What has the lowest unemployment pay - Washington ESD weekly benefit amounts?

That explains it then. I was hoping there might be some adjustment since cost of living is so high here but guess not.

Yeah the minimum hasn't changed in years even though everything else has gotten more expensive

Exactly! I don't understand how they expect people to survive on $201 a week in Seattle area

The calculation is 60% of your average weekly wage during the base period, but there are minimum and maximum limits. If your base period wages were low, you hit that $201 floor.

So basically if you were already struggling with low wages, unemployment makes it even worse. Great system we have here.

Never heard of Claimyr before but might have to try it. I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my job search requirements.

Is that service legit? Seems too good to be true if it actually gets you through to Washington ESD agents

Yeah it's real, I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Way better than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

So if I had worked more hours during my base period I would have gotten more? I was mostly part-time because I was in school.

Correct. The more you earned during those quarters, the higher your weekly benefit would be, up to the maximum of $999 per week.

wait so someone can get almost $1000 a week from unemployment? that's more than I make working full time!

You might want to look into alternate base period calculation. Sometimes Washington ESD can use a different set of quarters if it results in a valid claim.

How do I request that? Nobody at Washington ESD mentioned that option when I filed my claim.

You usually have to specifically ask for it. Call Washington ESD and request an alternate base period review if your regular base period doesn't show enough wages.

seriously, $201 doesn't even cover groceries for a week anymore

I agree it's way too low but I guess it's better than nothing while I look for work

Barely better than nothing! And then they make you jump through hoops with job search requirements on top of it

Yes, you can apply for SNAP (food stamps) and potentially housing assistance through DSHS. Low unemployment benefits usually qualify you for additional aid programs.

Thanks, I'll look into that. $201/week definitely puts me under the poverty line

How did they find the additional wages? Did you have to do anything special?

They do an automatic wage search after you file, but you can also report wages yourself if you think something was missed. Check your wage and potential benefit statement carefully.

Standby status? What's that? I've never heard of it

It's for when you're temporarily laid off but expect to return to the same employer. Different rules than regular unemployment I think.

Standby means you don't have to do job search activities because you have a specific return-to-work date with your employer. It's a special type of claim.

That's a pretty low bar though - 'could be worse' doesn't help pay the bills

True, just trying to stay positive while I job hunt. This $201 has to stretch somehow

Washington doesn't provide additional allowances for dependents. The $201 is your total weekly benefit amount regardless of family size.

Wow that makes it even harder for families. Other programs might help like the previous poster mentioned though

Regular UI benefits last up to 26 weeks in Washington. Extended benefits only kick in during high unemployment periods and we're not in one currently.

So basically I have 18 more weeks and that's it? This is scary

Look into WorkSource WA for job training programs. Sometimes you can get extended benefits if you're in approved training

The system is designed to replace a percentage of lost wages, so lower wages naturally result in lower benefits. It's not perfect but that's the logic behind it.

I understand the logic but it doesn't help when you're trying to survive on $201 a week in one of the most expensive states

Good tip! How do I access those wage statements? Through the SecureAccess Washington portal?

Yes, log into your eServices account and look for wage and potential benefit information. Compare it to your pay stubs to make sure everything matches.

I get the frustration but the work search requirement is federal law. Washington actually has some of the more reasonable requirements compared to other states.

Still feels wrong when you're getting poverty-level benefits and they want you to spend time documenting every job application

Thanks for the recommendation. I might need to call about my job search log requirements anyway so I'll give it a try.

How much does that service cost? If I'm only getting $201/week I can't afford much extra

It's pretty reasonable considering how much time it saves. Check their website for current pricing - claimyr.com

Progress would be adjusting it for inflation and cost of living. $201 in 2025 money is probably worth less than whatever the old minimum was

Good point. Everything else has gone up except unemployment benefits it seems like

Thanks for confirming. At least now I know I'm not missing out on anything and this is just how the system works.

Unfortunately yes, that's just how it is. Focus on the job search and hopefully you'll find something soon that pays better than unemployment