How do they calculate unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

So if I made $12,000 in my best quarter, that would be about $461 per week? That seems like a lot compared to what I was making.

Yes, that's roughly right. But you also need to meet the minimum earnings requirement - at least $3,919 in your base period and earnings in at least two quarters.

What's an alternate base period? My work history is pretty spotty over the last year.

If you don't qualify with the standard base period, they'll look at the last 4 completed quarters instead. Sometimes that helps if you started working more recently.

Really? I've been trying to call for weeks about my benefit amount. How much does something like that cost?

It was totally worth it to get my questions answered quickly instead of wasting hours calling. Check out claimyr.com - way better than the frustration of trying to get through on your own.

Sounds too good to be true but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for 3 hours just to get disconnected.

So if I get $400/week and work part-time making $200, I'd get $250 in benefits that week?

Exactly. $400 minus (75% of $200) = $400 - $150 = $250. As long as you report all your earnings when you file your weekly claim.

Yeah it's definitely not straightforward. The quarterly system makes sense from an administrative standpoint but it's hard to predict what you'll get.

All wages count the same - regular time, overtime, bonuses, commissions. It's just total gross wages per quarter that matters for the calculation.

Good to know, that overtime quarter might actually help my benefit amount then.

If you file in January 2025, your base period would be July 2023 through June 2024. Those are the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters.

That seems like really old information to base benefits on. What if I was making way less back then?

That's where the alternate base period might help - it would use October 2023 through September 2024 instead.

That sounds about right. Just make sure you have enough total earnings in your base period and earnings in at least two quarters.

I saw that calculator but couldn't figure out how to use it properly. The quarter thing is confusing.

Yeah it's pretty clunky. I ended up just applying and waiting to see what my determination letter said.

I might try that if I get confused by my determination letter. Better than spending my whole day trying to call.

Oh no, I didn't think about taxes. Do they withhold state taxes automatically?

Washington doesn't have state income tax so you only need to worry about federal. You can elect to have 10% withheld when you set up your claim.

Agreed. The information is all there but it's scattered across different pages and written in confusing language.

Good luck with your application! Remember to gather all your employment information before you start the online application.

What are the job search requirements? I thought I just had to file weekly claims.

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log. There are some exceptions but most people have to do the job search.

Makes sense from that perspective but it can really screw over people who are just getting established in their careers.

I was skeptical about using a service like that but honestly the regular phone system is so broken that anything that works is good.

Good to know there's an appeal process. Hopefully I won't need it but it's reassuring that it exists.

Right, you'd need to have made about $25,974 in your highest quarter to get the maximum benefit. That's pretty substantial earnings.

Best of luck! The application process itself is pretty straightforward once you have all your information ready.

And remember, if you run into any issues or have questions, services like Claimyr are there to help you get through to Washington ESD quickly.

That's really important to know. I was thinking of waiting a few weeks to see if I could find work first but I'll apply right away.