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

In Washington, your weekly benefit amount is calculated based on your earnings during your base period, not just a straight percentage. The formula is roughly 3.85% of your total base period wages divided by 52 weeks, but there's also a minimum and maximum. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $999 and minimum is $295. So if you were making $4,200/month, you'd probably get somewhere around $350-450 per week depending on your exact earnings history.

i think its around 40-60% of your weekly wage but theres def a cap. when i filed last year i was making like $800/week and only got $412 weekly from washington esd

The Washington ESD uses a complex formula but generally you can expect 40-50% of your average weekly wage, up to the maximum. What matters more is making sure you qualify - you need sufficient earnings in your base period and can't have been fired for misconduct. If you're having trouble reaching them by phone, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to ESD agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

DONT COUNT ON GETTING ANYWHERE NEAR 50%!!! Washington ESD will find any excuse to deny your claim or delay it for months. I applied in November and STILL waiting for my adjudication to complete. Their whole system is designed to frustrate you into giving up.

Just to add some specifics - the exact formula is your total wages in the two highest quarters of your base period, divided by 52, then multiplied by about 3.85%. But there are also alternate base period calculations if you don't qualify under the standard method. The key is having at least $3,700 in total base period wages with earnings in at least two quarters.

fyi the job search thing is no joke now. you have to log 3 job contacts per week and they actually check. my friend got disqualified for not keeping proper records

Something else to consider - if you're laid off vs fired makes a big difference. Laid off due to lack of work? Usually approved quickly. Fired for performance or attendance? Expect delays and possible disqualification while they investigate. The percentage calculation is the same either way though.

wait so is the $999 maximum per week or per month? that seems really low if its monthly

One more thing about getting through to Washington ESD - if you do need to call them for any reason (claim status, adjudication questions, etc.), I really recommend checking out that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. I used it last month when my claim got stuck and it saved me literally hours of frustration. Much better than the constant busy signals.

Just remember you have to be actively looking for work and able to work. Can't collect if you're going back to school full-time or have medical issues that prevent you from working. The percentage doesn't matter if you don't qualify in the first place.

just filed my claim yesterday and the online system estimated $467/week for me. was making about $65k annually so that works out to roughly 40% of my gross weekly pay

Don't forget about taxes!! Unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can have taxes withheld or pay quarterly estimates. Found that out the hard way come tax time.

this is all making me anxious about potentially losing my job. seems like such a complicated system just to get basic help when youre unemployed

Pro tip: when you do file, make sure you have all your employment info for the last 18 months ready - employer names, addresses, dates, and reason for separation. Having everything organized speeds up the process.

been through this process 3 times over the years (layoffs in different industries). the percentage calculation stays consistent but processing times vary a lot depending on how busy they are. during covid it was a nightmare but seems better now

Another option if you can't get through on the phone is using that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. My sister used it when her claim got stuck and she said it was way better than trying to call herself.

to directly answer your question - you can expect roughly 40-50% of your average weekly wage up to the $999 maximum. so on $4200/month you'd probably get around $400-500/week depending on your exact wage history

make sure you understand the waiting week too. theres no payment for your first week of unemployment even if you qualify

Here's the official formula if anyone wants the exact calculation: Weekly Benefit Amount = (Total wages in two highest quarters ÷ 52) × 0.0385. But it can't be less than $295 or more than $999 per week for 2025.

Bottom line - start with expecting about 45% of your weekly gross pay and go from there. The exact amount depends on your specific wage history but thats a good ballpark for budgeting purposes.