How much unemployment do you get in Washington - need to know benefit amounts

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base year to calculate benefits. They take that quarter amount and divide by 26 to get your weekly benefit. The maximum weekly benefit amount for 2025 is $999 per week. So if you were making good money, you might hit that cap.

i think its like 60% of your average weekly wage or something like that. but theres definitely a cap because my friend was making bank and still only got the max amount

I went through this calculation nightmare last year when I got laid off. Washington ESD's website has a benefit calculator but honestly it was confusing as hell. I ended up calling them multiple times trying to understand why my benefit amount was what it was. The hold times were absolutely insane - like 2+ hours every single time.

The formula is: (Highest quarter wages ÷ 26) = Weekly Benefit Amount, subject to the maximum of $999/week. Your base year is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters. So if you file in March 2025, your base year would be October 2023 through September 2024. Make sure you have all your wage information from that period.

just a heads up that you also need to meet the minimum earnings requirement. I think you need at least $3,800 in your base year and earnings in at least two quarters. most people meet this but worth mentioning

Don't forget about taxes! Washington doesn't have state income tax but you'll still owe federal taxes on unemployment benefits. You can have them withhold 10% or handle it yourself when you file taxes. I learned this the hard way my first time filing.

the other thing is you can only collect for 26 weeks max in washington (unless theres some extension program). so budget accordingly

I'm dealing with something similar right now. Filed my claim three weeks ago and it's been stuck in adjudication. Can't get through to anyone at Washington ESD to find out what's going on. It's driving me crazy not knowing what my benefit amount will be or when I'll start getting paid.

Just to add - if you've worked in multiple states recently, you might want to check if filing in a different state would give you higher benefits. Each state has different maximum amounts and calculation methods.

The Washington ESD website actually has a pretty decent benefit calculator tool if you want to get an estimate before filing. It's under the 'File a Claim' section. Won't be 100% accurate but gives you a ballpark figure.

One more thing - make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if your initial claim is still processing. You can't go back and claim weeks you missed, so don't wait for everything to be approved before you start the weekly reporting.

Washington's system is actually pretty generous compared to some other states. $999 max is decent, and the calculation method tends to favor people with steady employment history. Just make sure you meet all the job search requirements once you start collecting.

been on unemployment twice in washington and both times got different amounts even though i thought my wages were similar. the base year thing is tricky to calculate if you had irregular income or bonuses. definitely worth using their calculator

Just filed my claim last month after getting laid off from a tech job. Was making $6,500/month and ended up getting the maximum $999/week. The whole process took about 2 weeks from filing to getting my first payment. Pretty smooth compared to horror stories I'd heard.

the washington esd system crashed on me like 3 times when i was trying to file my initial claim. super frustrating but eventually got through. make sure you save your progress frequently if you're filling out the online application

WASHINGTON ESD IS A NIGHTMARE TO DEAL WITH!!! Been waiting 6 weeks for my claim to get processed and every time I call they give me a different story. First they said it was a computer glitch, then they said I needed to verify my identity, now they're saying there's an issue with my work separation. I'M ABOUT TO LOSE MY HOUSE!!

Pro tip: if you're filing online, do it early in the morning or late at night. The system is less likely to be overloaded and crash. Learned this after multiple failed attempts during business hours.

Also remember that your benefit year lasts 52 weeks from when you file, but you can only collect for a maximum of 26 weeks (or less depending on your earnings). So if you find a job after 10 weeks but get laid off again 6 months later, you might still be able to collect the remaining weeks from your original claim.

honestly the hardest part isnt figuring out how much youll get, its actually getting through to someone when you have questions or problems. the phone system is terrible and the online messaging never gets responses

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! Sounds like with my income level I should expect somewhere around $480-500 per week, which would definitely help while I'm job hunting. Going to use the online calculator to get a better estimate and then file my claim this weekend.