What is the max pay for unemployment benefits in Washington ESD 2025?

Thanks! That's higher than I expected. Do you know how they calculate what percentage of my wages I'll actually get?

It's typically around 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest earning quarter in the base period, but subject to that $999 maximum.

Yeah the benefit amount really varies. I was making around $75k annually and my weekly benefit is about $650, so it's definitely not the full maximum for most people.

that makes sense, i was only part time before so $350 is probably right for me

Interesting, never heard of that service before. Did it actually work for you?

Yeah it worked great. I was able to speak to someone within like 20 minutes instead of calling all day and getting busy signals.

How much does something like that cost though? Seems like it might be expensive.

Good point about taxes. I didn't even think about Winter that. How much do they typically withhold?

Federal is 10% and Washington state doesn't have income tax, so just the 10% federal withholding if you choose it.

I totally agree, their website is really confusing to navigate. The information is buried in different sections.

You can find the current benefit amount table in the 'Benefit Calculator' section, but I agree it's not prominently displayed on the main pages.

That makes sense. I was making about $65k so I probably won't get the full maximum but should be decent.

Yeah you'll probably be somewhere in the $600-700 range based on that salary, which is still pretty good for unemployment benefits.

Yes, it typically increases each year based on average wage growth in Washington state. It was lower in previous years and will likely continue to increase.

ok good to know, thanks for explaining that

The base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. So if you filed in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024.

That seems like a weird way to calculate it but I guess that's how the system works.

It does seem odd at first, but it's designed that way because they need complete quarters to calculate your average wages accurately.

Seems like a few people have mentioned this service. Might be worth trying if I need to call about my claim.

Yeah it definitely beats the alternative of calling all day and never getting through to anyone.

How long did adjudication take for you? I'm hoping mine goes through quickly.

It took about 3 weeks for them to determine my benefit amount because I had multiple employers during the base period.

Good to know, thanks for the confirmation. Sounds like you need to be making pretty good money to hit that max.

yeah definitely, most people are going to be getting less than that but it's still a decent safety net

Right, I need to set up my WorkSource account still. How many job searches do I need to log each week?

It's typically 3 job search activities per week, but check your specific requirements when you file your weekly claim.

I tried using that but wasn't sure if I was entering the information correctly. Maybe I'll give it another shot.

Yeah it can be tricky to use. You need your quarterly wage information which you can get from old pay stubs or tax documents.

That's true, I looked it up and some states have much lower maximums. We're lucky in Washington.

Exactly, the cost of living here is high but at least the unemployment benefits try to reflect that somewhat.

26 weeks sounds like a decent amount of time to find something new. Hopefully I won't need that long though.

Yeah hopefully not, but it's good to know the safety net is there if you need it.

Thanks for the update. I've been putting off calling about something but maybe I'll try this service.

Yeah it's worth it if you actually need to talk to someone at Washington ESD. The regular phone system is just impossible to get through.

That's helpful, thanks! Sounds like I'll probably be in a similar range based on my salary.

Yeah should be pretty close to that. The calculation is fairly straightforward once Washington ESD processes your claim.

Good reminder. When do the weekly claims usually need to be filed by?

You have to file by the end of the week for that week's benefits. I usually do mine on Sunday nights to make sure I don't forget.

Perfect, thanks for double-checking that. I feel much more informed now about what to expect.

No problem! The unemployment system can be confusing but once you understand the basics it's not too bad.

Yes, this was super helpful! Really appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge and experiences.

That's what these forums are for. Feel free to ask if you have other questions as you go through the process.