How much unemployment do you get from Washington ESD - what's the actual weekly amount?

So they don't just look at my most recent salary? That's confusing. How do I know which quarter was my highest?

Right, it's not based on your last paycheck. You can see your quarterly earnings when you file your initial claim through the Washington ESD online system. They'll show you the base period and calculate it automatically.

That would actually help a lot with my mortgage payments. How long did it take for your claim to get approved?

Mine took about 3 weeks because it went into adjudication, but that's pretty normal now. Just be patient with the process.

How does that work exactly? Do they just call for you or something?

Yeah basically they handle the calling and waiting, then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Super helpful when you need to talk to someone about benefit calculations or claim issues.

That sounds really useful. I'll probably need to talk to someone once I start the process.

What are the job search requirements? I thought you just had to be looking for work.

You need to make at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a detailed log. This includes applications, networking, job fairs, etc. It's all tracked through WorkSourceWA.

Good point, I guess there's no harm in applying to see what they offer.

Definitely apply sooner rather than later. Your claim starts from the week you file, not when it gets approved.

Wait, so I might not get the full 26 weeks even if I'm still unemployed?

It's possible, but with your income level you'll probably be fine for the full 26 weeks. The cap mainly affects very high earners.

I never hit the cap and I was making decent money. Most people don't have to worry about that limit.

Yes, they count all reported wages including bonuses and commissions as long as they show up on your W-2 and unemployment taxes were paid on them.

Great, that should help my calculation then. I had a big bonus in Q2 last year.

That sounds like an identity verification issue or something with your weekly claims. You really need to talk to an agent to figure out what's holding it up. That's another situation where Claimyr helped me - they got me through to someone who could explain exactly what was wrong.

I'll look into that service, thanks. I can't keep waiting like this.

Make sure you're filing your weekly claims every week even while it's pending. If you miss weeks you can't go back and claim them later.

Good advice, I'll gather all that before I start the application.

yeah definitely have everything ready. i had to restart my application twice because i didn't have the right info

They want gross wages, right? Before taxes and deductions?

Exactly. Always gross wages. That's what determines your benefit amount.

How has the job search requirement been? Is it hard to meet the weekly requirements?

It's not too bad if you're actually looking for work. I usually apply to 2-3 jobs and do one networking activity per week. WorkSourceWA has tools to help track everything.

The key is keeping good records. I use a spreadsheet to track all my job search activities because Washington ESD can audit your search log at any time.

That's good to know about the back pay. I was worried you'd lose those weeks if there were delays.

Nope, as long as you file your weekly claims during the waiting period, you'll get paid for all of them once approved.

That's really helpful math. I think my highest quarter was actually a bit more than that because of a raise I got last spring.

Then you'll probably be in the $500-600 range, which is pretty decent. Remember it's tax-free unless you elect to have taxes withheld.

Wait, unemployment benefits are taxable? I didn't know that.

Yes, unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you certify each week, or pay it all at tax time.

You can work part-time and still collect partial benefits. Washington ESD deducts 75% of your earnings from your weekly benefit amount, so you keep 25% of what you earn plus the remaining benefit amount.

That's actually not too bad. So there's still incentive to take part-time work while looking for full-time.

Exactly, and part-time work still counts toward your job search requirements too.

How much does something like that cost? Seems like it could be expensive.

It's actually pretty reasonable considering how much time and frustration it saves. Check out their site for details - claimyr.com. The video demo shows exactly how it works.

I tried them after our conversation and finally got my payment issue resolved. Turns out I had a problem with my identity verification that was holding everything up.

Good tip! I'll remember that when I start filing weekly claims.

I always file mine Sunday evening and never have problems. Monday mornings are definitely the worst time to try.

How would I know if I qualify for something like that?

Washington ESD will review your case and let you know about any additional programs you might qualify for. It's usually based on why you lost your job and what industry you worked in.

Thanks for the reminder. I think I'm convinced to file this week.

Good decision. Even if you find work quickly, at least you'll have the safety net in place.

Absolutely right about filing early. Your benefit year starts when you file, so any delay just costs you potential benefits.

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

You're making the right choice. Having that weekly benefit takes a lot of pressure off the job search.

Hope everything goes smoothly for you. Remember that Claimyr option if you need to talk to an agent quickly about anything.