How much would I get on Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

So if I made like $12,000 in my highest quarter, I'd get around $460 per week? That seems decent actually.

That's roughly right, but there are minimums and maximums to consider. You also need to have earned at least $3,850 during your base period to qualify.

Where exactly is the calculator? I couldn't find it when I was looking around their site.

its under the 'apply for benefits' section somewhere, i think you have to dig around a bit to find it

How much does that service cost? Seems like it might be worth it if I can actually talk to someone.

Honestly the peace of mind was worth it for me. No more sitting on hold for hours just to get hung up on. The agent was super helpful explaining the base period calculation.

Never heard of that before but anything beats trying to get through their phone lines during peak hours.

I don't have kids so that doesn't apply to me, but good to know for others reading this.

Wait, they give extra money for dependents? I had no idea about that when I filed my claim last year.

Yeah, but you have to specifically claim them when you file. You can't add dependents after your claim is already processed.

So if I get a small part-time job while collecting, I need to report those earnings on my weekly claims?

yes definitely report all earnings. washington esd will find out eventually through wage records and then you'll have an overpayment to deal with

Actually you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount without any reduction. After that it's dollar for dollar reduction, not from the first dollar earned.

Did you ever find out why the amount was different? That's making me nervous about filing.

They said something about my wages from a previous job not being reported correctly by my employer. Had to provide paystubs to get it sorted out.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to talk to an agent. These kinds of wage discrepancies are super common and really hard to resolve without speaking to someone directly.

How many job applications do you need to do per week? I heard it varies.

It's typically 3 job search activities per week, but can be more depending on your situation and what WorkSource determines at your eligibility review.

wait i thought it was 2 activities per week? or did they change it recently?

It's been 3 for most people since they updated the requirements. Best to check with WorkSource to be sure what applies to your specific case.

Good point, I hadn't thought about the tax implications. Is it better to have them withhold taxes or pay later?

I always have them withhold 10% federal taxes so I don't get hit with a big bill at tax time. But it depends on your overall tax situation.

That's concerning. Is the online filing system really that bad?

its gotten better since the pandemic but still has issues sometimes. save your work frequently if you're filing online

I had the same problem! System timed out right when I was submitting and I had to start over completely.

That helps give me a ballpark idea. Sounds like with my wages I'd probably get somewhere in the $400-500 range.

Yeah that sounds about right for your situation. The key is making sure all your wage information is accurate when you file.

That's good to know! So I'd start getting paid right away once approved?

Yes, as long as your claim is approved and you file your weekly claims on time. Just make sure to file your weekly claim every week even while your initial claim is processing.

Good advice. Should I gather all my paystubs before filing or can I provide them later if needed?

Have them ready before you file. If there are any discrepancies in the wage records, you'll need them to resolve issues quickly.

This is another reason I liked using Claimyr - the agent I spoke with told me exactly what documentation I should have ready before filing. Saved me a lot of back and forth later.

I've only had the one retail job for the past year and a half, so hopefully that keeps things simple.

Yeah that should make your calculation pretty straightforward. Just make sure the dates you provide match exactly with what your employer reported.

Good to know there's a way to challenge it if something seems off. Hopefully I won't need to go through that process.

Most of the time the calculation is correct, but mistakes do happen. Better to know your options upfront.

I had to appeal mine because they didn't count wages from a job where I got laid off. Won the appeal but it took 6 weeks to get resolved.