How do they determine unemployment pay rates in Washington ESD?

That's actually better than I thought! I had a really good quarter last spring. Thanks for explaining it clearly.

Wait, is that before taxes? Do they take taxes out of unemployment benefits?

Good to know there's a cap. I definitely won't be hitting that maximum but at least I have an idea of what to expect.

I wish I made enough to worry about hitting the maximum lol

Never heard of that service before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit - I was skeptical too but I needed to get through and nothing else was working. They don't ask for any personal info, just help you get connected.

I worked consistently throughout the year so I should be fine on that front. Good point though for people who might have gaps.

What happens if you only worked in one quarter? Are you just out of luck?

Yeah pretty much, you need wages in at least 2 quarters to qualify for regular unemployment benefits.

How do you request the alternate base period? Do they automatically check both or do you have to ask?

You usually have to request it if your initial claim gets denied or if you think it would result in higher benefits.

Probably not in the regular base period, but that's exactly when the alternate base period might help you. You should definitely mention your recent employment when you file.

This is so complicated. I wish Washington ESD made this stuff easier to understand.

Yes, all wages reported to Washington ESD count including bonuses, overtime, commissions, etc. As long as it was subject to unemployment tax it should be included.

Sweet! That should help my numbers quite a bit then.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator but it's pretty basic. Your best bet is to just file and see what they determine.

I tried that calculator and it asked for information I don't have easy access to. So frustrating.

Good advice! I'll gather all that stuff before I submit my claim.

Yes! I had to submit W2s because one of my employers wasn't showing up in their system properly.

They round down to the nearest dollar. So $577.50 would be $577 per week.

Figures they'd round down instead of up lol

That's helpful to hear from someone who worked there! Any other insider tips for getting through the process smoothly?

File online if possible, have all your employer information ready, and be patient. The system works but it takes time.

Easy for you to say when you don't need the money to pay rent!

Yes, you can absolutely appeal if you think the benefit amount is wrong. You'll get a determination letter that explains how they calculated it and instructions for appealing.

Ok that makes me feel a little better. At least there's a way to fix it if something goes wrong.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - I couldn't waste entire days trying to get through. Worth checking out if you really need to talk to someone.

I might have to try that. I can't keep taking time off work just to sit on hold.

Luckily I've only worked in Washington so that shouldn't apply to me.

Interstate claims are such a pain. I had to deal with that last year and it took forever to get everything sorted out.

Yeah I'm trying to research all of that too. One step at a time I guess.

The work search stuff is actually not too bad if you stay organized about it.

Same here! Everyone's explanations really cleared things up for me.

This is why I love these forums - way more helpful than trying to navigate the official website alone.

All my income was from regular W2 jobs so I should be good there.

1099 income usually doesn't count for regular unemployment but there might be other programs available.

Smart approach! Having everything organized upfront will make the whole process much smoother.

Agreed! This thread convinced me to do my homework before jumping into the application.

That's good to hear! I was skeptical but might give it a try if I run into issues.

Yeah I was skeptical too but when you're desperate to get answers it's worth trying. The video demo they have explains everything pretty clearly.

Totally agree! This community is amazing for getting real answers to these confusing government processes.

Forums like this are a lifesaver when you're trying to figure out unemployment stuff for the first time.