How much will I get for unemployment benefits from Washington ESD?
Just filed my unemployment claim with Washington ESD last week and I'm trying to figure out what my weekly benefit amount will be. I was making about $52,000 a year at my last job before getting laid off. Does anyone know how they calculate the payments? I need to start budgeting but can't find clear info on their website about what I should expect to receive each week.
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Carmen Ortiz
Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your earnings during your base period, which is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. They take your highest earning quarter and divide by 26, then that's roughly your weekly amount.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thanks! So if I made around $13k in my highest quarter that would be about $500 a week?
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Carmen Ortiz
•Yeah that sounds about right, but there's also a maximum weekly benefit amount that changes each year. For 2025 I think it's around $999 per week.
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Andre Rousseau
You can actually log into your Washington ESD account and it should show your monetary determination once they process your claim. That will tell you exactly what your weekly benefit amount is and how many weeks you're eligible for.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•I tried logging in but my claim is still showing as pending. How long does it usually take for them to calculate everything?
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Andre Rousseau
•Usually takes about 1-2 weeks if there are no issues with your claim. If they need to verify employment or wages it can take longer.
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Zoe Papadakis
I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about my benefit calculation. Ended up using Claimyr to get connected to an actual agent who could explain everything. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call myself.
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Jamal Carter
•Is that legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days about my claim and can never get through.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Yeah it's real, you can check it out at claimyr.com. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you so you don't have to sit on hold for hours.
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AstroAdventurer
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Got connected to a Washington ESD rep in like 20 minutes instead of the usual 3+ hour wait times.
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Mei Liu
Just a heads up - your weekly benefit amount also depends on if you have any part-time work while you're collecting. Washington ESD has specific rules about how much you can earn before it affects your benefits. I think you can earn up to about 25% of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Good to know! I might pick up some gig work while I'm looking for a full time job.
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Mei Liu
•Just make sure you report all earnings when you file your weekly claims or you could get hit with an overpayment later.
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Liam O'Sullivan
The whole system is so confusing! I wish they would just tell you upfront what you're going to get instead of making you wait and guess.
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Andre Rousseau
•I agree it's frustrating but they have to verify your wages with your employers first, which takes time.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Still doesn't make sense why they can't give you an estimate based on what you report.
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Amara Chukwu
Don't forget you'll also need to pay taxes on your unemployment benefits. Washington state doesn't tax them but the federal government does. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay quarterly.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Oh wow I didn't even think about taxes. How much should I expect to pay?
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Amara Chukwu
•Depends on your tax bracket but unemployment is taxed as regular income. I'd recommend having 10-15% withheld just to be safe.
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Giovanni Conti
Pro tip: once you get your monetary determination, take a screenshot or print it out. You'll need those numbers for various things and the Washington ESD website can be slow sometimes.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thanks for the tip! What kind of things would I need those numbers for?
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Giovanni Conti
•Apartment applications, loan applications, sometimes even job applications ask about your current income including unemployment benefits.
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
I'm still waiting for my monetary determination too and it's been 3 weeks! Anyone else having delays with Washington ESD right now?
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Carmen Ortiz
•There might be an issue with your claim that's causing the delay. Check if you have any outstanding issues in your account.
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
•I don't see any issues listed but maybe I should try calling them. Ugh.
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Zoe Papadakis
•That's exactly when I used Claimyr - when my claim was stuck and I couldn't figure out why. The agent was able to tell me there was a wage verification issue that wasn't showing up online.
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NeonNova
For what it's worth, I was making about $48k and my weekly benefit amount came out to $462. So your estimate sounds pretty close to what you should expect.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•That's really helpful to have a real example, thanks!
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NeonNova
•No problem! Just remember that's before any taxes if you choose to have them withheld.
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Dylan Campbell
Make sure you understand the work search requirements too. You'll need to do job search activities each week to keep getting benefits, and they're pretty strict about it now.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•What counts as job search activities?
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Dylan Campbell
•Applying for jobs, networking events, skills training, using WorkSourceWA services. You need to do at least 3 activities per week and keep records.
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Andre Rousseau
•And don't forget to register with WorkSourceWA if you haven't already. That's required for most people collecting unemployment.
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Sofia Hernandez
this whole process is such a pain... why can't they just make it simple
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Right?? I feel like they make it complicated on purpose.
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Carmen Ortiz
•I know it's frustrating but they have to follow federal guidelines and make sure people are actually eligible. It's not perfect but it protects the system.
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
One thing that caught me off guard was that you don't get paid for your first week of unemployment in Washington. It's called a waiting week and you don't get benefits for it even though you file a claim.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Wait seriously? So even if I'm approved I won't get paid for this first week?
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
•Exactly. You still have to file the weekly claim but you won't get paid for that first week. It's just how the system works.
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Mei Liu
•Although sometimes they waive the waiting week during emergencies or high unemployment periods. Not sure if that's still happening in 2025 though.
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Ava Thompson
If you're getting partial unemployment because you're working reduced hours, the calculation is different. They reduce your benefits based on how much you earn that week.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•I'm fully unemployed right now but good to know for the future.
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Ava Thompson
•Yeah just something to keep in mind if you find part-time work while you're looking for something full-time.
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Miguel Ramos
Check your determination letter carefully when you get it. Sometimes they make mistakes with the wage calculations and you can appeal if the amount seems wrong.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•How would I know if it's wrong?
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Miguel Ramos
•Compare it to your tax records or pay stubs. The base period wages should match what you actually earned during those quarters.
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Zainab Ibrahim
I used Claimyr when I had to appeal my benefit amount because Washington ESD was missing wages from one of my employers. The agent helped me figure out what documentation I needed to submit. Really saved me a lot of hassle.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Good to know there are options if something goes wrong with the calculation.
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Zainab Ibrahim
•Yeah definitely. The appeals process can be confusing but having someone explain it made all the difference.
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StarSailor
Don't spend it all in one place! But seriously, budget carefully because unemployment is usually less than what you were making and you don't know how long your job search will take.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Yeah I'm definitely planning to be conservative with spending. Hopefully I'll find something soon.
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NeonNova
•Smart approach. I treated my unemployment like it was temporary income and tried to live on even less than the benefit amount.
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Connor O'Brien
You can also set up direct deposit so you don't have to wait for checks in the mail. Much faster and more convenient.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•How do I set that up?
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Connor O'Brien
•In your Washington ESD online account there should be a section for payment method where you can add your bank info.
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Carmen Ortiz
•Just make sure you use a checking account, not savings. Some banks charge fees for certain types of deposits to savings accounts.
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Yara Sabbagh
Bottom line - you should expect somewhere between $400-500 per week based on what you said about your salary, but wait for the official determination to know for sure. Good luck with your job search!
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! This thread has been really informative.
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Andre Rousseau
•No problem! We've all been through this process so happy to help.
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