What is the minimum amount of unemployment you can get in Washington ESD?
I'm trying to figure out if it's even worth filing for unemployment benefits in Washington. I only worked part-time for about 8 months last year and made around $12,000 total. Does Washington ESD have a minimum weekly benefit amount? I don't want to go through all the paperwork and job search requirements if I'm only going to get like $50 a week or something. Can anyone tell me what the lowest weekly benefit amount is that Washington pays out?
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Harper Hill
The minimum weekly benefit amount in Washington is $295 as of 2025. But you still need to meet the base period earnings requirements to qualify. With $12,000 in earnings, you might qualify depending on how those earnings were distributed across quarters.
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Lucas Adams
•That's actually higher than I expected! How do they calculate if my earnings are spread out enough across quarters?
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Harper Hill
•You need at least $5,265 in your highest quarter and total base period earnings of at least $7,897. The calculation gets complex but Washington ESD's system will determine your eligibility when you apply.
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Caden Nguyen
definitely worth applying if you think you might qualify! i made about the same amount last year working retail and got approved for $295/week. the job search stuff isn't too bad either
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Lucas Adams
•Really? What kind of job search activities do you have to do each week?
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Caden Nguyen
•you need 3 job search activities per week logged in WorkSourceWA. can be applications, networking, job fairs, etc. pretty manageable
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Avery Flores
I'd recommend calling Washington ESD to verify your eligibility before filing. The phone lines are usually swamped though - I spent hours trying to get through last month. If you need to reach them quickly, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent in about 10 minutes. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
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Lucas Adams
•Interesting, I'll check that out. Did they charge you for the call service?
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Avery Flores
•Yeah there's a fee but it was worth it to avoid sitting on hold for hours. Saved me a lot of frustration and got my questions answered quickly.
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Zoe Gonzalez
The minimum is $295/week but don't forget you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits. It's not like you get the full amount in your bank account.
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Lucas Adams
•Good point about taxes. Can you have them withhold taxes automatically or do you have to pay at the end of the year?
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Zoe Gonzalez
•You can choose to have 10% federal taxes withheld when you file your weekly claims. Washington doesn't have state income tax so that's not an issue.
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Ashley Adams
OMG yes apply!! I was in a similar situation and almost didn't bother. So glad I did because $295/week really helped me get by while looking for better work. The whole process was way easier than I thought it would be.
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Lucas Adams
•How long did it take to get your first payment after filing?
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Ashley Adams
•About 3 weeks for me, but that included a one-week waiting period. Some people get theirs faster if there are no issues with their claim.
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Alexis Robinson
Wait, is there still a waiting period? I thought they got rid of that during COVID.
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Harper Hill
•The waiting period is back as of 2023. It's one week where you don't get paid for an otherwise payable week.
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Alexis Robinson
•Ugh, that sucks. Thanks for clarifying though.
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Aaron Lee
Just make sure you have all your employer information ready when you apply. They'll need dates of employment, reason for separation, and employer contact info for each job in your base period.
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Lucas Adams
•What if one of my employers went out of business? How do I handle that?
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Aaron Lee
•Just provide what information you have and explain the situation. Washington ESD can usually verify the employment through their wage records.
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Chloe Mitchell
The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator that might help you estimate what you'd get. It's not 100% accurate but gives you a ballpark figure.
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Lucas Adams
•I'll definitely check that out. Do you remember where on their site it is?
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Chloe Mitchell
•Should be under 'Unemployment Benefits' section. Look for something like 'estimate your benefits' or 'benefit calculator'.
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Michael Adams
honestly the unemployment system in this state is so messed up, you might qualify or you might not, they make it impossible to know until you apply and wait weeks for an answer
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Lucas Adams
•That's frustrating. Is there any way to get a definitive answer before going through the whole application process?
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Michael Adams
•not really, the phone reps give different answers and the online info is confusing. you just have to apply and hope for the best
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Natalie Wang
I applied with similar earnings last year and got approved. The key is making sure your earnings are spread across at least two quarters of your base period.
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Lucas Adams
•My earnings were pretty consistent month to month, so I think I should be okay on that front.
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Natalie Wang
•Sounds like you have a good chance then. The application process is all online now which makes it pretty straightforward.
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Noah Torres
Don't forget about the work search requirements! You need to be actively looking for work and logging your activities. It's not just free money.
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Lucas Adams
•Yeah, I'm prepared for that. I'm actively job hunting anyway so it shouldn't be a problem.
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Noah Torres
•Good attitude. Just make sure to keep detailed records of everything in WorkSourceWA.
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Avery Flores
Another tip - if you do apply and run into any issues or have questions about your claim, Claimyr really helped me out. Way better than trying to call Washington ESD directly and getting hung up on.
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Samantha Hall
•I keep seeing people mention Claimyr. Is it legit or one of those scam services?
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Avery Flores
•It's totally legit. They just help you get through to actual Washington ESD agents faster. I was skeptical at first too but it worked exactly as advertised.
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Ryan Young
The $295 minimum is way better than some other states. My sister in another state only gets like $150/week minimum.
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Lucas Adams
•Yeah, that does make me feel better about potentially qualifying. $295 would actually help a lot.
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Ryan Young
•Definitely worth pursuing then. Washington's benefits are pretty decent compared to most places.
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Sophia Clark
make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if your claim is still pending! missing weeks can mess up your benefits
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Lucas Adams
•Good to know. So I should keep filing even if I haven't been approved yet?
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Sophia Clark
•yes! you can file weekly claims while your initial claim is being processed. if approved you'll get back pay for those weeks
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Katherine Harris
I was in a similar situation and ended up getting $295/week for 26 weeks. Really helped me get back on my feet. The job search requirements weren't too bad - mostly just applying to jobs I was going to apply to anyway.
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Lucas Adams
•That's reassuring. Did you have any trouble with the application process?
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Katherine Harris
•Not really, just had to wait about 3 weeks for approval. Make sure to respond quickly to any requests for information they send you.
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Madison Allen
The Washington ESD system can be confusing but $295/week is definitely worth the effort if you qualify. I'd say go for it.
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Lucas Adams
•Thanks for the encouragement. I think I'm going to apply this week.
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Madison Allen
•Good luck! Hope it works out for you.
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Joshua Wood
Pro tip: if you get stuck during the application process, don't give up. Sometimes the website glitches or you need to call in to resolve issues. Persistence pays off.
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Lucas Adams
•I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully the application goes smoothly but good to know not to give up if there are problems.
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Joshua Wood
•Exactly. The system isn't perfect but most people do eventually get through the process successfully.
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Justin Evans
Just wanted to add that even if you only get the minimum $295, it's still money in your pocket while you look for work. Every bit helps when you're unemployed.
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Lucas Adams
•Absolutely. $295/week would make a huge difference in my budget right now.
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Justin Evans
•Then definitely apply! You've got nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain.
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Emily Parker
I used Claimyr when I had questions about my weekly claim and it was super helpful. Saved me from sitting on hold for hours just to ask one simple question.
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Lucas Adams
•Good to know there are options for getting help when needed. I'll bookmark that site just in case.
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Emily Parker
•Smart thinking. Having a backup plan for getting help is always good when dealing with government agencies.
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Ezra Collins
Bottom line - with your earnings you likely qualify for the $295 minimum. The application is free and done online, so there's really no downside to trying. Worst case they say no, best case you get benefits for up to 26 weeks.
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Lucas Adams
•You're right, when you put it that way there's really no reason not to apply. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!
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Ezra Collins
•You're welcome! Hope everything works out well for you.
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