Washington unemployment benefits pay 3.85% of the average of your two highest quarters. — up to $1,152 per week for up to 1-26 weeks, for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each July, so the July 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure.
This guide gives the exact Washington unemployment benefits figures with the date we verified them, shows how your own weekly amount is calculated with a worked example, and explains when the first payment arrives and how it is taxed.
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) before you rely on it.
Washington Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
| Maximum weekly benefit | $1,152 (January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each July, so the July 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $366 |
| How the amount is set | 3.85% of the average of your two highest quarters. |
| Duration | up to 1-26 weeks |
| Waiting week | Yes — first eligible week unpaid |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Statute | RCW Title 50 |
In This Washington Unemployment Benefits Guide:
How Much Are Washington Unemployment Benefits?
3.85% of the average of your two highest quarters. The minimum weekly payment is $366 and the maximum is $1,152. Those are the numbers that matter: most claimants land between them, and nobody is paid above the cap no matter how much they earned.
Want an estimate for your own wages in Washington?
Washington Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) before you rely on it. The statute column is where to check it yourself.
| Maximum weekly benefit | $1,152 |
| Effective period | January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each July, so the July 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $366 |
| Formula | 3.85% of the average of your two highest quarters. |
| Duration (weeks) | 1-26 |
| Waiting week | Yes |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Alternate base period | Yes |
| To qualify | 680 hours of work in the base period (or the alternate base period). |
| Partial-week earnings | 1/4 of wages over $5 |
| Agency | Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) |
| File online | https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment |
| Statute | RCW Title 50 |
How Washington Unemployment Benefits Are Calculated
Washington ESD takes your gross wages from the two base-year quarters when you earned the most, adds them, and divides by 2 to get an average quarter. It multiplies that average by 0.0385 and drops any cents, then applies the state minimum and maximum. Washington does not add a dependents’ allowance. (ESD, Estimate your benefit; RCW 50.20.120)
680 hours of work in the base period (or the alternate base period).
Washington Unemployment Benefits: A Worked Example
Say a worker’s two highest base-year quarters were 10000 and 12000. Their average is 11000, and 11000 × 0.0385 = 423.50, so the estimated weekly amount would be about 423 before the state minimum and maximum apply. This only illustrates the formula. ESD sets each actual award. The estimate is illustrative; Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) computes the official amount from your wage records.
How Long Washington Unemployment Benefits Last
Regular Washington unemployment benefits run up to 1-26 weeks in a benefit year. Extended benefits only switch on when the state unemployment rate crosses a federal trigger; otherwise regular state benefits are the whole program. The first eligible week is a waiting week: you file for it but it is not paid.
Working Part-Time While Claiming Washington Unemployment Benefits
If you work part time while claiming, Washington generally cuts your weekly payment by three-quarters of your gross earnings above a small weekly allowance, and the result is rounded down to a whole dollar. You must report all gross earnings for the week you work them, not the week you’re paid.
(RCW 50.20.130) 1/4 of wages over $5 Report every dollar on the weekly claim — unreported earnings are the most common route to an overpayment.
Under WAC chapter 192-190, severance pay is generally not deducted. Termination pay that covers time after your last day of work counts as earnings and is deducted. A cash-out of accrued vacation is not deducted, but vacation or holiday pay that your employer assigns to specific dates is.
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A pension your base-year employer helped fund is generally deducted as a weekly amount, and lump-sum retirement payments are no longer deducted (RCW 50.04.323). Confirm how your own payments will be treated with ESD.
When and How Washington Unemployment Benefits Are Paid
The first payment usually arrives two to four weeks after filing, once the monetary determination is issued and the first weekly claim is processed. When you apply, you choose either direct deposit to a U.S. bank or credit union, or a prepaid debit card issued by U.S. Bank. You can set up direct deposit while applying.
If you don’t, wait at least 24 hours, then add it in eServices under Settings, “Update payment information.” Claims center agents cannot set up direct deposit by phone. (ESD, Choose how you get paid) Each claim week runs Sunday through Saturday, and you file for it the following week. Online filing in eServices is open from 12:00 a.m. Sunday to 11:59 p.m. Saturday.
By phone, the automated line runs from Sunday until 4 p.m. Friday. If you miss a week, you generally have to reopen your claim, and before your first payment you can claim back only one week before the week you contact ESD. (ESD, How and when to submit a weekly claim)
Taxes on Washington Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits count as federal taxable income. Washington has no state income tax. ESD doesn’t withhold automatically, but you can choose to have 10 percent withheld for federal tax and turn that on or off in eServices or by calling 800-318-6022. Each January ESD mails Form 1099-G and posts it in eServices under the “1099s” tab. (ESD, Paying income taxes on unemployment benefits)
Since a 2022 change, Washington caps the weekly benefit at your own average weekly wage. ESD gets that figure by taking the average of your two highest base-year quarters, multiplying by 4, and dividing by 52, so the award cannot exceed what you typically earned in a week. The first week of the claim is an unpaid waiting week. (RCW 50.20.120; ESD)
Next step: the amount only matters if you qualify. Our Washington eligibility guide covers the fired-vs-quit rules and the work-search count, and the application guide walks through filing.
Washington — the bottom line
- The Washington unemployment benefits amount is a share of your base-period wages up to a dated cap — check the period on the figure before you trust it.
- Washington unemployment benefits are paid weekly for a set number of weeks; a missed weekly claim is a lost week.
- Part-time earnings reduce Washington unemployment benefits but rarely erase them — report everything and keep claiming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Washington?
The weekly amount is 3.85% of the average of your two highest quarters. The current maximum is $1,152 for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each July, so the July 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure.
How long does unemployment last in Washington?
Regular benefits run up to 1-26 weeks in a benefit year, depending on your base-period wages. Extended benefits only switch on when the state unemployment rate crosses a trigger.
Does Washington have a waiting week?
Yes — the first eligible week is not paid, but you must still file for it.
Are Washington unemployment benefits taxable?
Unemployment benefits count as federal taxable income. Washington has no state income tax. ESD doesn’t withhold automatically, but you can choose to have 10 percent withheld for federal tax and turn that on or off in eServices or by calling 800-318-6022. Each January ESD mails Form 1099-G and posts it in eServices under the “1099s” tab. (ESD, Paying income taxes on unemployment benefits)
Official Washington Sources & Resources
- Washington Employment Security Department (ESD): https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment
- Washington unemployment statute: RCW Title 50
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
- DOL Significant Provisions of State UI Laws (Jan 2026): https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/content/sigpros/2020-2029/January2026.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Appeals: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2023/appeals.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Monetary Entitlement: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2021/monetary.pdf
- CareerOneStop (DOL) — state benefit finder: careeronestop.org
- IRS — Form 1099-G: irs.gov
This Washington unemployment benefits guide was last verified against official Washington sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Washington Unemployment Guides
- Washington Unemployment Eligibility: Who Qualifies
- How to Apply for Unemployment in Washington
- Washington Unemployment Appeal: Deadline and Hearing
- Unemployment Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Unemployment benefit amounts, deadlines and rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current figure and any deadline with your state unemployment agency before you act.