How is Washington ESD unemployment amount calculated for weekly benefits?

So they don't look at my total yearly income? Just one quarter?

Correct, just your highest quarter. That's why two people with similar yearly income can have different weekly amounts - depends on how their income was distributed throughout the year.

It's actually 680 times the state minimum wage during your base period, plus you need earnings in at least two quarters. There are multiple eligibility tests Washington ESD runs.

ah ok thanks for clarifying that

How much does that service cost? I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for 2 weeks about my benefit calculation.

It's worth it to get answers quickly instead of spending hours calling. Much cheaper than missing out on benefits because of confusion.

That makes sense! So if I filed in January 2025, they'd look at quarters from January 2024 through September 2024?

Exactly. And if you don't qualify using the standard base period, Washington ESD will automatically check your 'alternate base period' which uses the most recent four quarters.

Washington actually does give you roughly 50% of your average weekly wage, but they calculate it using the quarter method instead of dividing annual salary by 52.

still seems overly complicated for no reason

Yes! If your highest earning quarter included a lot of overtime, that would increase your weekly benefit amount since they divide your highest quarter by 26.

That's actually pretty good then. I worked tons of OT in Q3 last year.

Great! The Monetary Determination letter has all the details. Did you also see your total base period wages on there?

Yeah it shows I earned $45,890 during the base period across all four quarters.

Make sure you have your wage information handy when you file. Washington ESD will verify with employers but having your own records helps.

Right? That's why I ended up using Claimyr to talk to someone. Sometimes you just need a human to explain it instead of trying to decode the website.

You can do a rough estimate by taking your highest earning quarter from the past year and dividing by 26. But Washington ESD's system will calculate the exact amount when you file.

Thanks, that helps with planning!

Correct! They combine wages from ALL employers during your base period, not just your most recent job.

That makes more sense. I had two part-time jobs for a while.

Washington ESD still counts whatever wages you earned in that partial quarter. It just might not be your highest quarter if you only worked part of it.

Got it, so partial quarters still count toward the calculation.

Seriously, try Claimyr. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. Got connected right away and the agent pulled up my account and explained everything.

I second this. Used it last month when I couldn't figure out why my benefits were lower than expected. Turns out I qualified for alternate base period which gave me higher benefits.

It can change if Washington ESD receives corrected wage information from an employer, or if you appeal the monetary determination. Otherwise it stays the same for your benefit year.

Good to know, thanks!

Yeah it's actually not bad if you made decent money. Way better than I expected.

Yes, any wages reported on your W-2 count, including bonuses, commissions, and overtime pay.

Perfect, I got a decent bonus last year that should help.

You can combine wages from multiple states through the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan. You'd need to file in the state where you worked most recently, but they can use wages from other states too.

That's complicated but good to know it's possible.

No, only actual wages paid to you count. Employer contributions to benefits don't count toward unemployment wage calculations.

Makes sense, thanks for clarifying.

Right? Once someone explains it clearly it makes total sense. Wish they explained it better on their site.

Good luck with the job search! Remember you need to log at least 3 job search activities per week in your WorkSourceWA account.

Already signed up and started applying. Thanks for the reminder!