Washington ESD unemployment how much do you get weekly in 2025?

That's actually higher than I expected! I was thinking it would be like $200 a week or something. So it's based on my best quarter, not an average?

Correct, they use your highest earning quarter specifically to calculate the benefit amount. Much better than averaging all quarters together.

I didn't know there was a calculator! That would save me a lot of guessing. Do you remember what your hourly wage was when you got $847/week?

I was making about $28/hour working overtime pretty regularly. The overtime really bumped up my highest quarter which helped with the benefit calculation.

Wait there's a benefit calculator? I've been trying to figure this out for weeks and calling Washington ESD is impossible.

How much does that cost though? I'm unemployed so I can't really afford to pay for phone services.

It's actually pretty reasonable considering how much time it saves. Way better than spending hours trying to get through on your own.

I might try this if the online calculator doesn't work for me. Getting hung up on by Washington ESD is so frustrating.

Oh crap, I didn't think about that. They cut my hours from 40 to like 12 per week so I couldn't afford to stay. Does that count as good cause for quitting?

Substantial reduction in hours can qualify as good cause for quitting. You'll need to document the hour reduction and show you tried to resolve it with your employer first.

Exactly, keep any texts or emails about the schedule change. Washington ESD will want to see proof of the hours reduction.

I wasn't planning to work while on unemployment but good to know. What's the limit before they start reducing benefits?

You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start reducing it dollar for dollar. So if your benefit is $600, you can earn up to $595 without any reduction.

What counts as a job search activity? Just applying for jobs or other stuff too?

Applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, skills workshops, even some online training can count. They give you a list of approved activities.

The WorkSourceWA website is actually pretty good for tracking your activities. Much easier than keeping paper records.

How long did it take for your first payment to come through? I keep hearing about long delays.

Mine took about 3 weeks but that was because they had to verify my employment. If your case is straightforward it can be faster.

Try using the calculator during off-peak hours, like early morning or late evening. The site gets overloaded during regular business hours.

good tip, ill try that tomorrow morning

How much do they typically withhold for federal taxes? Is it optional?

It's optional but I'd recommend it. They withhold 10% for federal taxes which saves you from owing a big chunk at tax time.

What kind of mistakes cause the biggest problems?

Wrong dates, incorrect wage information, not reporting work accurately. Even small discrepancies can trigger an investigation.

This is why I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Had questions about how to report some freelance work and didn't want to mess it up.

That still sounds decent for my situation. Better than the $200 I was expecting.

Yeah it's definitely livable, especially if you're not paying for health insurance through it. Just remember it's temporary - max 26 weeks in most cases.

Good point. I was thinking of taking a week or two to decompress first but maybe I should start looking right away.

You can still take some time to regroup mentally, just start the search process early. Even networking and updating your resume counts toward the job search requirements.

Can you go back on unemployment later if that job doesn't work out?

You can reopen your claim within the benefit year if you become unemployed again, as long as you have weeks remaining.

It's definitely not user-friendly. I spent hours trying to understand the base period calculation before I finally got it.

Same here. The terminology alone is confusing - base period, benefit year, waiting week. Why can't they just use plain English?

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I feel much more confident about filing now. Going to gather my employment docs and use that benefit calculator first.

Good luck! The process isn't as scary as it seems once you get started. Just be thorough and honest on everything.