How much unemployment will I get from Washington ESD - need to know benefit amount

So if I made $13,000 in my highest quarter, that would be $13,000 divided by 26 = $500, then 50% of that = $250 per week?

That's the basic calculation but Washington ESD has a more complex formula. You should use their benefit calculator on the website to get the exact amount.

You're right, Washington ESD uses a two-quarter method. They add your two highest quarters, divide by 52, then multiply by 0.0385 to get your weekly benefit amount. There's also a minimum of $295/week.

This is getting confusing. Is there an easier way to figure this out without doing all this math?

How does that work? I've heard it's impossible to get through to Washington ESD on the phone.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr. They have this system that keeps calling until they get you connected to an agent. There's even a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time and stress.

The official Washington ESD benefit calculator on their website is actually pretty accurate. Third-party calculators might be off but the state's own tool uses the real formula.

maybe but i still dont trust it. too many variables they dont account for

Nice! That should help cover your basics while you job search. Don't forget you have to file weekly claims and do job search activities to keep getting benefits.

Yeah I saw that requirement. How many job contacts do I need to do each week?

Do I need to submit the job search log every week or just keep it for my records?

Keep it for your records. Washington ESD can audit you at any time and ask for your job search documentation, so make sure it's detailed and accurate.

Good point, I didn't think about that. Can I have Washington ESD withhold taxes from my weekly payments?

yes when you file your claim theres an option to have 10% withheld for federal taxes. i always do that so im not surprised at tax time

How does that work exactly? Like if I make $100 in a week from part-time work?

Washington ESD has an earnings deduction formula. Generally you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction. After that, they reduce your benefit dollar-for-dollar for earnings over that threshold.

Did you ever have issues with your claim getting stuck in adjudication or anything like that?

yeah once they had to verify my identity and it took like 6 weeks to get my first payment. make sure all your info is accurate when you file

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

It's worth it when you need answers fast. Way cheaper than missing work to keep calling or stressing about your claim status for weeks.

Thanks for the clear explanation! That matches what the official calculator gave me.

Is the maximum benefit amount the same for everyone or does it depend on your work history?

So even if someone made $200,000 a year, they'd still only get $999/week max?

Exactly. The maximum is the maximum regardless of how much you earned. That's why some higher earners might want to consider other options or prepare for a significant income reduction.

Good to know! So I'll get paid for the first week I file as long as I'm eligible?

yep as long as you meet all the requirements and file your weekly claim on time

If you don't have enough earnings in your regular base period, Washington ESD can use an alternate base period which includes more recent earnings. You might also not qualify for benefits if you haven't worked enough.

That makes sense. I guess it depends on your specific situation.

If your claim goes through without any issues, you should get your first payment within 2-3 weeks of filing. But if they need to verify anything or your claim goes into adjudication, it can take much longer.

mine took 6 weeks because of identity verification like i mentioned earlier. really depends on if there are any red flags in your application

That's a much easier way to estimate it! For my $52k salary that would be $1000/week * 45% = $450/week, which is close to what the calculator gave me.

Exactly! It's not perfect but gives you a ballpark figure without all the complicated base period math.

Good reminder. I have all my pay stubs and my termination paperwork saved.

perfect that should make the process smoother for you

That's good to know. I've been trying to call them for weeks about an issue with my job search requirements and keep getting busy signals.

Yeah that's exactly the frustration it solves. Check out their site at claimyr.com - way better than spending your whole day redialing.

Good luck! Make sure to file your weekly claims on time every week and keep up with your job search requirements.

hope everything goes smoothly for you! come back and let us know how it goes

I didn't get any severance, just my final paycheck. So I should be good to start benefits right away?

Yeah if you didn't get severance you should be able to start collecting immediately as long as you meet all the other requirements.