How is unemployment calculated in Washington state - confused about my weekly benefit amount

Thanks! That makes more sense. I think my highest quarter was around $15,000 so that would be about $284 per week. Still seems low compared to what I was making monthly.

yeah the max weekly benefit in Washington is only like $999 anyway so even high earners get capped

Have you tried using Claimyr? I discovered it last month when I was having the same problem getting through to Washington ESD. It's a service that helps you actually reach an agent - you can check it out at claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Finally got my benefit calculation questions answered after weeks of trying on my own.

Never heard of that but I'm desperate at this point. Does it actually work?

Yeah it worked for me. Got connected to a Washington ESD agent in about 20 minutes and they walked me through exactly how my benefits were calculated.

I worked full time the whole year so that shouldn't be an issue. Just seems like the percentage they use is really low.

Yeah Washington's replacement rate is only about 50% of your average weekly wage, and that's before taxes. It's not meant to fully replace your income unfortunately.

For a December 2024 filing, your base period would be July 2023 through June 2024. If you didn't start until May 2024, you'd only have earnings in the April-June 2024 quarter. You might need to use the alternate base period which looks at more recent quarters.

How do I know if they used the alternate base period? My claim was approved but I want to make sure they calculated it right.

You should have received a monetary determination notice that shows which quarters they used and your earnings for each quarter. Check your correspondence in your SecureAccess Washington account.

thats how it works tho, its based on your highest quarter not your annual income

I know but it seems unfair. Why not use the whole year average?

The idea is to base it on your most recent stable earnings pattern, not necessarily your total annual income. It's supposed to reflect what you were actually earning when you became unemployed.

Yes, overtime counts as regular wages for unemployment calculation purposes. All wages reported on your W-2 from covered employment count toward your base period.

Good to know! That explains why my benefit amount was higher than I expected.

Correct. In Washington you need at least $3,500 in your base period AND earnings in at least two quarters. Plus your high quarter needs to be at least 1.5 times your earnings in the other three quarters combined.

Wow that last part about 1.5 times is news to me. I barely qualified then!

Yeah it's to make sure you have substantial attachment to the workforce, not just sporadic work history.

Correct, 1099 income doesn't count for regular UI benefits since no unemployment taxes were paid on it. Self-employed folks aren't covered under the regular unemployment system in Washington.

That's what I thought. Thanks for confirming.

I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents when the regular phone lines are jammed. Found it super helpful - you can see how it works at claimyr.com and they have a demo video too.

Is there a cost for that service?

There is but honestly it was worth it to finally get answers about my claim instead of wasting hours trying to call myself.

How do you know if they have the right wages? Is that on the monetary determination?

Yes, the monetary determination shows your reported wages by quarter and employer. Compare it to your pay stubs or W-2s to make sure everything is there.

Most states actually use a similar base period system. It's designed to provide benefits based on your work history over time, not just your most recent job. Helps prevent people from working briefly at a high wage just to get higher benefits.

still confusing as hell when you're just trying to figure out what you're gonna get each week

You can choose whether to have taxes withheld or not when you file your weekly claims. I chose not to and I'll just deal with it at tax time.

Yeah but then you might owe a big chunk in April. I'd rather have it taken out now.

Yes, if they discover additional wages that weren't initially reported, they can recalculate your weekly benefit amount. It would result in a redetermination notice and potentially back pay if your benefits should have been higher.

Good to know. I think my employer might have been late reporting some of my wages.

That's why they have the alternate base period option. If you don't qualify under the regular base period or would get a higher benefit amount, they'll use more recent quarters.

How do you request the alternate base period?

Washington ESD is supposed to automatically check if you'd qualify for higher benefits under the alternate base period. You shouldn't have to request it specifically.

What's the maximum weekly benefit in Washington right now?

I think it's $999 per week for 2025, but it gets adjusted annually based on the average weekly wage in the state.

The $200 seems really low. You should definitely try to get through to Washington ESD to review your monetary determination. Something might be wrong with how they calculated it.

Good luck getting through to them though. I've been trying for weeks. Maybe try that Claimyr thing people mentioned earlier in this thread.

Yeah I might have to try that. This is ridiculous that you can't get basic information about your own claim.

@Miguel Alvarez That does seem unusually low for your income level. I d'definitely check your monetary determination first to see what wages they used in the calculation. Sometimes there are reporting delays or errors that can really mess up your benefit amount. If everything looks correct on paper but the math still doesn t'add up, you ll'probably need to speak with an agent to get it sorted out.