How much will Washington ESD unemployment pay me per week?

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount (WBA) based on your earnings during your base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. The maximum weekly benefit in Washington is currently $999 per week. Your benefit is roughly 60% of your average weekly wage during the base period, but it depends on your specific earnings history.

Thanks! So if I was making $1000 per week, I'd get around $600? That's actually better than I thought.

That's about right, but Washington ESD will calculate it exactly based on your reported wages. You'll see the exact amount once your claim is processed.

just filed mine 2 weeks ago and still waiting for them to tell me how much ill get. the whole process is confusing and i keep calling but cant get through to anyone at washington esd

I had the same problem trying to reach Washington ESD by phone. I ended up using Claimyr.com to get through to an actual agent - they have this system that calls for you and connects you when someone picks up. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

never heard of that but at this point ill try anything. the automated system just hangs up on me

Claimyr actually works really well. I used it last month when I needed to check on my adjudication status. Way better than spending all day redialing.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator but it's pretty basic. From what I remember, they look at your highest earning quarter and multiply by a certain percentage. But there are minimums and maximums too. If you made $52k annually that should put you in a decent range for benefits.

Do you remember where the calculator is on their site? I looked but couldn't find it.

I think it's under the 'Unemployment Benefits' section but honestly their website is a mess to navigate. Might be easier to just file your claim and see what they calculate.

DONT GET YOUR HOPES UP!! I was making good money too and they only gave me like half of what I expected. Plus they make you jump through so many hoops with the job search requirements and all that WorkSource BS. The whole system is designed to discourage you from collecting.

The job search requirements are actually pretty reasonable - you need to make 3 job contacts per week and keep a log. WorkSourceWA has decent job search tools once you get used to it.

easy for you to say but when youve been looking for months and applying everywhere its just busy work at that point

I think the formula is something like your base period wages divided by 52, then they take a percentage of that. But I could be totally wrong lol. When I filed in 2023 I got about $450 per week and I was making around $45k annually.

That sounds about right for the ratio. Thanks for sharing your actual numbers, that helps me estimate.

The exact calculation can be tricky because Washington ESD uses your base period earnings, not your most recent salary. If you had any gaps in employment or your income varied a lot, that affects the calculation. Your base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at January-December 2024 earnings.

Oh that's good to know. I've been at the same job for 2 years so my income should be pretty consistent.

Wait so if I just started a new job 3 months ago but got laid off, do they use my old job's wages?

Yes, they use whatever wages were reported during your base period quarters. Your most recent 3 months might not even count depending on when you file.

I got $623 per week when I was unemployed last year. I think I was making around $55k annually. The amount seemed fair but it definitely wasn't enough to maintain my normal lifestyle. Had to cut back on a lot of things.

Yeah I'm already thinking about what expenses I can cut. At least it's something though.

File your claim ASAP because there's a waiting week before you can start collecting. And make sure you do your weekly claims every week even if your main claim is still processing. I made that mistake and it delayed my benefits by like 3 weeks.

Good tip, thanks! I'll file tomorrow morning first thing.

what do you mean by waiting week? they dont pay you for the first week?

Right, the first week you're eligible is a waiting week - you have to serve it but you don't get paid for it. It's like a one-week penalty.

The benefit amount also depends on if you have any dependents. I think you can get additional money for dependent children but I'm not sure about the details since I don't have kids.

Yes, Washington provides additional benefits for dependents - I believe it's currently $30 per week per dependent child under 18.

Whatever you do, report your earnings accurately when you file. They cross-check with employers and if there are discrepancies it can delay your claim or cause overpayment issues later. Better to be honest upfront.

Definitely planning to be completely honest. Don't want any complications.

I tried calling Washington ESD to ask about benefit amounts before I filed but could never get through. Ended up just filing online and waiting to see what they calculated. The online system is actually pretty straightforward once you get started.

Yeah the phone lines are impossible. That's why I mentioned Claimyr earlier - it's literally the only way I've been able to talk to a real person at Washington ESD. Game changer for getting claim questions answered.

I'll have to check that out if I run into issues. Thanks for the heads up.

Keep in mind that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can have taxes withheld from your weekly payments or pay at the end of the year. I learned that the hard way and owed a bunch at tax time.

Oh wow, I didn't even think about taxes. Thanks for mentioning that.

Yeah, I'd recommend having them withhold 10% for federal taxes just to be safe.

The maximum benefit duration is 26 weeks in Washington, but that can change during economic downturns. Right now it's back to the standard 26 weeks after all the COVID extensions ended.

26 weeks should hopefully be enough time to find something new. Fingers crossed.

i was getting like $400 something per week but then they said i had to pay some of it back because of some overpayment thing. make sure you understand all the rules or you could end up owing money later

Overpayments usually happen when people don't report work or earnings properly during their weekly claims. Always be accurate with your reporting.

Quick question - do you have to be actively looking for work to collect unemployment in Washington? I know some states have different requirements.

Yes, you must be able and available for work and actively seeking employment. You need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and maintain a job search log.

Thanks, good to know. I'll make sure to document everything.

File online through the SecureAccess Washington portal. It's way faster than trying to file by phone or mail. The whole process took me maybe 30 minutes to complete.

Perfect, I'll do it online. Thanks for all the helpful advice everyone!

Don't forget that you might qualify for other assistance programs while you're unemployed - like SNAP benefits or help with utilities. Worth looking into if money gets tight.

Good point, I'll research what other help might be available just in case.

I've been on unemployment twice and both times the amount was pretty close to what I expected based on my previous wages. Washington ESD is generally pretty fair with the calculations, unlike some horror stories I've heard from other states.

That's reassuring to hear. Hopefully my experience will be smooth too.

Washington's unemployment system definitely has its problems but the benefit amounts are usually calculated correctly. It's getting through to customer service that's the real challenge.

One last tip - set up direct deposit when you file your claim. Paper checks take forever and can get lost in the mail. Direct deposit usually hits your account within 1-2 business days.

Will definitely set up direct deposit. Thanks for thinking of that detail!