Who qualifies for $600 unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

The $600 you're thinking of was the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) that ended in 2021. There's no current $600 bonus program running through Washington ESD right now. Your regular UI benefit amount is based on your earnings history during your base period.

Your regular unemployment benefit in Washington is calculated as your weekly benefit amount (WBA) which is based on the wages you earned during your base period. The maximum WBA for 2025 is around $1,015 per week if you earned enough. There's no additional $600 being added to claims right now.

I was confused about this too! I kept calling Washington ESD trying to ask about the $600 but could never get through. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually talk to someone and they explained there's no current $600 program. The service got me connected to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever.

wait so theres no extra money at all right now?? i thought there was still some kind of federal boost

The current maximum unemployment benefit in Washington depends on your earnings but ranges from about $295 to $1,015 per week. If you think your benefit amount is wrong, you can appeal the monetary determination within 30 days of receiving it.

I'm getting $680/week right now which seems decent compared to what some people are saying. But I worked a pretty high paying job before getting laid off. The amount really depends on what you were making before.

ugh why is this system so confusing!! i just want to know how much money i can get and nobody explains it clearly

For anyone still confused about their benefit amount - I had the same issue and used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Got connected to a Washington ESD rep who walked me through exactly how my weekly benefit was calculated. Turns out I was getting the right amount, just didn't understand the formula.

Just to be clear for everyone - there is NO $600 federal supplement currently available. That ended in September 2021. Your unemployment benefit is based solely on your Washington state earnings history now.

The Washington ESD benefit calculation uses your highest earning quarter from your base period and multiplies it by different percentages depending on your situation. It's actually quite fair once you understand how it works.

i was getting confused because my friend in another state mentioned $600 but i guess different states have different amounts? washington seems pretty generous compared to some places

Bottom line: No $600 federal supplement exists anymore. Your unemployment amount from Washington ESD is based on your work history and wages. If you have questions about your specific amount, contact Washington ESD directly - though good luck getting through on the phone!

For what it's worth, I looked into this same question last month and confirmed through Washington ESD that there are no federal supplements currently active. Just wanted to add my verification to this thread.