How much unemployment benefits can I expect from Washington ESD?

Thanks! So if I made $13,000 in my highest quarter, that would be $500 per week? That seems pretty good actually.

Not exactly - it's more complex than that. The $13k divided by 26 gives you one part, but then they also look at your total base period wages. You'd need to use the Washington ESD calculator or call them for an exact amount.

Yeah the base period thing is confusing! I think they use quarters 2-5 before you file, not the most recent quarter.

Exactly! So if you file in January 2025, they're looking at your earnings from April 2023 through March 2024. Really caught me off guard.

Thanks! So if I made around $3,000 in my best quarter, I'd get about $115 a week? That seems really low...

That sounds about right unfortunately. UI benefits are meant to be temporary assistance, not full wage replacement. You might also qualify for the additional $25 weekly if you have dependents.

So they look at my best quarter, not my annual salary? That's good to know, thanks!

Yeah and the base period is usually the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. It can get confusing with the timing.

That's still a decent amount. Better than I was expecting honestly. Do you know if that $999 max includes the additional federal stuff or is that just the state portion?

That's just the state portion. There aren't any federal add-ons right now like there were during COVID. Just regular Washington ESD unemployment insurance.

That's actually higher than I expected! Did you have any trouble getting your claim approved?

Mine got stuck in adjudication for almost a month. If you run into issues getting through to Washington ESD, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

I tried looking for that calculator but couldn't find it on their site. Do you have a direct link?

It should be under 'File a Claim' section but honestly their website is terrible to navigate. Sometimes you have to dig around to find anything useful.

Never heard of that before. Is it legit or one of those sketchy services that charges you a bunch of money?

It's legit - they just help you get through the phone queue. I was able to talk to an actual Washington ESD rep about my claim status without waiting forever.

Interesting, I'll keep that in mind if I need to call them. The Washington ESD phone system is notorious for being impossible to get through.

Six weeks?! That's crazy long. I thought unemployment was supposed to help people who need money right away.

It depends on your situation. If there are no issues with your claim, it can be faster. But if they have to do adjudication or verify employment, it takes much longer.

Same here! The calculator asks for all this specific wage info that I didn't have handy. Would be nice if they could just pull it from your tax records or something.

They do have access to wage records from employers who report to Washington ESD, but not all employers report immediately. That's why they sometimes need additional verification.

What counts as a job search activity? I've been applying online but wasn't sure if that's enough.

Online applications count, but you can also do things like attend job fairs, networking events, or create/update your LinkedIn profile. Just make sure to log everything in your WorkSourceWA account.

Really? I've been trying to call for three days and just get busy signals or disconnected. How does Claimyr work exactly?

It basically calls Washington ESD for you and holds your place in line, then connects you when an agent picks up. Saved me hours of frustration and actually got my claim filed properly the first time.

That sounds too good to be true. What's the catch? Do they charge a bunch of money?

The online calculator can be buggy. If you need an exact amount, you'll probably need to call Washington ESD directly once you file your claim.

Good luck getting through on the phone! I've been trying for weeks to get someone to explain my benefit calculation.

Good point, I hadn't thought about the time limit. 26 weeks should hopefully be enough to find something new though.

Sometimes they have extended benefits during bad economic times but there's nothing like that available right now in 2025.

Oh wow, I didn't realize unemployment was taxable. So if I get $500/week, it's not actually $500 after taxes?

Right, it's taxable at both federal and state level. Washington ESD can withhold 10% for federal taxes and I think 5% for state if you elect to do that.

Actually Washington doesn't have state income tax, so it's just federal taxes you need to worry about.

I was working pretty consistently, about 35 hours a week for the past 8 months. Before that I had a different job for a few months.

That should help your case. They'll use wages from both jobs if they fall within your base year period.

Wait, there are job search requirements too? What does that involve?

OH YEAH, you have to apply for jobs every week and log them in WorkSourceWA. Miss one week and they cut you off. It's ridiculous.

The job search requirement is actually 3 activities per week, not necessarily 3 applications. Can include things like attending job fairs or networking events.

Oh wow, I didn't even think about taxes. How much do they typically withhold?

They'll withhold 10% for federal taxes if you elect to have it taken out. You'll still need to handle state taxes on your own though.

Two weeks isn't too bad for initial processing. If it goes longer than that, you might want to call and check on your claim status.

I've tried calling but can never get through. The phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr - they somehow get through to Washington ESD agents when regular people can't. Worth checking out their site at claimyr.com if you're stuck.

That makes sense. I've been pretty steady at my current job but before that I had a few months where I was only working part-time.

Yeah, those part-time months could definitely impact your calculation if they fall within your base period. It's all about timing.

Yes, bonuses and overtime count as wages for the benefit calculation. If most of your overtime was in one quarter, that might actually help you since they use your highest quarter.

That's great news! I was worried they might not count it.

how do you file the weekly claims? is it online or do you have to call?

It's online through the Washington ESD website. You'll get instructions once your claim is approved, but you can usually file them starting the Sunday after you file your initial claim.

Yes, overtime counts as regular wages for Washington ESD purposes. Any money your employer reports as wages to the state counts toward your benefit calculation.

That's good news! I've been pulling a lot of extra hours this year so hopefully that helps if I end up needing to file.

