What percent of your salary do you get on Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

So it's not like 60% of my salary or something simple like that? How do they figure out the actual amount?

Right, it's more complicated. They look at your earnings history and use a formula. You can get an estimate by logging into your Washington ESD account once you file.

That's actually not as bad as I thought it would be. Is that before or after taxes?

That's before taxes. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them later when you file your tax return.

I chose to have them withheld because I didn't want a big tax bill later. They take out 10% federal.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Finally got my questions answered after months of trying on my own.

Never heard of that but I'm desperate at this point. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent is available. Way better than spending hours on hold just to get disconnected.

That's scary to hear. Did you eventually figure out if your payment amount was correct?

still working on it tbh. every time i call i get a different answer

I've been at this job for about 8 months, so hopefully they'll use those earnings. This is all more complicated than I expected.

Eight months should be enough to get at least some of those higher earnings counted. You might want to gather your pay stubs before filing to make sure everything matches up.

What are the job search requirements exactly? Do I have to apply for a certain number of jobs each week?

Yeah you have to do at least 3 job search activities per week and log them on WorkSourceWA. Can be applications, networking events, career fairs, etc.

I thought it was 2 job search activities per week, not 3?

It's 3 for most people but there are some exceptions. Better to do more than less to be safe.

That's really helpful to know a real example. How long did it take for your first payment to come through?

About 3 weeks after I filed, but I didn't have any issues with my claim. Some people wait longer if there are problems.

Good point, I'll file this week. Is there anything else I should know before starting the application?

Have your Social Security card, ID, and employment history ready. The online application asks for details about your last few employers.

What specific things are you confused about? Maybe someone here can help explain.

Mainly about what counts as suitable work and whether I have to take any job offer I get, even if it pays way less than my previous job.

Generally you don't have to take work that pays significantly less than your previous job, especially early in your claim. But the standards get looser the longer you're on benefits.

Is it worth doing part-time work or do they just take it all away from your benefits?

You can usually keep some of it. I think they let you earn up to your weekly benefit amount before they start reducing it significantly, but don't quote me on that.

What kind of question did you answer wrong? I want to make sure I don't make the same mistake.

I said I wasn't available for work on a day when I had a doctor's appointment, but apparently I should have said I was still available. It triggered a whole review process.

Was it worth the cost? I'm thinking about trying it if I run into problems.

For me it was definitely worth it. I was losing sleep worrying about whether my claim was processing correctly. Peace of mind was worth it.

Thanks for the reminder. I'll probably have them withhold taxes to avoid a surprise tax bill.

Smart choice. I learned that lesson the hard way my first time on unemployment.

I didn't know there was a calculator! I'll check that out before I file.

Yeah it's buried in their website somewhere but it gives you a good idea of what to expect.

That's weird. Did you ever figure out why the amounts were different?

nope, gave up trying to understand it. as long as the money comes in i dont ask too many questions lol

Great advice! I'll make sure to set that up. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information.

Good luck with your claim! Hope it goes smoothly for you.

I'll keep that in mind if I run into problems. Hopefully the process goes smoothly but it's good to know there are options if I need help.

Definitely bookmark it just in case. The Washington ESD phone system is notorious for being hard to get through to.