How much unemployment can you get from Washington ESD - what's the maximum weekly benefit?

Thanks! So with my salary I probably won't hit the maximum but should get a decent amount. Do you know if they count bonuses or just base salary?

They count all wages reported to Washington ESD, including bonuses, overtime, commissions - basically anything that had taxes withheld.

Perfect, I'll check out that calculator. Appreciate the specific numbers!

That calculator is helpful but sometimes the actual amount is different when you file. Mine was about $30 higher than the estimate.

Interesting, I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues. The calling system seems pretty notorious for being hard to get through.

I've heard mixed things about those calling services. Did it actually work for you?

Yeah it worked well for me. Got connected to an agent within like 20 minutes instead of calling all day. Worth it when you need answers quickly.

Good to know, though I don't have dependents so that won't apply to me.

How much extra do you get for dependents? I have two kids.

It's about $32 per dependent child per week, but there's a cap on the total family benefit amount.

Ugh, I didn't think about taxes. So the amount I get won't be the full weekly benefit?

You can choose - either have 10% withheld automatically or handle it yourself at tax time. I'd recommend having it withheld to avoid a big bill later.

That's probably because your base period quarters were different each time. They look at specific quarters, not just your most recent wages.

yeah that makes sense I guess. still confusing though

Good advice. I'm planning to file this weekend. Do the weekly claims take long to complete?

Nah, maybe 5-10 minutes once you get the hang of it. Just answer questions about job search activities and any work you did that week.

3 per week doesn't sound too bad. What counts as a job search activity?

Applying for jobs, networking events, career fairs, informational interviews, creating profiles on job sites. There's a full list on the Washington ESD website.

I think they changed it recently to allow online job training courses to count as job search activities too.

That's good to know. I might pick up some gig work while looking for full-time employment.

Yeah just make sure you report all earnings on your weekly claim. They'll catch it eventually if you don't and then you'll owe money back.

6 weeks?! That's crazy. I'll definitely keep Claimyr in mind if I run into issues.

Adjudication is the worst. Mine took 4 weeks and I had no idea what was going on. At least now there are services to help get through to someone.

What are common reasons people get disqualified?

Quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, not meeting job search requirements, earning too much while collecting benefits.

I got disqualified initially because my employer said I quit when I was actually laid off. Had to appeal and provide documentation to prove it.

Good to know there's potential for extensions if needed. Hopefully I won't need the full 26 weeks.

During COVID there were all sorts of extensions and extra programs, but those are long gone now. It's back to the standard 26 week maximum.

Thanks for the reminder! I'll make sure to register with WorkSource when I file my claim.

WorkSource has some decent job search workshops too if you need help with resume writing or interview skills.

That's actually really helpful to know. I've been thinking about getting some additional certifications anyway.

Yeah the state pays for a lot of training programs. I did a coding bootcamp through one of these programs and it was completely covered.

I keep hearing about Claimyr in this thread. Seems like it might be worth trying if I run into problems.

Same here, multiple people mentioning it. Must actually work if so many people are recommending it.