What's the most you can get from Washington ESD unemployment benefits weekly?

So with my $85k salary I should qualify for close to that max? That would actually be worth filing for then.

Probably, but Washington ESD calculates it based on quarterly earnings, not annual. You'd need to have earned at least $24,975 in your highest quarter to get the full $999.

It's actually $999 now, they increased it this year. Your cousin might not be getting the max because his base period earnings weren't high enough.

Weeks to get approved? That's concerning. I need income coming in soon or I'll be in trouble with bills.

Same boat here. I filed 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything back from Washington ESD. Can't get through on the phone either.

Try using Claimyr if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD. It's a service that helps you get through their phone system - saved me hours of calling. Check out claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

6 weeks in adjudication?? That's insane. What's holding it up?

They say they need to verify my employment history but won't tell me what specifically they need. I've submitted everything they asked for twice.

It depends on how your earnings were distributed across quarters. If you made most of that in one quarter, you'd get more than if it was spread evenly.

I had steady employment all year, so it was pretty evenly distributed. Probably around $19-20k per quarter.

That's the gross amount before taxes. You can choose to have federal and state taxes withheld or pay them later when you file your return.

Ok good to know. I'd rather have them take it out now than get hit with a big tax bill later.

How many job searches do you have to do per week? I heard it was 3 but someone told me it might be more now.

It's 3 job search activities per week. Can be applications, networking events, job fairs, etc. Just keep good records because they do audit.

Yes, it gets adjusted annually based on average wages in the state. It was $929 in 2024 and $999 now in 2025.

I feel your pain. The phone system is terrible. Have you tried calling right at 8am when they open?

YES! I call at exactly 8am and still can't get through. It's like they have 2 people answering phones for the entire state.

Try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. I just signed up and it actually got me connected to a real person at Washington ESD. Worth checking out if you're desperate like I was.

No, it doesn't matter how many employers you had. They look at your total wages from all employers during your base period quarters.

True but it's better than nothing when you're unemployed. And it gives you time to find something decent instead of taking the first minimum wage job you can find.

It's the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January 2024 through September 2024.

That's confusing but thanks for explaining. So recent earnings might not even count?

4 weeks isn't too bad I guess. Did you have to do anything special to speed it up?

Not really, just made sure I had all my employment info ready and responded quickly when they asked for documents.

The $999 is just the state maximum. There's no federal add-on anymore - that ended in 2021. You might get an extra $25 for dependents though.

Good to hear! I'm definitely going to try that if I run into issues with my application.

How much does Claimyr cost? Is it worth it?

For me it was worth it just to save the time and frustration. Check their website for current pricing - claimyr.com

Yeah I learned that the hard way. Owed like $3000 in taxes because I didn't have anything withheld.

It's still free money while you look for work. Even if it's less than you made, it helps cover basic expenses and you're paying into the system anyway through taxes.

Good point. I guess something is better than nothing while I job hunt.

You'll need your Social Security card, driver's license, and employment history for the last 18 months including dates and wages. Having your W2s or pay stubs helps too.

Thanks everyone! This thread has been super helpful. I'm going to file this week.