How much will I get on unemployment benefits from Washington ESD?

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount using your highest earning quarter from the past 18 months. They take that quarter's gross wages and divide by 26 to get your weekly benefit. The maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $1,015 but most people get much less. Tips should be included if they were reported on your W-2.

make sure you apply as soon as possible because there's usually a one week waiting period before you start getting paid. also you have to file weekly claims every week to keep getting benefits

Just want to mention that if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone to check on your claim status or ask questions, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really saved me hours of trying to call.

The amount depends on so many factors! I thought I'd get more but ended up with only $180 a week because my hours were inconsistent. Also remember you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits - they don't automatically withhold federal taxes unless you request it.

Washington ESD benefit calculation is: (High quarter wages ÷ 26) × 0.9 = weekly benefit amount. But there's also a minimum of $295/week and maximum of $1,015/week for 2025. Your base year is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim.

DONT FORGET YOU HAVE TO DO JOB SEARCHES!!! Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and they will audit you. Keep detailed records of every application and contact.

i been on unemployment twice and the amount was different each time even though i had similar jobs. first time got $245/week, second time only $190/week. depends on when you worked and how much

One thing to watch out for - if you had any self-employment income or 1099 work, that might not count toward your benefit calculation unless you paid into the unemployment system. I learned this the hard way when I was doing some gig work.

Another tip - if your claim gets held up in adjudication or you have questions about your benefit amount, definitely try calling Washington ESD. The phone lines are crazy busy but that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really helps cut through the wait times. Sometimes you need to talk to an actual person to get things sorted out.

The Washington ESD online calculator is pretty accurate for estimating your benefit. Just make sure you have your wage information from the past 18 months. Your benefit amount stays the same for your entire benefit year unless there are changes to state maximums.

just remember you can collect for up to 26 weeks in most cases, but you have to keep filing those weekly claims and doing your job searches. miss a week and you dont get paid for that week

Something else to consider - if you get any severance pay or vacation payout from your employer, that might affect when your benefits start. Washington ESD has rules about how separation pay impacts your claim timing.

The system is so confusing honestly. I thought I'd get way more than I actually got. Make sure you understand that your benefit year starts when you file, not when you lost your job, and you can't get benefits for weeks before you filed your claim.

Pro tip: set up direct deposit if you can. Paper checks take forever and sometimes get lost in the mail. The direct deposit through your SecureAccess Washington account is much faster and more reliable.

watch out for scams too. there are fake websites that look like Washington ESD. always make sure you're on the real esd.wa.gov site when filing claims or checking your account

If your claim runs into any issues or gets stuck, don't just wait around. I had to use that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through to Washington ESD when my benefits got held up. Sometimes you really need to talk to an agent to resolve problems, and their phone system is impossible without help.

One last thing - keep all your documentation! Pay stubs, termination notice, any correspondence from Washington ESD. You might need it later if there are any questions about your claim or if you need to appeal anything.

Hope everything works out for you! The unemployment system can be stressful but once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims and doing job searches it becomes pretty manageable. Just stay on top of the requirements and you should be fine.