Washington ESD unemployment benefit calculation for $800 weekly salary - how much will I get?

That does sound really high compared to what I expected. I thought unemployment was way less than your regular pay.

yeah thats definitely wrong, unemployment maxes out way lower than that in washington

Ok that makes way more sense! So around $416 a week would be my benefit amount?

Yes, assuming your earnings were consistent. You'll need to file through the Washington ESD website and they'll calculate it exactly based on your wage history.

How much does that cost? Seems like you shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to Washington ESD.

I get the frustration but when you're trying to get answers about your benefits and can't get through for weeks, it's worth it. They don't share your personal info or anything, just help you get connected.

How many job searches do you have to do per week in Washington?

It's 3 job search activities per week unless you're in an approved training program. You log them in your WorkSourceWA account.

Adjudication means they're reviewing something about your claim - could be your separation reason, wages, or eligibility. Unfortunately it can take several weeks depending on their workload.

Several weeks?? How am I supposed to pay bills while they take their sweet time deciding if I qualify?

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - I needed to talk to someone about my adjudication status and couldn't get through on my own. The agent was able to explain what was happening with my claim.

Ugh I didn't think about taxes. Do they withhold automatically or do you have to pay at the end of the year?

You can choose to have federal taxes withheld when you file your weekly claims. I'd recommend it so you don't get hit with a big bill later.

Did you have any issues with them asking for personal information?

nah they dont need your SSN or anything sensitive, just basic info to help connect the call

What counts as 'suitable work'? Does it have to be the same type of job I had before?

Generally it needs to be work you're qualified for and pays at least 70% of your previous wage. The longer you're unemployed, the lower that percentage can go.

Same experience here. They asked for pay stubs I didn't have anymore, then verification of my job search activities. It's exhausting.

I know it's frustrating but they're required to verify eligibility. Keep copies of everything you submit and follow up if you don't hear back within their stated timeframes.

That's good to know. So I wouldn't have to start the whole process over if I found temporary work?

Right, as long as it's within your benefit year you can usually just restart your weekly claims rather than filing a new initial claim.

Yeah I definitely don't want to risk that. I'll make sure to be completely honest about my work history and reason for separation.

How long did it take from filing to getting your first payment?

About 3 weeks for me, but I didn't have any complications. Some people wait much longer if there are issues with their claim.

Good point, I was thinking about my take-home pay but they'd want the full $800 gross amount.

How quickly did they get you connected?

Maybe 15-20 minutes total? Way faster than the hours I wasted trying to call myself.

I don't think I'll get any severance since my hours were just cut, but good to know for the future.

Yeah severance can delay benefits depending on how much you get and how it's structured. Another thing they don't make clear upfront.