How many quarters does Washington ESD unemployment go back for benefit calculation?

Thanks! So they skip the most recent quarter completely? That seems weird since that's when I was making the most money.

Yeah the lag quarter thing is confusing but it's because employers need time to report wages. If your recent wages would help you qualify or get a higher benefit, you can request alternate base period.

You can request an alternate base period that uses the most recent 4 quarters instead. Just ask when you file your claim or call Washington ESD to request it.

good to know, calling them is impossible though. been trying for weeks

I had the same problem getting through to Washington ESD. Found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Site is claimyr.com - saved me hours of busy signals.

This is so confusing. Why can't they just use whatever period gives you the highest benefit automatically?

Because the regular base period is the default and most people's wages are fairly consistent. The alternate base period is there for situations where your recent earnings are significantly higher.

You can still request a redetermination with alternate base period even after your claim is processed. Call Washington ESD and explain your situation.

Yeah right, calling Washington ESD is like winning the lottery. I've been trying to get through about this and other issues for 3 weeks.

Try Claimyr - I mentioned it above. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Way better than sitting on hold for hours. Check out claimyr.com

Wow that's a huge difference! How long did it take for them to recalculate everything?

About 2 weeks once I actually got through to someone. The hardest part was getting Washington ESD on the phone in the first place.

Did they backpay you the difference for the weeks you already claimed?

Yes! They adjusted all my previous payments and I got a lump sum for the difference. Definitely worth pursuing if your recent wages were higher.

It's not designed to penalize anyone. The lag exists because employers have deadlines to report wages to Washington ESD. The alternate base period option addresses exactly the situation you're describing.

But most people don't even know about the alternate base period option. They should make it automatic or at least ask everyone when they file.

Same base period rules apply to standby. Your weekly benefit amount is calculated the same way whether you're on regular UI or standby status.

Good to know, thanks. My employer said I should be back to work in a few weeks anyway.

For a claim filed in February 2025, standard base period would be October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. Alternate base period would be January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

So they completely ignore my wages from October-December 2024 and January 2025 unless I ask for alternate base period?

Exactly. The most recent quarter (Q4 2024) and the partial quarter you're filing in (Q1 2025) aren't included in standard base period.

You can request it when you first file your claim online, or call Washington ESD after filing to request a redetermination using alternate base period.

I already filed and it's been processed. Will calling mess up my current benefits while they recalculate?

No, you can continue filing your weekly claims while they process the redetermination. If approved, they'll adjust your benefit amount going forward and backpay any difference.

Good luck getting through to them though. I tried calling about my adjudication for weeks before someone told me about Claimyr. That service actually works - got me connected to an agent same day.

Simple version: Washington ESD looks at your wages from 1 year ago to 15 months ago to calculate your benefits. If you made more money recently, you can ask them to look at your wages from 3 months ago to 15 months ago instead.

ok that makes way more sense, thanks!

It might not be too late but there are time limits for requesting redeterminations. You should call Washington ESD as soon as possible to discuss your options.

Ugh calling them is such a nightmare. Last time I tried I was on hold for 3 hours and then got disconnected.

Try the Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. It's specifically designed to help people get through to Washington ESD agents without the endless hold times. Really helped me when I needed to resolve my claim issues.

You have to request it. They don't automatically calculate both scenarios and give you the higher amount.

That seems unfair. A lot of people probably don't even know this option exists.

Yeah the whole system assumes you know all these rules already. I only found out about alternate base period by accident when I was googling why my benefits were so low.

That's a great idea! I should probably do the math before I request alternate base period.

Definitely worth checking both scenarios. In my case standard base period was better because I was unemployed for 6 weeks in late 2024 before getting my current job.