How much unemployment will I get in Washington - benefit calculation help needed
I just got laid off from my job at a tech company in Seattle and I'm trying to figure out how much I can expect to get from Washington ESD unemployment benefits. I was making about $85,000 a year but I'm not sure how they calculate the weekly benefit amount. Does anyone know the formula they use? I need to figure out my budget while I'm job searching. Also heard there's a maximum weekly amount but can't find the current numbers anywhere on their website.
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Khalid Howes
Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter from your base period. They take that quarter's wages and divide by 26. The maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $999 per week. With your salary you'll probably get close to the max.
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Rita Jacobs
•Thanks! So if I made around $21,000 in my highest quarter that would be about $800 per week? That seems pretty good actually.
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Khalid Howes
•Yeah that sounds about right. Just remember you'll need to file your weekly claims every week and do the required job search activities to keep getting benefits.
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Ben Cooper
The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator but it's buried pretty deep in their site. You can also call them but good luck getting through - I've been trying for days to get someone on the phone about my claim status.
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Naila Gordon
•ugh same here, their phone system is terrible. I keep getting disconnected or stuck on hold for hours
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Cynthia Love
•I actually found a service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They handle the calling for you - check out claimyr.com. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.
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Ben Cooper
•Interesting, never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?
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Cynthia Love
•It's legit - they got me connected to an actual Washington ESD rep in like 30 minutes. Way better than sitting on hold all day.
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Darren Brooks
Don't forget that Washington unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or you'll owe at tax time. Also make sure you understand the job search requirements - you need to make at least 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records.
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Rita Jacobs
•Good point about taxes. What counts as a job search activity? Just applying for jobs or other stuff too?
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Darren Brooks
•Job applications, networking events, career fairs, informational interviews, and updating your resume with a career counselor all count. You need to log everything in your WorkSourceWA account.
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Rosie Harper
•wait we have to use WorkSourceWA too? I thought just filing weekly claims was enough
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Darren Brooks
•Yes, you need to register with WorkSourceWA and maintain an active job search profile. Washington ESD can check your activity there.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
I was making similar money and ended up getting $950 per week. The calculation isn't always straightforward though because they look at all four quarters in your base period. If you had any gaps in employment or lower earnings in some quarters it could affect your benefit amount.
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Rita Jacobs
•How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm worried about the waiting period.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
•Mine took about 3 weeks but that was pretty typical. Just make sure you file your weekly claims even while waiting for approval or you could lose benefits.
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Demi Hall
•Three weeks?? That's crazy, I can't wait that long to get money. My rent is due next week.
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Naila Gordon
Be prepared for potential delays if there are any issues with your claim. Mine got stuck in adjudication for over a month because my employer contested it. Washington ESD moves really slowly on these things.
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Rita Jacobs
•Your employer can contest unemployment claims? I didn't know that was possible.
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Naila Gordon
•Yeah if they claim you were fired for misconduct or quit voluntarily they can fight it. Then Washington ESD has to investigate and it takes forever.
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Mateusius Townsend
•This is exactly why I used Claimyr when my claim was taking too long. Being able to actually talk to a Washington ESD agent instead of waiting for callbacks that never come is huge.
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Kara Yoshida
Also keep in mind there's a one week waiting period before you can start receiving benefits. So even if your claim gets approved quickly you won't get paid for the first week.
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Rita Jacobs
•Wait so I lose a whole week of benefits? That doesn't seem fair.
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Kara Yoshida
•It's just how the system works. The waiting week is unpaid but you still need to file a weekly claim for it to establish your claim.
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Philip Cowan
•Actually I think they got rid of the waiting week during COVID but I'm not sure if it's still gone
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Khalid Howes
•The waiting week is back as of 2023. It was temporarily eliminated but they reinstated it.
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Caesar Grant
Make sure you apply as soon as possible after your last day of work. You can't backdate claims very far and you'll lose out on benefits if you wait too long to file.
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Rita Jacobs
•I got laid off on Friday, is Monday soon enough to apply or should I do it over the weekend?
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Caesar Grant
•Monday should be fine. The key is to file within a reasonable time frame. Don't wait weeks or months.
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Lena Schultz
The benefit amount also depends on whether you have any dependents. If you have qualifying dependents you can get an additional $25 per week per dependent up to 5 dependents.
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Rita Jacobs
•I don't have kids but good to know for others reading this thread.
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Gemma Andrews
•Wait really? I have two kids and I've been getting unemployment for months. Nobody told me about extra money for dependents!
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Lena Schultz
•You need to add your dependents to your claim. Contact Washington ESD right away - they might be able to backdate the additional benefits.
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Gemma Andrews
•Ugh of course they don't tell you about this stuff automatically. Thanks for the heads up, I'll try calling them but their phone system is a nightmare.
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Pedro Sawyer
Don't forget about the federal taxes too. Washington doesn't have state income tax but you'll still owe federal taxes on unemployment benefits. I learned this the hard way last year.
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Rita Jacobs
•How much should I expect to pay in federal taxes on unemployment?
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Pedro Sawyer
•Depends on your tax bracket but probably around 20-25% of your benefits. You can have 10% withheld automatically when you file your weekly claims.
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Mae Bennett
Just a heads up that if you do any part-time work while collecting unemployment you need to report ALL earnings. Even if it's just a few hours of freelance work. Washington ESD will find out and you could face overpayment penalties.
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Rita Jacobs
•What if I do some consulting work? How does that affect my benefits?
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Mae Bennett
•You report the gross earnings for the week you perform the work, not when you get paid. They'll reduce your benefits dollar for dollar after the first $5.
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Beatrice Marshall
•Actually it's more complicated than that. There's a formula they use that reduces benefits gradually. It's not always dollar for dollar.
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Melina Haruko
I'm in a similar situation - got laid off from Amazon last month. The hardest part isn't figuring out the benefit amount, it's actually getting through to Washington ESD when you have questions. Their customer service is overwhelmed.
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Rita Jacobs
•Yeah I'm already dreading having to call them if I run into any issues with my claim.
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Melina Haruko
•I ended up using a service that calls for you - Claimyr I think it was called. Definitely worth it to avoid the phone hell.
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Dallas Villalobos
•How much does something like that cost though? I'm trying to save money while I'm unemployed.
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Melina Haruko
•It's not free but considering how much time and frustration it saves, it was worth it for me. Check out their website claimyr.com if you're interested.
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Reina Salazar
One more thing - make sure you keep good records of everything. Save all your correspondence with Washington ESD, keep track of your job search activities, and document any work you do while collecting benefits. You might need all this stuff later if there are any issues.
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Rita Jacobs
•Good advice. I'll start a folder for all my unemployment paperwork.
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Saanvi Krishnaswami
•Yeah definitely do this. I had to appeal an overpayment notice and having all my documentation saved my butt.
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Demi Lagos
The maximum benefit amount changes every year so make sure you're looking at current information. I think it went up in 2025 but I'm not 100% sure of the exact amount.
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Rita Jacobs
•Someone earlier said it was $999 per week for 2025. Does that sound right?
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Khalid Howes
•Yes that's correct. It was $929 in 2024 so it did go up.
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Mason Lopez
Just remember that unemployment is temporary. Use the time to really focus on your job search and maybe learn some new skills. The benefits won't last forever and you want to get back to work before they run out.
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Rita Jacobs
•How long do Washington unemployment benefits last?
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Mason Lopez
•Regular unemployment is up to 26 weeks in Washington, but it depends on your earnings history. Some people qualify for less time.
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Vera Visnjic
•And the job market is still pretty competitive so don't assume you'll find something quickly. Start applying right away.
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