Washington ESD weekly benefit amount - how much does unemployment pay in WA?

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount using your highest earning quarter from the base period. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $999. Your benefit is roughly 3.85% of your total base period wages divided by 52, but there are caps.

i think its like 60% of what you made before but theres a cap, my friend got around $800/week last year

The Washington ESD benefit calculator can give you an estimate, but you'll need your wage information from the past 5 quarters. The minimum weekly benefit for 2025 is $295 and maximum is $999. Most people don't get the full maximum unless they were earning over $100k consistently.

I had the same problem trying to reach Washington ESD about my benefit calculation. Spent weeks calling with no luck until I found claimyr.com - it's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ) and decided to try it. Got through to Washington ESD within a few hours and got my benefit amount confirmed.

For reference, Washington unemployment benefits are taxable income, so factor that into your budgeting. You can elect to have taxes withheld or pay quarterly. Also remember you can collect for up to 26 weeks typically.

the whole system is messed up, been waiting 3 weeks just to get my benefit amount calculated because of some adjudication issue, meanwhile bills keep coming

Just want to add - your benefit amount also depends on if you have any part-time work. Washington ESD reduces your weekly benefit if you earn more than your weekly benefit amount minus $5. So if you get $600/week, you can earn up to $595 before they start deducting.

I've been collecting Washington ESD benefits for 12 weeks now and get $743 weekly. I was making about $58k before layoffs. The amount has been consistent, direct deposited every Tuesday if I file my weekly claim by Sunday.

Make sure you understand the difference between your weekly benefit amount and your maximum benefit amount. The weekly is what you get each week, but there's also a total cap on how much you can collect overall during your benefit year.

One more tip - Washington ESD sends a monetary determination letter after you file that breaks down exactly how they calculated your benefit. Keep that letter safe, you'll need it if you ever have to appeal or if there are questions about your benefit amount later.

Update on my earlier comment about Claimyr - I ended up using them again when I had questions about my job search requirements. Really streamlined the process of getting Washington ESD answers without the phone tag frustration.

Just filed my claim yesterday and got my benefit amount today - $834/week. Was making $67k at my previous job. The Washington ESD online system actually worked pretty smoothly for me, though I know that's not everyone's experience.

Don't forget about the job search requirements while you're collecting. You need to make 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records. Washington ESD can audit your job search log anytime.

my benefit went from $612 to $687 after they corrected some wage information, so double check that your employer reported everything correctly to washington esd

Final note on Washington ESD benefit calculations - if you worked in multiple states, you might be able to file an interstate claim using wages from other states. This could potentially increase your benefit amount if you had higher wages elsewhere.

Been collecting for 8 months now (had an extension) and the amount has stayed consistent. Washington ESD is pretty reliable with payments once you're set up, unlike some horror stories I've heard from other states.

Pro tip: set up direct deposit immediately when you file your claim. Paper checks take forever and can get lost in the mail. I learned that the hard way and missed a week of payments.

Glad this thread helped! For anyone still struggling to reach Washington ESD with questions, seriously consider checking out claimyr.com. Having direct contact with agents makes such a difference when you have specific questions about your claim or benefit calculations.

One last thing - your benefit amount can change if you go back to work part-time or if Washington ESD discovers unreported wages. Always report everything accurately to avoid overpayment issues later.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread! Really helpful to get real numbers and experiences from people actually going through the Washington ESD system.