How much unemployment will I get if I make $700 a week in Washington?

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base year to calculate benefits. For $700/week that's about $9,100 per quarter. Your weekly benefit would be roughly 3.85% of that highest quarter, so probably around $350 per week before taxes. But they also look at all four quarters in your base year to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements.

The exact formula is your highest quarter divided by 26, but there's a minimum and maximum. In 2025 the max weekly benefit is $999 and minimum is $295. Your $700/week should put you somewhere in the middle range. You can actually get an estimate on the Washington ESD website before you file.

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base period to calculate benefits. Generally it's around 3.85% of your total wages in that quarter, but there's a minimum and maximum. With $700/week you'd probably get somewhere between $300-400 weekly but it depends on how long you've been working.

You can actually get a benefit estimate by creating an account on the Washington ESD website. They have a benefit calculator that will give you a more accurate number based on your actual work history. Just go to esd.wa.gov and look for the benefit estimator tool.

I was making similar money and got $347 per week. But honestly the hardest part isn't figuring out the amount - it's actually getting through to Washington ESD when you have questions or problems. I spent weeks trying to call them about my claim status. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time and frustration.

just remember you have to be actively looking for work and documenting your job search. they require 3 job contacts per week now and you have to keep a log

Just went through this myself. Made about $650/week and got $362 in weekly benefits. But I had been working for over a year so I had more quarters of earnings to work with. With only 8 months you might not qualify for the maximum amount.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about your potential benefits, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a live agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

Don't forget you need to have worked in Washington state during your base year and earned enough in at least two quarters. If you've been at your current job for 2 years you should be fine, but worth double checking your work history.

Remember you also have to meet the job search requirements while collecting benefits. It's like 3 job search activities per week now. Keep track of everything because they do audit people randomly.

The amount sounds about right based on what others are saying, but be prepared for potential delays in processing. My claim took almost a month to get approved even though everything was straightforward. Washington ESD is still dealing with backlogs from all the pandemic stuff.

The $700/week should put you in a decent benefit range. Maximum weekly benefit in Washington is like $999 right now I think? So you won't max out but should get a reasonable amount to help with bills.

I think the benefit calculation also depends on when you file and what your 'base year' includes. If you file now, your base year would be different quarters than if you wait a few months. Might be worth timing it right if your earnings varied throughout the year.

Also keep in mind that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld (10% federal) or pay them when you file your tax return. I learned this the hard way and owed money at tax time.

Make sure you understand the waiting week too. First week you file you won't get paid, it's like a waiting period. So factor that into your budget planning.

Pro tip: if you do get laid off, file your claim immediately. Don't wait thinking you might find another job quickly. You can always cancel it if you find work, but there's no backpay if you wait to file.

The Washington ESD website has gotten better over the years but it can still be confusing to navigate. Make sure you understand the difference between filing your initial claim and filing your weekly claims. You have to do the weekly ones every week to keep getting benefits, even if there are delays with your initial claim processing.

Also keep in mind that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay at the end of the year, but don't forget about it come tax time.

One more thing - if your hours get reduced instead of being completely laid off, you might be eligible for partial unemployment benefits. Washington has a partial benefits program where you can collect some UI if your work hours are significantly reduced.

Just want to echo what others said about keeping good records. Document everything - your job search activities, any correspondence with Washington ESD, wage information, etc. If there are any issues with your claim you'll want to have all that information ready.

If you end up needing to call Washington ESD about your claim and can't get through, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier actually worked for me. Got connected to an agent in like 15 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait times.

The benefit calculation seems straightforward but Washington ESD can be really hard to reach if you have questions. I spent literally hours on hold trying to get through to someone. Ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it was a game changer. Got connected to an agent in like 10 minutes instead of hours of calling.

Don't stress too much about the exact amount right now. Focus on keeping good records at your current job - pay stubs, employment verification, etc. That stuff will be helpful if you do need to file a claim.

If you do end up filing, try to do it early in the week. I've heard that filing on Mondays or Tuesdays can sometimes mean faster processing than waiting until Friday. Not sure if that's actually true but can't hurt.

The 8 months of work history might be cutting it close for benefit eligibility. You need earnings in at least 2 quarters of your base period. Definitely use that benefit calculator to see if you qualify.

Honestly the whole system is confusing but once you get the hang of it it's not too bad. The weekly claims are pretty straightforward - just answer the questions honestly about whether you worked, looked for work, etc.

Make sure you have all your employment information ready before you start the application. They'll want employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. Having everything organized beforehand makes the process much smoother.

Just remember that if you quit your job you generally won't be eligible for benefits unless it's for 'good cause' like unsafe working conditions or significant changes to your job. If you're laid off or hours are cut, that's different and you should qualify.

The waiting period can be stressful but try not to panic if there are delays. Washington ESD processes thousands of claims and sometimes it just takes time. Keep filing your weekly claims and be patient with the process.

One last thing - make sure you register with WorkSource WA as part of your job search requirements. It's integrated with the unemployment system and they sometimes have job fairs or training programs that could help.

Hope this all works out for you and you don't even need to file. But if you do, sounds like you have a good understanding of what to expect now. The system isn't perfect but it does help when you really need it.