What does unemployment pay in Washington state - weekly benefit amounts?
I'm thinking about filing for unemployment benefits but want to understand what Washington ESD actually pays out each week. I've been working full-time making about $52,000 a year and I'm curious what my weekly benefit amount would be if I qualified. Does anyone know how they calculate this? I've looked at the Washington ESD website but it's pretty confusing with all the formulas and base period stuff.
50 comments
Join the conversation
Natasha Ivanova
Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount using your highest earning quarter during your base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. They take that highest quarter, divide by 26, then you get about 3.85% of your average weekly wage. Maximum weekly benefit is $999 right now.
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•So if I made $15,000 in my highest quarter that would be about $576 divided by 26 then times 3.85%? That seems really low.
0 coins
Natasha Ivanova
•No you're doing the math wrong - it's $15,000 divided by 26 weeks = $576 average weekly wage, then your benefit is 3.85% of that weekly wage PLUS a percentage of the state average. It usually works out to around 50% of your weekly wages.
0 coins
NebulaNomad
The easiest way is to use the benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website. But generally speaking, you'll get roughly half your gross weekly pay up to the maximum. So if you were making $1000/week gross, you'd probably get around $500/week in unemployment.
0 coins
Javier Garcia
•Where is this calculator? I've been looking all over the Washington ESD site and can't find it anywhere.
0 coins
NebulaNomad
•It's under the 'Before You Apply' section on their main unemployment page. Sometimes the site is slow to load though.
0 coins
Emma Taylor
Just filed last month and getting $487 per week. I was making about $950/week before taxes at my job. The whole process took forever though - spent weeks trying to get through to someone at Washington ESD to verify my claim. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent within hours instead of calling for days. They have a demo video too: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ
0 coins
Malik Robinson
•Never heard of Claimyr before. Does it actually work or is it some kind of scam?
0 coins
Emma Taylor
•Totally legit - they basically handle the calling part for you since Washington ESD phone lines are impossible to get through on. Way better than spending entire days redialing.
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•Good to know about the service. So you're getting about 51% of your gross pay then? That's actually not too bad.
0 coins
Isabella Silva
keep in mind you also have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits. its not like getting your full paycheck - you'll owe at tax time if you dont have them withhold
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•Wait really? I thought unemployment was tax-free since you're not working.
0 coins
Natasha Ivanova
•Unemployment is definitely taxable income. You can choose to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims, which I'd recommend.
0 coins
Ravi Choudhury
The maximum weekly benefit amount changes every year based on the state average wage. For 2025 it's $999/week but most people don't qualify for the maximum unless they were making really good money.
0 coins
CosmosCaptain
•What do you need to make to get the full $999? I was making $75k last year.
0 coins
Ravi Choudhury
•You'd need to be making around $100k+ annually to max out the benefit. At $75k you're probably looking at $600-700/week depending on your quarterly earnings.
0 coins
Freya Johansen
Don't forget about the job search requirements too. You have to be actively looking for work and log your job search activities. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week minimum.
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•What counts as a job search activity? Just applying to jobs?
0 coins
Freya Johansen
•Applying for jobs, networking events, career fairs, creating/updating your resume, interviews - they have a whole list on the Washington ESD website.
0 coins
Omar Fawzi
•Also have to register with WorkSource Washington or they'll stop your benefits.
0 coins
Chloe Wilson
WASHINGTON ESD is so confusing with all their rules and calculations. I've been trying to figure out my benefit amount for weeks and keep getting different answers from different people
0 coins
Diego Mendoza
•Same here! I called Washington ESD like 50 times last week and only got through twice, then got two completely different explanations of how benefits are calculated.
0 coins
Emma Taylor
•This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - their agents actually know what they're talking about and can walk you through the calculations properly.
0 coins
Anastasia Romanov
Also remember there's a one week waiting period before you start receiving benefits. So even if you're approved right away, your first payment won't come until your second week of filing weekly claims.
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•So you file for week 1 but don't get paid, then file for week 2 and get paid for week 2 only?
0 coins
Anastasia Romanov
•Exactly. The first week is unpaid, then you get your weekly benefit amount starting with week 2 as long as you keep filing your weekly claims on time.
0 coins
StellarSurfer
Your benefit amount also depends on whether you have any part-time work while collecting. If you work part-time they'll reduce your weekly benefit based on how much you earn.
0 coins
Sean Kelly
•How much can you earn before they start reducing benefits?
0 coins
StellarSurfer
•I think it's around $150/week you can earn without any reduction, then they start deducting dollar for dollar after that. But check with Washington ESD to be sure.
0 coins
Zara Malik
been on unemployment for 2 months now getting $441/week. was making about $45k at my last job so seems about right for roughly half my weekly pay
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•That's helpful to know. Have you had any issues with your weekly claims or anything?
0 coins
Zara Malik
•mostly smooth but had one week where my claim got flagged for some reason and had to wait 3 weeks to get it sorted out. washington esd doesnt make it easy
0 coins
Luca Greco
The benefit amount calculation is based on your base period wages, not just your most recent job. So if you had multiple jobs or varying income it can be tricky to estimate without actually filing.
0 coins
Nia Thompson
•What if you were self-employed? Do those earnings count toward your base period?
0 coins
Luca Greco
•Self-employment income generally doesn't count for regular unemployment benefits unless you were paying into the system. You might need to look into other programs.
0 coins
Mateo Rodriguez
If you're still having trouble getting accurate information about your potential benefit amount, definitely consider using a service like Claimyr to speak with an actual Washington ESD representative. The phone system is absolutely brutal to navigate on your own.
0 coins
Aisha Hussain
•How much does Claimyr cost? Is it worth paying for when you can theoretically call Washington ESD yourself?
0 coins
Mateo Rodriguez
•I mean, you CAN call yourself but good luck getting through. I spent literally 8 hours over 3 days trying before I gave up and used their service. Sometimes paying for convenience is worth it.
0 coins
GalacticGladiator
Also keep in mind that Washington ESD benefits last for up to 26 weeks typically, but that can vary based on the unemployment rate and other factors. So budget accordingly.
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•26 weeks seems like a decent amount of time to find new work. Hopefully I won't need it that long.
0 coins
Ethan Brown
•26 weeks goes by faster than you think, especially in competitive job markets. Start looking immediately even while you're getting benefits.
0 coins
Yuki Yamamoto
Washington state also has some additional programs if you exhaust regular unemployment benefits, but they're not always available and depend on economic conditions.
0 coins
Carmen Ruiz
•What kind of additional programs? Like extended benefits?
0 coins
Yuki Yamamoto
•Yeah, sometimes there are extended benefit programs during high unemployment periods, but they're not guaranteed and have additional requirements.
0 coins
Andre Lefebvre
Bottom line - expect roughly 50% of your gross weekly wages up to the $999 maximum. File as soon as you're eligible and don't wait around because benefits can't be backdated very far.
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•Thanks everyone for all the info! This has been really helpful in understanding what to expect.
0 coins
Zoe Dimitriou
•Good luck with your claim if you end up filing! The process can be frustrating but the benefits definitely help bridge the gap while job searching.
0 coins
QuantumQuest
One more thing - make sure you understand the difference between gross and net income when calculating. Washington ESD uses your gross wages for benefit calculations, not what you took home after taxes and deductions.
0 coins
Oliver Fischer
•Good point. So if I was taking home $3200/month after taxes but my gross was $4300, they'd use the $4300 figure?
0 coins
QuantumQuest
•Exactly. They use the gross amount reported by your employer on your wage records.
0 coins