Washington ESD unemployment benefit amounts - how much was unemployment during covid compared to now?

During the pandemic, there was the extra $600/week federal boost (FPUC) on top of your regular Washington ESD weekly benefit amount. Then later it was $300/week extra. Your regular state benefit stayed the same - it's based on your wages from your base year. The minimum is still $295/week and maximum is $999/week for 2025.

yeah i remember getting like $1400 a week total back then with the $600 boost. now im only getting my regular $485 weekly benefit amount. miss those days lol

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about your benefit calculation, I had success using claimyr.com recently. They help you actually reach an agent instead of getting the busy signal constantly. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me get answers about my weekly benefit amount.

The federal programs like PUA and PEUC are completely gone now. If you qualified for regular unemployment before covid, you'll get the same type of benefit now. The weekly benefit amount calculation hasn't changed - it's still your highest quarter wages in your base year divided by 26, with the min/max limits.

OMG I remember those days! I was getting my regular $620 plus the extra $600 and felt like I was making more unemployed than working. Now it's back to reality with just the regular Washington ESD amount. The pandemic benefits spoiled us for sure.

Just to clarify the timeline - the $600 FPUC boost was March-July 2020, then there was a gap, then $300 LWA for a few weeks, then $300 FPUC again from late 2020 through September 2021. All that extra money is gone now and we're back to just regular state benefits.

i'm still mad they took away all the pandemic money. some of us are still struggling and could use that extra help. washington esd benefits alone barely cover rent these days

For 2025, Washington ESD weekly benefit amounts range from $295 minimum to $999 maximum. Your actual amount depends on your wages during your base year (first 4 of last 5 completed quarters before you filed). You can estimate it by taking your highest quarter wages and dividing by 26.

Does anyone remember exactly when the pandemic unemployment programs ended? I think it was September 2021 but want to make sure for my records.

If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your benefit calculation, definitely try that claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I used it last week when I couldn't get through their main number. Actually connected me to an agent who explained how my weekly amount was calculated.

The pandemic really showed how inadequate regular unemployment benefits are. Even with the max Washington ESD amount of $999/week, that's only about $52K annually - not enough for most people's actual expenses in Washington state.

Just remember that if you're filing a new claim in 2025, you won't get any of that pandemic money. It's just your regular Washington ESD weekly benefit amount based on your wages, plus you have to do the job search requirements and all that. The easy money days are over.

One thing I learned during covid was to keep all your documentation about benefit amounts. Washington ESD later sent some people overpayment notices saying they got too much money. Better to have records of what you actually received.

man i miss getting that extra $300 every week on top of my regular benefit. made unemployment actually livable instead of stressing about every bill

For anyone filing new claims, remember Washington ESD also has that SharedWork program where you can get partial benefits if your hours are reduced instead of being completely laid off. Might be worth looking into if your employer offers it.

Bottom line - if you're expecting pandemic-level payments, you're going to be disappointed. Regular Washington ESD benefits are back to pre-covid levels and probably will stay that way unless there's another major economic crisis.

Just went through this myself! During covid I was getting around $800 total per week (my regular $500 WA benefit plus the $300 federal boost). Now with my new claim I'm only getting $520 weekly based on my wages. The calculation is still the same - they take your highest earning quarter from your base year and divide by 26. But yeah, no more federal money on top. Had to adjust my budget big time!