Washington ESD unemployment how much can I expect to receive weekly?
I just got laid off from my warehouse job where I was making $18.50/hour working about 38-40 hours per week. I've never filed for unemployment before and I'm trying to figure out how much Washington ESD will pay me weekly. I know it's based on your wages but I can't find a clear calculator anywhere. My gross pay was usually around $650-700 per week. Does anyone know roughly what I should expect? I need to know for budgeting since my rent is $1200/month.
59 comments
Join the conversation
Andrew Pinnock
Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount using your highest earning quarter from the last 18 months. They take your total wages from that quarter and divide by 26. So if your highest quarter was around $8,500, you'd get roughly $325 per week before taxes.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•That sounds about right for my wages. Do they automatically take taxes out or do I need to request that?
0 coins
Andrew Pinnock
•You can choose to have 10% federal tax withheld when you file your weekly claims. I'd recommend it unless you want a big tax bill next year.
0 coins
Brianna Schmidt
just filed mine last week, the whole process is confusing as hell. took me forever to get through to someone at washington esd to ask questions
0 coins
Alexis Renard
•The phone lines are absolutely brutal. I've been trying to reach them for days about my claim status. If you need to talk to someone, I found this service called Claimyr that actually gets you through to ESD agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
0 coins
Brianna Schmidt
•never heard of that but might be worth trying, calling esd directly is like playing the lottery
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already stressed about money.
0 coins
Camila Jordan
The maximum weekly benefit in Washington is $999 as of 2025, but most people get way less than that. Your $650-700 weekly gross puts you in the middle range, so expect somewhere between $300-400 per week. Also remember you can only collect for 26 weeks maximum in a benefit year.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•26 weeks seems like it goes by fast when you're job hunting. Is there any way to extend that?
0 coins
Camila Jordan
•Not unless there's special federal programs running, which there aren't right now. You really need to be actively job searching the whole time you're collecting.
0 coins
Tyler Lefleur
i was making similar money and got like $340 a week. but that was before they took out the taxes. make sure you understand the job search requirements too because they're strict about that now
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•What are the job search requirements exactly? Do I need to apply to a certain number of jobs?
0 coins
Tyler Lefleur
•you have to do 3 job search activities per week and keep a log. can be applying, networking, job fairs, whatever. just document everything
0 coins
Andrew Pinnock
One thing to keep in mind - your first payment usually takes 2-3 weeks after you file your initial claim. Washington ESD has to process everything and verify your employment history. Make sure you file your weekly claims even if you haven't been paid yet.
0 coins
Madeline Blaze
•This is so important! I made the mistake of not filing my weekly claims because I thought my initial claim was still being processed. Lost out on 2 weeks of benefits.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•Good to know, I'll make sure to file weekly even if nothing seems to be happening with my claim.
0 coins
Max Knight
The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator but it's buried somewhere in their site. Your benefit amount is also based on when you worked - they look at your base period which is the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. It's confusing but basically your most recent work.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•I've been at the same job for 2 years so hopefully that makes it straightforward.
0 coins
Max Knight
•Yeah, steady employment history makes the calculation much easier. You should be fine.
0 coins
Brianna Schmidt
whatever you do dont mess up your weekly claims. i accidentally put the wrong info one week and it flagged my whole claim for adjudication. been waiting 3 weeks now for them to fix it
0 coins
Emma Swift
•Adjudication is the worst! They're so backed up right now. What kind of mistake did you make?
0 coins
Brianna Schmidt
•reported some odd job work wrong, now they want to review everything. should have just called them but good luck getting through
0 coins
Alexis Renard
•This is exactly why I use claimyr.com when I need to reach ESD. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected.
0 coins
Isabella Tucker
Don't forget you might owe taxes on unemployment benefits. It's considered income so set aside some money if you're not having taxes withheld.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•How much should I set aside roughly?
0 coins
Isabella Tucker
•Depends on your total income for the year, but 10-15% is usually safe if you're in a lower tax bracket.
