How do I calculate Washington ESD unemployment benefits amount?

Thanks! So if I made $14,560 in my highest quarter and $13,800 in my second highest, that would be $28,360 divided by 52 = about $545 per week?

Exactly right! That's how the calculation works. Just remember you'll need to file weekly claims and meet the job search requirements to keep getting benefits.

How do they decide if you qualify for the alternate base period? My work history is pretty spotty over the last year.

They'll automatically check both periods and use whichever one gives you benefits. You need at least $1,000 in earnings during your base period to qualify for any benefits at all.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents without waiting on hold for hours. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time and stress!

Really? That sounds too good to be true. How does it actually work?

They handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent is available. I was skeptical too but it actually worked - got through in about 20 minutes instead of spending all day trying.

Good point! I didn't think about that. Is there a way to estimate how much I'll owe in taxes on the benefits?

Roughly 10-20% depending on your tax bracket. If you're getting $545/week like in your calculation, that's about $28,340 for a full year of benefits, so budget for around $3,000-5,000 in taxes if you don't have them withheld.

That's a relief! One less thing to worry about.

I tried their calculator but it seemed broken or outdated. Maybe I'll try again later.

Yeah their website tools aren't great. The manual calculation method I mentioned earlier is more reliable.

Yes, all wages reported to Washington ESD count including overtime, bonuses, commissions, etc. It's based on your total gross earnings during the base period.

Perfect, that should bump up my weekly benefit amount then. Thanks!

If you file in 2025, your standard base period would be the first 4 quarters of 2024 (January-December 2024). The alternate base period would include more recent quarters if you don't qualify with the standard one.

Got it, so they're always looking back at completed quarters, not partial ones.

26 weeks should be enough time to find something new. Hopefully it doesn't take that long!

That's the spirit! Just make sure you're doing your required job searches and documenting them properly.

Yes, they combine all wages from all employers during your base period. Washington ESD gets wage reports from all your employers, so they'll have a complete picture of your earnings.

That's why I ended up using Claimyr when I had questions about my claim. At least then I could get through to someone quickly and get consistent answers instead of calling multiple times and getting confused.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already stressed about money.

It's worth checking out their website at claimyr.com to see what they offer. For me it was worth it just to avoid the stress of endless phone calls.

How do they calculate the total benefit amount?

It's usually your WBA multiplied by 26 weeks, but it can't exceed 30% of your total base period wages. So there's a cap based on how much you actually earned.

The basic formula is the same but the maximum weekly benefit amount increases each year. It's tied to the state's average weekly wage, so it goes up annually.

Good to know, thanks! I'll need to recalculate based on current maximums then.

Same here! This thread has been more helpful than the Washington ESD website.

I wasn't planning on part-time work right away, but that's good to know for later. I'll look into those rules.

Yeah, you can usually earn up to a certain amount before they start reducing your weekly benefit. It's worth understanding if you find temporary work.

That's my plan - I'm going to file this week. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information!

Good luck! The hardest part is usually just getting started with the process.

Good advice! I'll start a spreadsheet to track my applications and interviews.

That's smart. I used Claimyr again when I had questions about the job search requirements - they really helped me understand what documentation Washington ESD was looking for.