Washington Unemployment FAQ
Washington state's unemployment benefits program exists to help unemployed citizens cope with job loss by offering weekly benefit payments. Businesses that hire employees pay for the insurance and the Washington Employment Security Department distributes the payments to claimants who qualify. The first time you file for Washington unemployment benefits, you'll have questions about the process, including whether you're eligible and the amount of benefits you can receive.
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What do I Need to File a Claim?
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The ESD accepts unemployment claims through its website or by calling the telecenter (see Resources). You'll need your Social Security number or alien registration number to start a claim. You'll also need your employment information for the previous two years, including the dates of employment and the salary you made with each employer. If you were in the military during that time, you'll need your DD214, which is your discharge paperwork. If you were a federal employee during that time, you'll need a Standard Form 8 and Standard Form 50 paperwork.
How Much am I Eligible to Collect?
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When you apply for benefits, the ESD looks at your base period wages to determine how much you are eligible to collect. Your base period is the first four of the last five full calendar quarters before you filed for unemployment benefits. ESD calculates the two highest earning quarters doing your base period, adds them together and divides by two to get the average. Then it multiples that average by 0.0385 to determine your weekly benefit amount. State laws limit weekly benefit amounts to between $135 and $570.
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When will I get Paid?
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When you receive your weekly benefit payment depends on the method you chose to receive it by. By default, Washington state unemployment checks are sent by mail. If you receive benefits this way, your payment will reach you about three to five days after you file your weekly claim depending on how quickly the mail runs in your area. If you sign up for direct deposit, you'll receive your deposit within three days depending on how fast your bank processes incoming deposits. Regardless of how you receive your benefit payments, if you haven't received your payment within seven days of filing your weekly claim, call the telecenter hot line (see Resources).
Are my Unemployment Benefits Taxable?
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Unemployment benefits are income so they are taxable by both the federal government and the Washington state government. Unlike your income from an employer, no taxes are withheld from your unemployment benefits unless you request it during your initial application. Each January, the ESD mails unemployment recipients 1099 tax forms to help them file their income taxes. The forms have the total income your received and the amount of taxes withheld from it if you set up withholding.
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