How much unemployment will I get if I make $600 a week in Washington?

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base period to calculate benefits. Your weekly benefit amount is roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings, but there's a maximum of $999 per week in 2025. With $600/week you'd be looking at around $15,600 in your highest quarter if you worked consistently, so probably somewhere in the $300-400 range weekly.

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount using your highest earning quarter from your base year. At $600/week, you'd be looking at around $7,800 per quarter. The formula is roughly 3.85% of your total base year wages divided by 52, but there's also a minimum and maximum. You'd probably get somewhere between $300-400 per week, but you'd need to file to get the exact amount.

i think its around 50% of your weekly pay but not sure about the exact math. when i filed last year i was making about $550/week and got like $280 in benefits

The exact formula is your highest quarter wages divided by 26, then multiplied by various factors. But honestly, if you're making $600/week consistently, you're probably looking at somewhere between $350-450 weekly in UI benefits. The key thing is making sure you have enough qualifying wages in your base period - you need at least 680 hours of work or earnings of at least $7,000.

I was making about the same when I got laid off last year. My weekly benefit was $346. But here's the thing - I had such a hard time getting through to Washington ESD to actually file my claim and get answers about my benefit calculation. I spent weeks calling and either getting busy signals or being hung up on after waiting on hold for hours.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

Washington ESD is SO SLOW with everything! I filed in December and didn't get my first payment until February. And don't even get me started on their website - it crashes constantly and the SAW login is a nightmare.

Just want to point out that your benefit amount also depends on when you file. If you file mid-year, your base period might not include your most recent higher wages. The base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file.

I was making $580/week and got $362 in weekly benefits. But that was in 2023 so the amounts might be different now. Also had to deal with the stupid job search requirements - 3 job contacts per week minimum.

The benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website is pretty accurate if you want to estimate. Just remember the maximum weekly benefit amount for 2025 is $999, but at your income level you won't hit that cap.

don't forget about taxes! unemployment benefits are taxable income so you'll owe on it next year unless you have them withhold taxes

Wait, is $600 a week gross or net? Because Washington ESD uses your gross wages, not what you take home after taxes. If that's your take-home pay, your actual weekly benefit would be lower than what people are estimating.

Don't forget you'll also need to meet the job search requirements once you start claiming. It's 3 job contacts per week minimum, and you have to keep a log of your applications.

honestly the whole system is a mess. took me 2 months to get my first payment last time because they kept asking for more documentation. and dont even get me started on trying to reach someone by phone

One more thing - if you're worried about the calculation, you can actually create an account on the Washington ESD website and use their benefit estimator tool. It's not 100% accurate but gives you a ballpark figure based on your reported wages.

I think the formula is actually different now post-COVID. They might have updated it in 2024. Has anyone filed recently who can confirm the current calculation?

My sister makes about the same and got $380/week when she was on unemployment last year. Took forever to get through adjudication though because they had questions about why she left her previous job.

The whole system is a mess. I've been trying to get through to them for weeks about an overpayment notice. Tried that Claimyr thing someone mentioned and actually got through to a real person who explained what was happening.

Make sure you file your claim as soon as possible after you lose your job. There's a waiting week but the sooner you file, the sooner you can start the process. And file online if you can - it's faster than trying to call.

Also remember that your benefit amount might be reduced if you have any part-time work while claiming. They have a formula for that too - I think you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction.

Just remember that you can only collect unemployment for 26 weeks in Washington (unless there are extended benefits). So even if you get $400/week, that's only for about 6 months max.

If you do end up filing, make sure you file your weekly claims EVERY week even if you haven't been paid yet. Miss a week and you lose those benefits forever.

washington esd is such a pain to deal with, hopefully you never have to find out firsthand

One last tip - if you do file, sign up for direct deposit immediately. Waiting for checks in the mail adds another week to getting your money.

Also keep in mind that if you work part-time while collecting unemployment, they'll reduce your benefits. It's not dollar for dollar but they do deduct based on what you earn.

The benefit calculator on their website is actually pretty accurate. Used it before I filed and it was within $20 of what I actually got.

Just be prepared for a lot of paperwork and verification if you do file. They want proof of everything - your ID, work history, reason for unemployment, etc.

Hope you don't need to use any of this info, but at least now you know what to expect if you do have to file for unemployment benefits.

I've been through this process twice and honestly the hardest part isn't calculating your benefits - it's actually getting help when you need it. Last time I had an issue with my claim status, I used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD and it was a lifesaver. Saved me hours of frustration trying to call myself.

One thing to keep in mind is that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your weekly payments or pay them when you file your tax return.

The Washington ESD website has a really detailed FAQ section about benefit calculations. It's worth reading through if you want to understand exactly how they determine your amount.

Just want to add that if you're worried about getting laid off, you should start keeping better records of your pay now. Having organized records makes the filing process much smoother.

I had a similar income when I filed last year. Ended up getting $368 per week. The whole process took about 3 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, but that was with no complications.

PSA: Don't try to game the system by lying about your income or work history. Washington ESD cross-references everything with employer records and tax data. They WILL catch discrepancies.

If you do end up needing to file, make sure you have your Social Security card and ID ready. The identity verification process can add delays if you don't have the right documents.

The benefit amount calculation can be confusing, but the most important thing is that you're eligible in the first place. You need to have earned enough in your base year and lost your job through no fault of your own.

Hope you don't end up needing unemployment, but if you do, at least you'll be prepared! The key is filing quickly and keeping good records of everything.

One last thing - if you're worried about calling Washington ESD for any reason, that Claimyr service really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much time and stress when I needed to get my claim issues resolved.

I just went through this exact situation last month - was making $620/week and got laid off from my retail job. My weekly unemployment benefit ended up being $387, which was pretty close to what others have estimated here. The whole process took about 4 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, but that included a brief hold while they verified my employment history. One tip I'd add is to make sure you file your initial claim on a Sunday if possible - I heard from a Washington ESD rep that Sunday filings tend to process faster since there's less system traffic. Also, definitely set up direct deposit right away like others mentioned. The paper checks really do take forever!