How much you get from unemployment benefits in Washington state?

The weekly benefit amount in Washington varies based on your earnings history. The minimum is around $295 per week and maximum is about $999 per week as of 2025. They calculate it using your highest earning quarter from the past 15 months. You can use the benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website to get an estimate before filing.

I'm getting $847 per week right now. I was making about $75k annually before I got laid off. The process took about 3 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, but that was pretty smooth compared to what some people experience.

Been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks about my claim being stuck in adjudication. Can't get anyone on the phone - it's impossible! The automated system just hangs up on you after being on hold forever.

The amount really depends on your work history. I only worked part-time jobs so I'm only getting like $340 a week. It's not much but it helps with basic expenses while I'm job searching.

DON'T EXPECT MUCH!!! I've been waiting 2 months for my claim to be approved. The system is completely broken. They ask for more documentation every week and then ignore what you send them.

Also worth noting that Washington has some of the better unemployment benefits compared to other states. The maximum weekly amount is pretty high and they have extended benefit periods during high unemployment.

just got approved last week after filing in early december. getting $623/week which is about 60% of what i was making. not bad considering i was worried about making rent

Remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you'll owe taxes on whatever you receive. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them later. Also, there are work search requirements - you need to apply for jobs and keep a log.

my sister got like $780 a week when she got laid off from her tech job. seemed like a lot but she was making good money before. really depends on your previous salary

Update: Finally got through to someone at ESD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Turns out my employer had disputed my claim and that's why it was stuck. The agent was able to explain the whole situation and tell me what documents I needed to submit. Wish I had known about this sooner instead of wasting weeks trying to call myself.

One thing to keep in mind is that you can work part-time while on unemployment and still get partial benefits. They have a formula for how much you can earn before it affects your weekly amount.

been on unemployment for 8 months now (got extended benefits). started at $445/week which covers most of my basic expenses. not fun but keeps me afloat while job hunting

The key is to file as soon as you become unemployed, even if you think you might not qualify. There's a waiting period anyway, and you can't get benefits for weeks before you file. Better to apply and find out than wait and lose potential benefits.

idk why people complain so much about the amount. free money is free money. better than working some minimum wage job

Just want to add that if you're self-employed or a contractor, you might not qualify for regular UI benefits. There are some exceptions but the rules are different.

lol everyone talking about getting hundreds per week and i'm over here getting $295 (the minimum). worked retail for 2 years but i guess my hours weren't consistent enough

For anyone still struggling to get through to ESD, I can't recommend Claimyr enough. Used them twice now when I needed to speak to someone about claim issues. The phone system is just so broken that sometimes you need help getting connected to an actual person.

thanks everyone for all the info! sounds like it's definitely worth applying. going to gather my employment docs and file this weekend.

one more tip - if you get denied for any reason, don't give up! you can appeal the decision. a lot of people don't realize that and just accept the denial

been reading this thread and just wanted to say that washington's UI system is actually pretty good compared to what my friends in other states deal with. the amounts are decent and the process isn't too terrible if you have all your paperwork ready