What do you get when you file for unemployment with Washington ESD?

When you file with Washington ESD, you'll get a weekly benefit amount based on your past wages. The maximum is currently around $1015 per week in Washington. You also get up to 26 weeks of benefits typically. The process involves filing your initial claim, then filing weekly claims every week to certify you're still unemployed and looking for work.

Don't get too excited about the money though. Washington ESD makes you jump through hoops. You have to do job searches every week, keep a log, and if they decide to audit your claim it can take forever. My claim got stuck in adjudication for 6 weeks last year.

I was stuck trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my adjudication status. Calling was impossible - always busy or I'd get disconnected after waiting an hour. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and the website is claimyr.com. Honestly saved my sanity.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I've been trying to get my benefits for 2 months and Washington ESD keeps giving me the runaround. They say I didn't report my work hours correctly but I did everything right! These people don't care about us regular folks who actually need help.

For the job search requirements, you need to make 3 job contacts per week minimum. Keep detailed records because Washington ESD can ask for your job search log at any time. You'll report this when you file your weekly claims online.

just filed last week, pretty easy process online. took like 20 minutes. now waiting to hear back about my claim status

One thing to know - your first payment is usually delayed because of the waiting week. So even if your claim is approved quickly, there's typically a one-week delay before your first payment. After that, if you keep filing weekly claims on time, payments should be regular.

Oh and don't forget about taxes! The unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay quarterly. I learned that the hard way and owed a bunch at tax time.

If you run into problems getting through to Washington ESD like I did, seriously check out Claimyr. I probably would have waited months longer without their help getting connected to an actual person who could explain what was going on with my claim.

This is all really helpful everyone. One more question - what happens if I get a part-time job while collecting? Can I still get partial benefits?

been there done that with unemployment. it's a lifesaver when you really need it but man the bureaucracy is painful. just be patient and keep good records of everything

Also worth mentioning - if you were fired for misconduct or quit without good cause, you might not qualify. Washington ESD will investigate the circumstances of your job separation. Be honest about why you're no longer working when you file.

Update on my situation - FINALLY got through to someone at Washington ESD after using that Claimyr thing someone mentioned. Turns out there was a simple form I needed to submit that nobody told me about. Two months wasted because their system can't communicate properly!

Pro tip: set up direct deposit when you file your claim. Paper checks take way longer and can get lost. Also sign up for text alerts so you know when to file your weekly claims.

The whole process stressed me out so much when I first filed. But once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims and doing your job searches, it becomes pretty manageable. Hang in there!

One last thing - make sure you understand the difference between your weekly benefit amount and your total benefit amount. Your weekly amount is what you get each week, but your total benefit amount is the maximum you can receive over the entire benefit year.

update: got approved! took exactly 3 weeks like they said. first payment should hit my account next week. pretty smooth process once it gets going

For anyone still struggling to reach Washington ESD, I can't recommend Claimyr enough. The peace of mind of actually talking to a human being about your claim is worth it. Check out their demo video if you're curious how it works.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel way more confident about filing now. Going to start my application tonight and hopefully join the ranks of successfully collecting unemployment benefits soon.

wish I had found this thread when I first filed. would have saved me a lot of confusion and stress. great info from everyone here