How is unemployment figured in Washington ESD - confused about benefit calculation

So they don't look at my total yearly earnings? Just one quarter? That seems weird.

Correct, just your highest earning quarter. It's designed to reflect your normal earning capacity during your best 3-month period.

I'll have to dig that paperwork out again. I think I threw it away thinking it was just informational.

You can also log into your Washington ESD account and view it there under 'Claim Information' if you need another copy.

Is that legit? I've been trying to call for weeks and can never get through.

Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

I used Claimyr too after seeing it mentioned here. Got through to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of the usual 3+ hour wait times.

That's actually the point - they want to calculate based on your normal full-time earning capacity, not a period when you were already struggling with reduced hours.

But what if your highest quarter was from overtime or a bonus? That's not really 'normal' either.

Same here! One agent told me they use total earnings, another said highest quarter. So frustrating.

The calculation method hasn't changed - it's always been highest quarter divided by 13 then multiplied by 3.85%. Some agents might explain it differently but the formula is consistent.

You're using the wrong multiplier. It's 0.0385 of your quarterly wages, not your weekly amount. So $8,760 x 0.0385 = $337.26. But there might be other factors affecting your final amount.

Ohhh that makes more sense! So where does the $287 come from then?

Could be a deduction for taxes, child support, or you might have some disqualifying income. Check your payment history for any adjustments.

How did you find out about the unreported wages? Did Washington ESD tell you?

No, I had to compare my W-2s to what showed up on my monetary determination. One of my employers apparently didn't report my wages correctly.

I'm not working at all right now, so that's not it. But good to know for when I start looking for part-time work.

Actually it's not dollar-for-dollar. They deduct 75% of earnings over $15 from your weekly benefit amount.

You're right, thanks for the correction. It's 75% of gross earnings over $15, not 100%.

If you filed in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. It's the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters.

Why don't they use more recent earnings? Seems like old information.

It's because employers have time to report wages to the state. Using the most recent quarter could mean missing wage data that hasn't been reported yet.

Self-employment income generally doesn't count toward your base period wages unless you paid into the unemployment system as a self-employed person, which is rare. Only W-2 wages from employers who pay unemployment taxes typically count.

That explains why my benefit amount was lower than expected. Most of my income last year was 1099 contractor work.

Because that could penalize people who had periods of unemployment or reduced hours. Using the highest quarter captures your earning potential when you were fully employed.

But what if someone's highest quarter was years ago and they've been underemployed since then? Seems unfair the other way too.

I might have to try that. I'm still not getting how they arrived at my specific number.

The agent I talked to said sometimes there are adjustments that don't show up clearly on the monetary determination. Could be worth a call.

Good to know! I think I'll try calling first to understand the calculation better before I file an appeal.

Smart approach. Sometimes it's just a matter of understanding how they did the math rather than an actual error.

I never even looked at my monetary determination until I saw this post. Just assumed Washington ESD got it right.

It's actually worth checking, especially if you had multiple jobs or your work hours varied a lot during your base period.

Same! I feel like I actually understand the process now instead of just accepting whatever number they gave me.

This is why forums like this are so valuable. Real people explaining things in plain English instead of government bureaucracy speak.

How do they calculate the maximum benefit amount? Is that also based on the highest quarter?

Yes, your maximum benefit amount is typically 26 times your weekly benefit amount, but it can't exceed 30% of your total base period wages.

It's never too late to verify. If there was an error in your favor, Washington ESD might eventually catch it and create an overpayment. Better to catch it early.

Yikes, didn't think about that. I'll pull out my paperwork this weekend.

I tried that calculator but it didn't match my actual benefit amount. That's part of why I was so confused.

The online calculator doesn't account for all the possible adjustments. It's more of a rough estimate tool.

Right? I wish they explained this stuff better when you first file your claim. Would save a lot of confusion.

They probably figure most people won't question it. But like others said, it's worth understanding in case there's an error.

Good advice. I'm definitely going to be more organized with my employment records going forward.

Yeah, I learned that the hard way when I had to appeal a benefit determination. Having your own records makes the process much smoother.