How much money from unemployment benefits can I expect from Washington ESD?

That's really helpful, thank you! I think my highest quarter was probably around $14,500 so maybe I'll get closer to $275 weekly?

Yeah that sounds about right. You'll know for sure once you file your initial claim and Washington ESD processes it.

Good to know, thanks! How long did it take for your first payment to come through?

took about 2 weeks after filing but i had no issues with my claim. some people wait longer if there's adjudication

Oh I didn't know about the job search logging requirement. Is that something I start right away or after a waiting period?

You start the job search requirements immediately after your first week of filing. No waiting period for that part.

WorkSourceWA is actually pretty decent for job searching too, not just for logging requirements. I found some good leads there.

Never heard of that before. Is it legit? I'm always skeptical of third-party services for government stuff.

Yeah it's legitimate. They don't ask for your personal info or anything sketchy. Just helps you get through the phone queue to talk to a real person at Washington ESD.

I've used Claimyr too and it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected. Worth checking out if you need to speak with someone.

That's frustrating but good to know I'm not the only one confused by it.

The calculator works but you have to enter your quarterly wages exactly right. Most people just estimate and that throws it off.

Oh wow, I had no idea about the tax situation. Can I request withholding when I file?

Yes, you can elect to have 10% withheld for federal taxes. There's an option during the filing process.

Washington state doesn't have income tax so you only need to worry about federal withholding.

That does seem low for your income level. Did you appeal or ask them to review the calculation?

Filed an appeal but it's been 6 weeks and nothing. The whole system moves at a snail's pace.

Appeals can take a while but they do process them eventually. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims while waiting.

You're right, the maximum did increase recently. It's tied to the state average weekly wage so it goes up periodically.

Good to know it's at least keeping up with inflation somewhat.

That's a good point. So if I get $300 weekly for 26 weeks, my maximum would be $7,800 total?

Exactly! Though some people qualify for fewer than 26 weeks depending on their work history.

What if I do some freelance work or odd jobs while collecting? Do I report that too?

Yes, report ALL income including freelance, cash jobs, everything. Better to be over-cautious than deal with overpayment notices later.

You can work part-time and still collect partial benefits, but you must report the hours and wages on your weekly claim.

What kind of issue with your employer caused the adjudication delay?

They contested my claim saying I quit instead of being laid off. Had to provide documentation to prove it was actually a layoff.

That's exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr is helpful. Hard to resolve those issues without talking to someone.

I guess I'll just have to file and find out. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!

How detailed do the job search logs need to be?

pretty detailed - company name, position applied for, date, method of contact. they want to see you're making genuine efforts

Have you tried checking your account online to see the status?

It just says 'claim under review' but no other details. So frustrating.

that's normal, mine said the same thing for about 10 days before approval came through

That's a good rule of thumb. Makes it easier to plan ahead.

Yep, and remember it's temporary so use the time wisely to find your next job.

That's complicated. I got a raise about 3 months ago so hopefully that counts.

It probably will count depending on when exactly you file. The base period calculation can be tricky.