What does unemployment pay in Washington - weekly benefit amounts?

Thanks! So if my highest quarter was around $15,000, that would be about $577 per week? That's actually better than I expected.

yeah but remember you only get benefits for 26 weeks max, unless there's some extension program running

I tried looking for that but couldn't find it on their site. Do you have a direct link?

It's buried in their site somewhere. I used it last year when I was laid off from construction work.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Finally got my questions answered about my weekly benefit amount after being stuck for a month.

Really? That actually works? I'm desperate at this point, been calling every day.

I've heard mixed things about services like that, but if you're stuck it might be worth trying. The regular phone lines are definitely overloaded.

Your base period matters a lot. If you had gaps in employment or lower wages in some quarters, it affects the calculation significantly.

Yeah well they don't explain that when you file. Found out the hard way after waiting 3 weeks for adjudication.

That's helpful context. I had pretty steady employment so hopefully my quarters were fairly consistent.

Washington definitely pays better than most states. My cousin in Florida only gets like $275 max.

Good point, I hadn't thought about taxes. Can you have them withhold taxes or do you pay at the end of the year?

you can elect to have 10% withheld when you file your weekly claims, but a lot of people forget and get hit with a big tax bill

Thanks for sharing your actual numbers, that helps me estimate. Did you have any issues with the adjudication process?

Nope, pretty straightforward since I was laid off due to restaurant closure. If you were fired or quit it might take longer.

Correct, Washington eliminated the waiting week. You can get benefits starting from your first week of unemployment if you're eligible.

yeah that was a pandemic change that they made permanent, thank god

What are the job search requirements exactly? I haven't filed yet but want to make sure I do everything right.

You need to do 3 job search activities per week and log them in the WorkSource system. Can be applying for jobs, networking, going to job fairs, etc.

And make sure you're genuinely available for work. They can deny benefits if they think you're not actively seeking employment.

That's good to know about the timing. Do you get it by direct deposit or check?

Direct deposit is way faster, usually 1-2 days. If you do the debit card option it can take longer.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. Spent weeks trying to reach someone about my benefit calculation and kept getting disconnected. Their service got me through to an actual agent who explained everything.

How much does something like that cost though? I'm already strapped for cash.

It's worth checking out their site at claimyr.com - they focus on helping people reach ESD rather than just taking your money. The peace of mind was worth it for me.

I mostly worked one full-time job with some overtime, so hopefully that helps with consistency.

Overtime definitely helps boost your quarterly wages for the calculation. You should be in good shape.

I don't have dependents but that's good info for others reading this.

Yeah it's like $24 per dependent per week, which adds up if you have multiple kids.

Adjudication can take 3-6 weeks depending on the complexity of your case. If you were laid off it's usually faster than if you quit or were terminated.

I was laid off but they're still investigating something. So frustrating when you need the money now.

This is another situation where Claimyr helped me. I was stuck in adjudication for 4 weeks and couldn't get answers. Their service got me connected to an agent who explained what was holding up my claim and what I needed to do to resolve it.

I hadn't thought about timing affecting the calculation. That's complicated.

Yeah it's confusing. They use the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file, so timing can make a difference in which wages get counted.

How long did the appeal process take?

About 6 weeks total, but they paid me retroactively for the difference once it was approved.

I might get some vacation payout, so I should probably ask about that when I file.

Vacation pay usually doesn't delay benefits in Washington, but severance can. Make sure to report it accurately when you file.

The calculators are estimates based on the info you enter. If your wage records don't match what you think they should be, that could explain the difference.

Maybe, but they should make it clearer how they calculate everything. Too much guesswork involved.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much more prepared now if I need to file a claim.

This thread was really helpful, saved me from having to call ESD and sit on hold forever.