports. You can see it when you file your claim.

I had the same issue until I found Claimyr.com - they help you get through to Washington ESD agents automatically. Watched their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and it actually works. Got connected to someone within 30 minutes instead of spending all day calling.

The Washington ESD phone system is terrible. I gave up calling and just filed online, then waited to see what happened.

How much can you earn before they start reducing benefits? I might pick up some freelance work while I'm looking for a full-time job.

In Washington, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start deducting. So if your benefit is $400, you can earn up to $395 without any reduction.

Unemployment insurance isn't 'free money' - you and your employer paid into it through payroll taxes. It's insurance that you earned.

I know that, but the amount is still way too low compared to what I was making. How am I supposed to survive on $520 a week?

It's supposed to be temporary assistance while you find new work, not full salary replacement. Still sucks though.

Pending usually means they're reviewing something about your claim. Could be wages, separation reason, or work search. Have you checked your account for any notices or things that need your attention?

I was in the same boat last month. Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and finally got through to find out they needed additional wage verification from a previous employer. Took 5 minutes on the phone to resolve what had been pending for a month.

True, Washington's benefits are definitely better than most states. The maximum weekly benefit here is almost $1000 while some states cap it at $300-400.

That's good to know. I was worried I wouldn't get enough to make it worthwhile but sounds like Washington takes care of people better than other places.

Wait, they tax unemployment? That seems wrong - you're already in a tough spot financially.

Good point about taxes. I'll definitely have them withhold something so I don't get hit with a big bill later.

This is important advice. If you don't file weekly claims you won't get paid for those weeks even if your claim gets approved later.

How do you file the weekly claims? Is it online or do you have to call?

It's online through your Washington ESD account. Takes like 5 minutes each week to answer the questions about job search and any work you did.

That happened to me. Got laid off, found a better job, then got laid off again 6 months later. Still stuck with the benefit amount from the first claim even though my wages were higher at the second job.

So the benefit year is different from the base year? This is getting confusing.

Base year is the time period they use to calculate your benefits. Benefit year is how long your claim lasts - usually 52 weeks from when you first file.

I did get a small severance package. Should I wait until that runs out before filing for unemployment?

No, file right away. They'll just offset the severance against your benefits. If you wait, you might lose out on weeks you could have claimed later.

Severance offset rules are complicated. Definitely worth getting clarification from Washington ESD directly about your specific situation.

I use a spreadsheet to track all my applications, interviews, networking contacts, etc. Way easier than trying to remember everything when you file your weekly claim.

What counts as a job contact? Just applications or other things too?

Applications, interviews, networking events, job fairs, even calling employers to inquire about positions. There's a list on the Washington ESD website.