How much am I eligible for unemployment benefits in Washington?

That's helpful, thanks! Do you know if bonuses count toward the quarterly earnings calculation?

Yes, bonuses definitely count as long as they were reported wages. Check your quarterly wage statements on your Washington ESD account to see exactly what they have on file.

What do you mean by base period? I thought they just looked at your most recent earnings.

The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they'd typically look at Jan-Dec 2024, not including the most recent quarter you might have worked.

I had the same issue until I found Claimyr.com - they actually help you get through to Washington ESD agents. I was able to speak with someone within a few hours instead of spending days trying to call. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really saved me a lot of frustration.

Never heard of that before. Is it legit? I'm desperate at this point.

Yeah it's legitimate. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. I used it to get my benefit calculation explained and resolve an issue with my claim.

Wait, so they only give you 60% of what the calculation shows? That seems low.

No sorry, I think I mixed up the formula. It's actually your highest quarter divided by 26, not multiplied by 0.6. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.

You're right to correct yourself. It's just highest quarter ÷ 26. The 60% thing might be from a different state's formula.

I tried that but it asks for specific quarterly wage amounts that I don't have memorized. Do you know where I can find those?

should be on your account dashboard once you log into the Washington ESD portal

That's discouraging. I'm really hoping to get a decent amount since I have a mortgage and car payment.

Yeah I get it, but just being realistic. The max is under $1000 even if you were making six figures. And that's before taxes if you choose to have them withheld.

Don't listen to the negativity. The system works fine if you follow the rules and stay on top of your weekly claims. I got exactly what I expected based on my wages.

I did get two weeks severance. Will that affect my benefits?

Yes, severance pay typically delays when you can start collecting benefits. You'll need to report it when you file your initial claim.

Good point. Do you know if there are any exceptions to the job search requirement?

There are some exceptions like if you're in approved training or if you have a definite return-to-work date within 12 weeks. But most people have to do the full job search.

Thanks for the tip! I was definitely looking at my net pay.

Yes, the maximum gets adjusted annually based on the state's average weekly wage. It usually goes up a little each year.

That makes sense. So the $999 max mentioned earlier might be different from what it was last year.

Good to know. What percentage do they typically withhold for taxes?

I think it's 10% federal withholding. Not sure about state taxes in Washington since there's no state income tax.

How long did it take for them to get you connected?

About 2 hours. Way better than the days I spent trying to call on my own.

That's a pretty big difference! Did you ever find out why it was off?

something about how they counted my quarterly earnings. had some overtime that got counted differently than i expected

Is there always a waiting period or just sometimes?

There's usually a waiting week where you don't get paid for your first week of unemployment. Then processing time on top of that.

That's scary. How did they find out about the freelance work?

I think they cross-reference tax records or something. Not sure exactly but they have ways of finding unreported income.

That's what I'm worried about. I just want a straight answer about what I can expect.

The calculation itself is actually pretty straightforward - it's just that people's individual situations can be complicated. The basic formula is consistent.

I've only worked in Washington for the past few years so that shouldn't be an issue for me.

Good, that'll make things simpler. Multi-state claims can be a real headache.

How long does the appeal process take?

Mine took about 6 weeks to get resolved. They ended up increasing my weekly benefit amount by $80.

I'm planning to file this week. Is there anything else I should know before I start the application?

Have your employment history ready - dates, addresses, and reasons for leaving each job. The application asks for detailed information about your work history.

That's useful information. I might need to do some part-time work to make ends meet.

Just make sure you report it accurately on your weekly claims. Better to be transparent than risk an overpayment issue later.