How much will I get if I apply for unemployment benefits in Washington?

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from the past 5 quarters to calculate your weekly benefit amount. They take that quarter's earnings and divide by 26 to get your weekly amount, but there's also a maximum cap. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is around $999.

I just went through this process last month. The benefit amount depends on your base period earnings, which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. Washington ESD looks at all your covered wages during that time to determine your weekly benefit amount.

One thing to keep in mind is that you can choose to have federal taxes withheld from your unemployment benefits. It's 10% if you elect to do so. Otherwise, you'll need to pay taxes on the benefits when you file your return. State taxes aren't withheld since Washington doesn't have state income tax.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about my benefit calculation and it's impossible! The phone lines are always busy and I can't get a real person. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

Also remember that you can only collect benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks in Washington, unless there are extended benefits available during high unemployment periods. Your weekly benefit amount stays the same throughout your claim unless you have a significant change in circumstances.

The calculation can be confusing but basically they look at your wages in the base period (first 4 of last 5 quarters) and use a formula. Your weekly benefit amount will be somewhere between the minimum ($295) and maximum ($999) for 2025.

make sure you apply as soon as possible after losing your job. Benefits are only paid from the date you file, not from when you actually became unemployed. I made that mistake and lost 2 weeks of benefits.

I'm getting $647 per week and I was making about $65,000 annually before I got laid off. The amount seems fair considering it's supposed to replace about half of your lost wages. Just remember you have to file your weekly claims every week to keep getting paid.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator that gives you an estimate based on your earnings. It's pretty accurate from what I've heard. You just need to know your quarterly wages for the base period.

Washington state unemployment benefits are generally about 50% of your average weekly wage, but there are caps. If you were making good money, you might hit the maximum pretty quickly.

Don't forget that any severance pay or vacation payout might affect when your benefits start. Washington ESD considers this as wages, so there could be a delay in your first payment depending on the amount.

The whole system is so complicated! I've been trying to figure out my benefit amount for days and still confused about the base period calculation. Wish there was an easier way to get answers.

Your benefit amount also depends on whether you qualify for the regular UI program or if you need to go through some other process. Most people qualify for regular unemployment if they lost their job through no fault of their own.

been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years and the benefit calculation has been consistent both times. They really do stick to the formula, so the online calculator should give you a pretty accurate estimate.

Make sure you understand that you'll need to be actively looking for work and available for work to continue receiving benefits. It's not just free money - there are ongoing requirements you have to meet.

The payment schedule is weekly, but you file your weekly claim for the previous week. So if you file on Sunday, you're claiming for the week that just ended. Payments usually come 1-2 days after filing if there are no issues.

One more thing - if you have any questions about your specific situation, sometimes it really helps to talk to someone at Washington ESD directly. I know the phone lines are tough, but services like Claimyr can help you get through faster.

Just to summarize for the OP - your weekly benefit will likely be around $485-500 based on what you said about your earnings, assuming you don't hit the maximum. File as soon as possible, be prepared for the job search requirements, and consider having taxes withheld.