Washington ESD unemployment benefit amounts - how much will I actually get?

That's helpful! My highest quarter was probably around $14,500 so that puts me at about $558 per week if I did the math right.

Don't forget they also look at whether you have enough wages in your base period to qualify. You need wages in at least two quarters.

Good to know about the hours requirement. I definitely worked more than 680 hours last year so I should be fine there.

Wait, is it 680 hours OR $7,000 in earnings? I thought it was both requirements.

It's either/or - you need to meet at least one of those requirements to qualify for benefits.

I had the same problem for weeks. I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it so much easier to get my questions answered.

That sounds too good to be true. How does it work exactly?

It basically handles the calling and waiting for you. I was skeptical too but it actually worked - got connected to an agent in about 45 minutes instead of calling for hours myself.

I filed my claim last week so I'm trying to figure out which quarters they'll be looking at.

If you filed in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. So they'd look at your wages from those four quarters.

Yeah that calculator is confusing. I think it's easier to just take your highest quarter and divide by 26 to get a rough estimate.

The determination letter should break down exactly how they calculated your benefit amount. Mine showed all my quarterly wages and the math.

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

How much extra do they add for dependents? I have two kids.

I think it's around $32 per dependent child per week, but don't quote me on that exact amount.

I feel you on this. The whole UI system is needlessly complicated.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to talk to someone. Sometimes you just need a human to explain it in plain English.

That's really helpful to know! Sounds like the calculation is pretty straightforward then.

Did you have any issues with the calculation or was it automatically correct when you got your determination?

It was automatic. The determination letter showed all the math and it matched what I expected.

Yeah I know about the weekly claims. How many job searches do you have to do per week?

I think it's 3 job search activities per week in Washington. You have to log them in WorkSourceWA.

How does that work exactly? I thought everyone got the same number of weeks.

You get a maximum benefit amount based on your total base period wages. Once you've collected that total amount, your claim is exhausted even if you haven't used all 26 weeks.

That's frustrating. I've been trying to get through for days with no luck.

This is why I'm hesitant to even try calling. Seems like you get different answers depending on who you talk to.

If you think there's an error, you can appeal the determination. You have to do it within 30 days of receiving the letter though.

Good to know. I'll double check the math on my determination letter.

Is that waiting period for everyone or just certain situations?

I think it's for everyone unless you're on standby or have some other special situation.

Unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them when you file your tax return.

Thanks! I'll probably have them withhold taxes to avoid a big bill later.

How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money being unemployed.

I'd rather focus on the value it provided - getting actual answers instead of endless hold music. You can check their site for details.

Yes, $999 is the current maximum for 2025. The amount gets adjusted annually based on average wages in the state.

Perfect, thanks for confirming. That's higher than I expected which is good news.

That's exactly what I needed to know. Simple and straightforward. Thanks everyone for all the help!

Glad this thread was helpful. Always nice when the community can help each other figure out this confusing system.