0 coins
Jayden Hill
I've been on unemployment twice and the amount varies more than you'd think. Sometimes it's based on weird quarters or if you had a gap in employment. Best bet is to just file and see what they calculate for you.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•How long did it take to get your first payment both times?
0 coins
Jayden Hill
•First time was about 3 weeks, second time was only 10 days. Depends how busy they are.
0 coins
LordCommander
MAKE SURE YOU KEEP ALL YOUR PAY STUBS! Washington ESD might ask for wage verification especially if there's any discrepancy in their records vs what you report.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•I have most of them but not all. Is that going to be a problem?
0 coins
LordCommander
•You can usually get copies from your employer or their payroll company if needed. Better to have them ready just in case.
0 coins
Lucy Lam
the whole system is set up to discourage people from using it honestly. between the confusing rules and impossible phone lines its like they want you to give up
0 coins
Aidan Hudson
•I hear you but it's still money that can help pay bills. Just have to push through the bureaucracy.
0 coins
Lucy Lam
•true, every little bit helps when you're out of work
0 coins
Andrew Pinnock
One more tip - sign up for direct deposit when you file your claim. Paper checks take forever and sometimes get lost in the mail. Direct deposit usually processes within 1-2 business days once your payment is approved.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•Definitely doing direct deposit. Can't afford to wait for checks in the mail.
0 coins
Zoe Wang
•Smart choice. I waited 3 weeks for a check that never came and had to get it reissued.
0 coins
Connor Richards
Also remember that your benefit year starts when you file, not when you got laid off. So don't wait too long to file your claim or you're just losing time and money.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•I got laid off on Friday so I'm planning to file first thing Monday morning.
0 coins
Connor Richards
•Perfect timing. Weekend layoffs are rough but at least you can file right away.
0 coins
Grace Durand
if your employer contests your claim it can delay everything. most dont bother but some companies fight every unemployment claim out of principle
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•It was a layoff due to slow business, not performance issues. Should be straightforward I hope.
0 coins
Grace Durand
•layoffs are usually fine, its the firings that get contested most of the time
0 coins
Steven Adams
The WorkSource registration is mandatory now too. You have to register within a certain timeframe or they can stop your benefits. It's all connected to your job search requirements.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•Is that something I do separately or part of the unemployment filing process?
0 coins
Steven Adams
•It's separate but they'll give you instructions when you file your claim. Don't skip it!
0 coins
Alice Fleming
Budget carefully because that unemployment money goes fast. $300-400 a week sounds decent until you start paying rent, utilities, groceries, gas, everything else.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•Yeah I'm already worried about making my rent. Might need to look for a roommate or something.
0 coins
Hassan Khoury
•Consider part-time work too. You can earn up to a certain amount and still collect partial benefits.
0 coins
Alexis Renard
For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD by phone, I've had good luck with Claimyr recently. They charge a fee but it's worth it when you need answers fast and can't afford to waste days calling. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ to see how it works.
0 coins
Victoria Stark
•How much do they charge? I'm desperate to talk to someone about my pending claim.
0 coins
Alexis Renard
•Not sure on exact pricing but when you're losing money every day waiting, it pays for itself quickly.
0 coins
Benjamin Kim
Just want to add that mental health is important too when you're unemployed. The stress of not knowing your benefit amounts and dealing with ESD bureaucracy can really get to you. Take care of yourself during this process.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•Thanks for saying that. It's been really stressful trying to figure all this out on top of losing my job.
0 coins
Benjamin Kim
•It gets easier once your claim is approved and you get into a routine with the weekly filings. Hang in there.
0 coins
Samantha Howard
Good luck with your claim! The waiting and uncertainty is the worst part but most straightforward layoff claims get approved without issues. You should know your exact benefit amount within a week or two of filing.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. Feeling much more prepared to file my claim now.
0 coins
Megan D'Acosta
•You've got this! Just remember to file those weekly claims religiously even when it feels pointless.
0 coins