Washington ESD unemployment benefits - how much do I get weekly?

So if I made like $6,500 in my best quarter that would be around $250 per week? That seems low compared to what I was making.

Yeah that sounds about right. UI benefits are designed to replace about 50% of your wages, not your full income. It's meant to be temporary assistance while you look for work.

Same here! I ended up having to wait until my claim was processed to find out my actual weekly benefit amount. Really frustrating when you're trying to budget.

exactly! like how are we supposed to plan anything when we dont know what we'll get

Is that legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days and can never get through.

Yeah it's real. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Worth it when you need actual answers about your claim.

How much does something like that cost? Seems like we're already broke if we're filing for unemployment.

You're partially right but it's not that simple either. The minimum is actually lower than that, around $201 for 2025. And they do use your highest quarter primarily for the calculation.

I might be mixing up the old rules with the new ones. This stuff changes every year and Washington ESD doesn't make it easy to understand.

I'm just trying to plan my budget dude, chill out

We all had to figure this out at some point. No need to be rude about someone asking a legitimate question.

Good to know! I might pick up some gig work while I'm looking for full-time employment.

Just make sure you report ALL earnings on your weekly claim. Washington ESD will find out eventually and then you'll have an overpayment to deal with.

The earnings deduction threshold changes every year too. Best to check the current amount on their website or ask an agent.

That's still way more than I'll probably get. At least you're getting close to $500 a week.

True, but when your rent is $1800/month that $487 doesn't go very far. The whole system needs an overhaul.

Wait what? So even if everything goes smoothly I won't get paid for the first week?

Exactly. It's called a waiting week and it's just lost money. One of the many ways the system screws over unemployed people.

Some states got rid of the waiting week during COVID but Washington still has it unfortunately.

Ugh that's exactly my situation. I got a raise 6 months ago but I guess that won't help my unemployment amount.

Yeah the timing is terrible. They should use more recent wages but the system is stuck in the stone age.

Yeah I used it last month when I had questions about my adjudication. Got through to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of spending all day calling. Definitely worth it.

Ok I'm going to check out their website. This is ridiculous that we need a third party service just to talk to our own state agency.

The fact that services like Claimyr even exist shows how broken Washington ESD's phone system is. But hey, at least there's a solution.

Good point. I guess I'm just anxious about the whole process and want to know what to expect.

Totally understandable! The uncertainty is the worst part of being unemployed. Just try to be patient with the process.

Oh crap I didn't even think about taxes. How do I request withholding?

you can do it when you file your claim or change it later in your eservices account. they'll take out 10% for federal taxes if you want

Wait so higher benefits means less weeks? That doesn't make sense.

It's because there's both a weekly maximum AND a total maximum benefit amount. So if your weekly amount is high, you'll hit the total cap before 26 weeks.

Actually that's not quite right. The 26 weeks is pretty standard regardless of your weekly amount, unless you're getting an unusually high benefit.

That's good to hear. I might need to use them once I start getting benefits and have specific questions.

Yeah it's nice to actually talk to a human who can look at your specific situation instead of trying to figure out generic information online.

Great, more things to worry about. This whole system seems designed to stress people out.

I know it's frustrating but most people do eventually get their benefits. Just try to have some backup funds if possible while things get sorted out.

Wow that's terrible. I guess I should be grateful for whatever I get here.

yeah washington is actually pretty generous with unemployment compared to most places. the max benefit here is over $1000 which is way higher than most states

How long does it usually take to get that determination letter?

It varies but usually within 1-2 weeks if there are no issues with your claim. Could be longer if they need to verify your employment or wages.

That helps put it in perspective. I just need to adjust my expectations and budget accordingly.

Exactly. Think of it as a bridge to help you get by until you find your next job, not a long-term income replacement.