How much would you make per week on Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

That's way more than I expected! So they look at my best 3-month period, not just my average?

Exactly. They take your highest earning quarter and multiply by 0.0385. So if you made $13,000 in your best quarter, you'd get about $500 weekly.

Have you tried calling first thing in the morning? I heard that's when you have the best chance of getting through.

I've tried everything - calling at 8am, during lunch breaks, even staying on hold for 3+ hours. Either busy signal or they hang up on you.

I actually found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to Washington ESD. They basically call for you and stay on hold until they reach an agent, then connect you. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.

Good point about the job search requirement. Is it 3 applications every single week or just when you file your weekly claim?

Every week that you claim benefits. And they can audit your job search log at any time, so make sure you're keeping detailed records.

Two months?? That's insane. What's your claim stuck on?

something about verifying my identity even though i sent them everything they asked for. just says 'adjudication in progress' with no timeline

That Claimyr service I mentioned earlier might help you too. They specialize in getting people connected to Washington ESD agents to check on adjudication status and identity verification issues.

Wait, they take taxes out of unemployment? I thought it was already reduced because it's government assistance.

Nope, it's considered taxable income by both state and federal governments. You can elect to have 10% federal and varying state taxes withheld when you set up your claim.

That would actually cover most of my essential expenses. Did you have any issues with the application process?

The online application was straightforward but verifying my identity took about 3 weeks. Make sure you have all your employment documentation ready - pay stubs, W2s, etc.

I don't have any dependents so that wouldn't apply to me, but good to know for others reading this.

The dependency allowance really helped when I was on unemployment. Every little bit counts when you're trying to make ends meet.

What if you have a job interview out of state? Do you have to report that as being unavailable for work?

Actually traveling for job interviews is usually considered acceptable job search activity. You just need to document it properly in your job search log.

Good to know about the waiting period. So I should probably have at least a few weeks of expenses saved up before I file?

Definitely. Between the waiting period and potential processing delays, having 3-4 weeks of expenses saved is smart.

Yeah the paperwork is intense. I had to submit like 8 different documents just to verify my identity.

That's why services like Claimyr are so helpful. Sometimes you need to talk to an actual person to understand what documents they want, but getting through their phone system is a nightmare.

How much can you earn before it impacts your weekly benefit amount?

I think it's around $220 per week that you can earn without any reduction, but don't quote me on that. Check the Washington ESD website for current numbers.

It's actually a bit more complex than that. They have a formula where they reduce your benefits dollar-for-dollar after a certain threshold, but there's also a minimum you can earn without any impact.

Six weeks is crazy! What kept delaying your claim?

identity verification issues, then they wanted more documentation about my previous employer, then the adjudicator assigned to my case went on vacation... it was one thing after another

They assign you specific days to file? I thought you could file anytime during the week.

Yeah, it's based on the last digit of your Social Security number. They spread it out to reduce server load on their website.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. Sounds like I should definitely apply if I need to, but plan for some headaches along the way.

Exactly. And if you run into phone issues trying to reach Washington ESD, remember that Claimyr service can save you a lot of time and frustration. Sometimes talking to an actual person makes all the difference.