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Washington unemployment calculator

In Washington, unemployment pays about half your usual weekly pay, up to $1,208 a week for up to 26 weeks.

Washington pays the highest weekly benefit in the country, up to $1,208, for claims opened since July 5, 2026.

Estimate your unemployment benefits

How do you want to enter your pay?

We count your pay up to this month, spread evenly over the months you worked.

Estimated benefit in Washington

$400 a week

  • Weeksup to 26 weeks
  • Total$10,400

How we worked it out

  • We used your pay from Jul 2025 to Jun 2026.
  • The average of your two best quarters is $10,400. Washington pays 3.85% of it: $400.40, rounded down.
  • You can get up to 26 weeks: 26 times $400 is $10,400.

Pay from October to December 2026 ($6,933) is too recent to count yet. If you file after the quarter ends, it may count.

This is an estimate from your state's published formula. Washington Employment Security Department makes the final decision, including whether the reason you lost your job qualifies. Most people wait one unpaid week first.

Apply in Washington Washington rules

If you work part-time while on unemployment

You can usually keep some benefits in a week when you work a little. Enter what you would earn that week, before tax.

Washington unemployment rules for 2026

Weekly benefit
$383 to $1,208 a week (maximum since July 5, 2026)
How it is worked out
3.85% of the average of your two best quarters, rounded down. If that is under the minimum, you get the minimum or your usual weekly pay, whichever is less.
Weeks
Up to 26 weeks. Your total is the lesser of 26 weeks of benefits or one third of your base period pay.
Who qualifies
At least 680 hours of work in the base period. There is no minimum dollar amount.
Base period
The first four of the last five full calendar quarters before you file. For a claim filed in late 2026, that is July 2025 through June 2026.
Alternative base period
The last four full calendar quarters before you file. For a claim filed in late 2026, that is October 2025 through September 2026. Washington uses it if you do not have 680 hours in the regular base period.
Waiting week
Yes. The first week you are eligible is an unpaid waiting week, and it is not paid back.
Working part-time
The first $5 you earn does not count. After that, 75 cents of each dollar comes off your benefit. Earning more than one and a third times your benefit plus $5 means no payment that week.
How to apply
Online with the Washington Employment Security Department. Apply in the first week after your job ends.

Unemployment by hourly wage in Washington

For steady full-time work, 40 hours a week, for more than a year. The $1,208 maximum starts at about $60.34 an hour.

Hourly payWeekly benefitWeeksTotal
$15 an hour$38326$9,958
$18 an hour$38326$9,958
$20 an hour$40026$10,400
$22 an hour$44026$11,440
$25 an hour$50026$13,000
$28 an hour$56026$14,560
$30 an hour$60026$15,600
$35 an hour$70026$18,200
$40 an hour$80026$20,800
$50 an hour$1,00126$26,026

Common questions

How much does unemployment pay in Washington?

In Washington, unemployment pays about half your usual weekly pay, up to $1,208 a week for up to 26 weeks. How Washington works out the weekly benefit: 3.85% of the average of your two best quarters, rounded down. If that is under the minimum, you get the minimum or your usual weekly pay, whichever is less.

How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Washington?

Up to 26 weeks. Your total is the lesser of 26 weeks of benefits or one third of your base period pay.

How do I qualify for unemployment in Washington?

At least 680 hours of work in the base period. There is no minimum dollar amount. You must also have lost your job through no fault of your own and be able to work, available and looking for work.

Does Washington have a waiting week?

Yes. The first week you are eligible is an unpaid waiting week, and it is not paid back.

Can I work part-time on unemployment in Washington?

Yes. The first $5 you earn does not count. After that, 75 cents of each dollar comes off your benefit. Earning more than one and a third times your benefit plus $5 means no payment that week.

How do I apply for unemployment in Washington?

Apply online with the Washington Employment Security Department as soon as your job ends. Have your Social Security number and the names, addresses and dates of your employers for the last 18 months ready.

Sources

Checked November 15, 2026. Washington sets the final amount when you apply.

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