How much will I make on Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

So if I made like $8,000 in my best quarter, I'd get around $307 per week? That's actually not as bad as I thought.

Exactly! And remember you can earn up to your WBA minus $5 if you do part-time work while claiming.

I'll look for that calculator, thanks! Do you remember if it was pretty accurate?

yeah it gave me the exact amount i ended up getting when my claim was approved

That would actually help a lot! My rent is $1200 so that plus some side work might get me by. Do you know how they calculate the exact amount?

They look at your base year earnings (the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters) and find your highest quarter. Then they divide that by 26 to get your weekly benefit amount. It's all automatic once you file your claim.

Wait really? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for over a week about my pending claim. How much does that service cost?

It's worth it just to avoid the phone nightmare. Check out their site for details but honestly after spending my own time calling for days it was a relief to just get connected quickly.

I'm always skeptical of these third-party services but if it actually works...

That gives me a good idea of the range. $300-ish would cover most of my essential bills at least.

Don't forget you also have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits! I learned that the hard way.

Oh no, what kind of issues? I thought it would be pretty straightforward since I was laid off.

Sometimes they need to verify your separation reason with your employer, or if you had any gaps in employment they might question your availability. Just be prepared that it might not be immediate.

I haven't even filed yet but good to know there's help if I need it. The Washington ESD website is pretty confusing.

Yeah I used something similar when I couldn't get through. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to understand your situation.

Good point about the job search requirements. Do they actually check those logs?

They can audit your job search log at any time and if you can't prove you did the required activities, they'll disqualify you and make you pay back benefits.

Yep, happened to my cousin. She got sloppy with documenting her job searches and they hit her with an overpayment notice for like $2,000.

I've been at this restaurant for 2 years but before that I had a different job that paid more. Will that help my benefit amount?

Yes definitely! If your higher-paying job falls within your base period, that could increase your weekly benefit amount significantly. Washington ESD uses your best quarters.

So recent gaps in work can lower your benefit amount? That's something to keep in mind.

yeah because they look at a specific time period for your base year wages. if you had months with no income it brings down your quarterly totals

3 job searches per week doesn't sound too bad. Do they check on that?

They can audit your job search log at any time so keep good records. I use WorkSourceWA to track mine - it's connected to the Washington ESD system.

Actually I think it's been reduced to 2 job contacts per week but yeah definitely keep track of everything.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. Did you try calling them?

Tried calling probably 50 times. Either busy signal or they hang up after an hour on hold. It's ridiculous.

This is exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier. When you're stuck in adjudication limbo, sometimes you need to get an actual agent on the phone to move things along.

I'm curious who actually gets that $999 max. Must be people making like $60K+ annually?

Pretty much, yeah. High earners in tech, healthcare, finance, etc. The average person gets way less than the maximum.

Oh wow, I hadn't thought about taxes at all. Is that something you set up when you first file your claim?

Yes, there's an option during the application process to withhold federal taxes. I'd recommend it unless you're good at saving money for taxes.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. The Washington ESD phone system is completely overwhelmed and you can waste entire days trying to get through.

might have to look into that claimyr thing you mentioned earlier. this is ridiculous

So some people might not get the full 26 weeks? I thought everyone got 6 months.

Right, if you didn't work much during your base year, your total benefit amount might run out before 26 weeks. It's all connected to your work history.

Ugh I didn't even think about taxes. How much should I set aside?

Depends on your tax bracket but maybe 15-20% to be safe. You can elect to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims.

What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? Asking for a friend who's dealing with a hostile work environment.

Things like harassment, discrimination, unsafe conditions, or significant changes to your job duties/pay. But you need documentation and Washington ESD will investigate.

That's good to know! I might be able to pick up some shifts at other restaurants while I look for full-time work.

Just make sure you report everything honestly. They cross-check with employers and if they catch you not reporting income, you'll have to pay it all back with penalties.

26 weeks should be plenty of time to find something. Hopefully the restaurant industry picks up again soon.

Good to know! So I can get paid for my first week if my claim is approved?

Yep, no waiting week in Washington. You get paid for the first week you're unemployed and eligible, as long as you file your weekly claim on time.

Should I contact my old employer to make sure they reported my wages correctly?

Washington ESD will contact employers directly for wage verification. You can see your reported wages in your eServices account once your claim is processed.

Even if my claim is still pending? I don't want to mess anything up.

yes! keep filing weekly claims no matter what. if your claim gets approved they'll pay you for all the weeks you filed, but they can't pay for weeks you didn't file

I keep seeing people mention this service. Is it legit or just another scam taking advantage of people's desperation?

It's completely legitimate. They don't ask for your personal info or login details - they just help you get through the phone queue to talk to actual ESD agents. Check out their demo video, it explains everything.

You're right, I should just file and see what happens. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!

Good luck! The application process can be confusing but it's worth getting benefits if you qualify. Don't give up if you hit snags - lots of people have issues initially.

That's really helpful to know! I was worried that any work income would disqualify me completely.

Nope, Washington encourages part-time work while on unemployment. Just be honest about all earnings when you file your weekly claims.

My last day was Friday so I'll file this weekend. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

Good luck! The first claim can be intimidating but it's really not that bad once you get through it.

They didn't say anything about calling me back but I'll definitely keep looking. Better safe than sorry.

7 weeks?? How did you survive that long without income?

Credit cards and help from family. Not ideal but they did pay me retroactively for all the weeks I was eligible. Just took forever to get resolved.

This is another situation where getting an agent on the phone through Claimyr really helps. Seven weeks is way too long to be stuck in adjudication without any communication.

They didn't mention calling me back, it was a permanent layoff due to slow business. Should I mention that specifically when I file?

Yes, be clear about the separation reason. 'Lack of work' or 'business closure' are different from temporary layoffs and affect your claim differently.

When do you typically get that determination? Right after filing?

Usually within a week or two of filing your initial claim. It'll come by mail and also show up in your online account.

That's a good point. I've been thinking about getting my food safety certification. Might make me more marketable.

How would I know if they're fighting it? And what kind of hearing?

Washington ESD will send you a notice if there's a dispute. It's usually a phone hearing where you explain your side of the story. Just be honest about what happened.

Thanks everyone, this has been super helpful. Going to file this weekend and hope for the best!

Good luck! Feel free to come back here if you run into any issues. Lots of people here have been through it all.