How does Washington ESD calculate unemployment benefits - confused about my weekly amount

That makes more sense! I think my highest quarter was probably around $16,500 because I worked a lot of overtime in the spring. Thanks for breaking down the formula.

wait so they don't just use your annual salary? I thought it was based on your yearly income

No, it's based on quarters not annual. That's why timing of when you file can actually matter for your benefit amount.

You can request a detailed wage and benefit computation from Washington ESD, but honestly it's faster to use a service like claimyr.com to get through to an agent who can explain it over the phone. I used their system last month and got connected within 20 minutes - way better than trying to call the regular number.

Never heard of that service before. Is it legit? I've been calling Washington ESD for three weeks and can never get through.

Yeah it's real, they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Basically they handle the calling hassle for you and get you connected to actual Washington ESD staff.

Oh wow, I didn't know about the minimum requirements. Good thing I had those two jobs then!

What happens if you only worked in one quarter? Like if you just started a new job before getting laid off?

Then you probably wouldn't qualify for regular unemployment benefits. You'd need to look into other programs or wait until you have qualifying wages in multiple quarters.

It depends on when you earned that $45K throughout the year. If most of it was recent, it might not count in your base period calculations.

That's exactly the problem! The whole base period thing is stupid. Why shouldn't my most recent wages count??

Yes, all W-2 wages from any employer during your base period get included in the calculation. So your restaurant wages would definitely count toward your benefit amount.

good to know thanks

That's exactly why I started using Claimyr. I was in the same boat - couldn't reach anyone at Washington ESD for weeks. Their service got me through to an actual agent who walked me through my entire benefit calculation step by step.

How much does that cost though? I'm unemployed, I can't afford to pay extra fees just to talk to someone

It's worth checking out their site at claimyr.com - they focus on the value of actually reaching someone rather than the cost. When you're dealing with benefit issues, sometimes it's worth it to get real answers.

Really? How do you know if they made a mistake? My calculation seems right but I'm not 100% sure.

You need to check that all your employers from the base period are listed on your monetary determination. If any are missing, that's grounds for appeal.

I think they missed one of my employers too. How long do you have to file an appeal?

You have 30 days from the date on your monetary determination notice. Don't wait - appeals take time to process.

For a December 2024 filing, your base period would be July 2023 through June 2024. So they'd look at Q3 2023, Q4 2023, Q1 2024, and Q2 2024.

Oh that explains why my recent raise didn't affect my benefit amount. That sucks!

47 calls?? That's dedication. I gave up after about 20 and just accepted whatever benefit amount they gave me.

This is exactly the frustration that services like Claimyr solve. Instead of making 47 calls yourself, they handle the calling process and get you connected to Washington ESD staff when they're actually available.

Yes, commission payments reported on your W-2 count as wages for benefit calculation purposes. Just make sure your employer reported them correctly to Washington ESD.

Good to know, thanks! I was worried they might not include those payments.

The quarterly system is actually designed to be more fair - it prevents people from working just a few months and then claiming benefits based on that short period. It requires sustained work history.

I guess that makes sense when you explain it that way

Probably wage verification. Sometimes the initial calculation is based on incomplete wage data, then gets updated once Washington ESD gets all employer responses.

That would explain it - one of my previous employers was really slow responding to stuff

At least you're getting paid! I'm still trying to figure out if mine is calculated correctly.

true that, cant complain too much

Really? Where can I find those calculators?

Just search for 'Washington state unemployment calculator' - there are a few different ones available. Just remember they're estimates since they don't have access to your actual wage records.

Same here! Glad I asked because I learned a lot from everyone's responses.

The benefit calculation is genuinely complex - there's no shame in not understanding it immediately. Even Washington ESD staff sometimes need to look things up!