How much you get on unemployment Washington ESD weekly benefit amounts

So if I made like $11,000 in my best quarter, that would be about $423 divided by 2 = roughly $211 per week?

That sounds about right, but you should double check the exact calculation on the Washington ESD website. They have a benefit calculator tool somewhere.

That would actually help a lot with my bills while I'm looking for work. Do you know how long benefits last?

Regular UI benefits last up to 26 weeks in Washington state, but you have to keep filing your weekly claims and meet the job search requirements.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents by phone. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.

That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?

It's worth checking out their site for details. The main thing is it actually works - I was able to get my benefit amount issue resolved after weeks of trying on my own.

How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm worried about the waiting period.

took about 2 weeks to get my first payment but that included the waiting week. make sure you file your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still pending

Wait, there's a minimum? So even if my calculation comes out lower, I'd still get at least $295?

Correct, as long as you meet the minimum earnings requirements to qualify for benefits in the first place. The minimum weekly benefit for 2025 is $295.

That's really helpful to know. I was worried my part-time work history wouldn't qualify for much.

That makes sense. I was making less money when I first started this job so hopefully my more recent higher wages are in the calculation period.

You can check your wage history on your Washington ESD account once you file. It'll show exactly which quarters they're using for the calculation.

Are you documenting your job search activities? Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week to keep getting benefits.

Yeah I'm keeping track in WorkSourceWA. It's just frustrating because most of the jobs I'm qualified for pay way less than what I was making.

You don't have to take the first job offer if it's significantly less than your previous wage, at least not right away. There are rules about suitable work that protect you from having to take jobs that pay too little initially.

Yeah I used Claimyr too when I needed to talk to someone about my adjudication issue. It really does work - they somehow get you connected to an actual person instead of the busy signal or getting hung up on.

I'm going to check it out. At this point I'm desperate to get my questions answered.

Found the calculator! It's showing $389 per week for me which is actually better than I expected.

That sounds reasonable for your wage level. Don't forget you'll also need to file weekly claims to actually receive the payments.

What day do you usually file your weekly claim? I heard there's a specific schedule.

i file every sunday for the previous week. you can file starting sunday morning for the week that just ended

If your claim is in adjudication, that can definitely take longer. Is there a specific issue they're investigating?

They haven't told me anything! Just says 'adjudication in progress' on my account. I have no idea what they're even looking at.

This is exactly the kind of situation where calling them directly helps. Since regular calling doesn't work, I'd definitely recommend checking out Claimyr - they specialize in getting people connected to Washington ESD agents for exactly these kinds of issues.

Good point. I should probably have them withhold taxes so I don't get hit with a big bill next year.

Yeah, you can set up tax withholding when you file your initial claim or change it later in your account settings.

How do you know which quarters they used? Is that shown somewhere in your account?

Yes, once your claim is processed you can see your wage history and which quarters were included in the base period calculation.

Of course, I'm definitely planning to look for work. I just wanted to know what to expect financially while I'm searching.

good attitude. just make sure you understand the job search requirements before you start filing weekly claims

Yeah, that seems to be the common theme here. Lots of people having trouble reaching them by phone.

The phone system is definitely their weak point. Online account management works better for most routine stuff.

How would I know if there's an error in the calculation?

Compare your wage history in their system to your own records. If they're missing wages or using the wrong quarters, that would affect your benefit amount.

Thanks everyone for all the info. This has been really helpful in understanding what to expect.

No problem. Good luck with your claim and job search!