How long does it usually take to find out your benefit amount?

they said 2-3 weeks but who knows with washington esd. everything takes forever

What if I do some freelance work occasionally? Do I need to report that too?

Yes, any income needs to be reported, including freelance work. They'll reduce your benefit amount for that week based on how much you earned.

Good to know. What counts as a job search activity? Just applying for jobs or other stuff too?

Applying for jobs, networking events, job fairs, updating your resume with WorkSource - there's a whole list of approved activities.

The job search requirement is no joke. They do audit people and if you can't prove you were looking for work, they'll make you pay back benefits.

So I can still work part-time while on unemployment? That's good to know.

Yes, but you have to report all earnings on your weekly claim. Be honest about it or you could end up with an overpayment later.

How long did it take from filing to getting your first payment?

About 3 weeks total. The first week is always unpaid (waiting week), then it took about 2 weeks to process my claim and start payments.

What's a monetary determination letter?

That's the letter Washington ESD sends telling you how much you'll get per week and for how many weeks. Usually comes a few weeks after you file your initial claim.

I can vouch for this too. Used it when my claim got stuck in adjudication and needed to talk to someone. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

Okay I'm convinced. Going to try Claimyr today since I clearly need to talk to someone who can explain all this properly.

Great, something else to worry about. Should I have them withhold taxes?

I'd recommend it if you can afford the slightly lower payment. Otherwise you might owe a lot at tax time.

EXACTLY! They expect you to live on peanuts while jumping through all their hoops.

I get the frustration, but it's better than nothing while you're looking for work. The program was never designed to fully replace your income.

Good point, I'll make sure to do that. Thanks for the tip!

How would I know if it's wrong? I don't really understand how they calculate it.

Compare the wages they show to your actual earnings. Sometimes employers don't report wages correctly or there are data entry errors.

This is all so overwhelming but thank you everyone for the help. At least I have a better idea of what to expect now.

You've got this! And seriously, if you need to talk to Washington ESD about anything, try Claimyr. It'll save you so much time and frustration.

26 weeks seems like it goes by fast when you're job hunting. Hopefully I'll find something before then.

Yeah, time flies when you're stressed about money. Just focus on your job search and take advantage of WorkSourceWA resources too.

So there's a cap on the total amount you can collect? How does that work?

Right, your maximum benefit amount is typically 26 times your weekly benefit amount. So if you get $700 per week, your maximum total would be $18,200 over 26 weeks.

How long does the appeal process take? I'm worried about going weeks without any income.

Appeals can take 4-6 weeks, but if you win, they'll pay you retroactively for the weeks you should have been receiving benefits.

The website does crash sometimes, especially during peak times. Try accessing it early in the morning or late at night when fewer people are using it.

I'll try that. It's so frustrating when you can't even check if your payment went through.

What happens if they audit your job search and find problems?

They can stop your benefits or even make you pay back money if they find you weren't really looking for work. It's not worth risking it - just keep good records.

Was it Claimyr? I've recommended them to a few people and they all had good experiences. Much better than spending hours on hold trying to get through yourself.

Yes, that's the one! They got me connected to an agent within a few hours and I was able to resolve my adjudication issue the same day.

Have you tried sending a secure message through your Washington ESD account? Sometimes that's faster than calling.

I tried that too but never got a response. It's like they don't want to help people.

Good point. I was hesitant to file because I thought I might find a job quickly, but it's taking longer than expected.

You can always stop claiming benefits if you find a job, but you can't get back pay for weeks you should have filed but didn't.

I was wondering about this too. What if you take evening classes that don't interfere with work availability?

Evening classes are usually okay as long as you're still available for work during normal business hours. But you should check with Washington ESD to be sure.

The calculator is just an estimate. Your actual benefit amount depends on your specific work history and how Washington ESD processes your claim.

Yeah, I figured that out the hard way. At least my actual amount was higher than the estimate!

Luckily I was laid off due to company downsizing, so I should be eligible. Thanks for all the helpful information everyone!

You're welcome! Good luck with your claim. The process can be frustrating but it's worth it to get the benefits you're entitled to.

File immediately! There's a one-week waiting period before benefits start, and you can't get paid for weeks you don't file. Don't wait.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. Better to get the process started even if it takes a while to get approved.

That's the second mention of Claimyr in this thread. Sounds like it's actually helpful for dealing with Washington ESD's phone system.

I was skeptical at first but honestly anything is better than spending entire days trying to get through to Washington ESD. Their phone system is beyond frustrating.

Good point. In my case it would be a layoff due to company downsizing, so I think I'd be okay on that front.

Yeah, layoffs are usually straightforward for qualification. It's when people quit or get fired for misconduct that things get complicated.

I'll give the online calculator another try. Maybe I was just overthinking it the first time.

Yeah, it's not perfect but gives you a ballpark idea. Better than just guessing.

That's interesting, I didn't know about partial unemployment. Good to keep in mind in case they reduce hours instead of doing layoffs.

Yeah, it's based on the difference between your normal wages and what you're currently earning. Can be a lifesaver if you're just getting reduced hours.

Good advice. I'm pretty good about keeping financial records anyway but I'll make sure to save everything related to employment.

Exactly. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, especially when dealing with government agencies.

That sounds about right for your income level. Just remember to file immediately if you do get laid off, and keep track of your job search activities.

Good luck! Hopefully you won't need to use unemployment at all, but it's smart to know what to expect just in case.