How much are unemployment checks in Washington ESD - confused about weekly benefit amounts

So if my highest quarter was around $15,000, that would be about $577 per week? That seems higher than I expected.

That sounds about right, but Washington ESD also factors in your total base year earnings. You should get a monetary determination letter that breaks down exactly how they calculated your WBA.

This is so confusing! Why can't Washington ESD just have a simple calculator on their website?

They do have a benefit calculator buried somewhere on their site, but it's not very user-friendly. The monetary determination you get after filing explains everything clearly though.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents by phone. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Is that legit? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. The automated system just keeps hanging up on me.

Yeah, I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They handle the calling process and get you connected to a real person. Way better than spending hours on hold.

Good point! I forgot about taxes. So the actual amount I receive will be less than the calculated WBA?

Only if you elect to have taxes withheld. You can change this option in your account anytime. I recommend having them withhold 10% for federal taxes to avoid a big bill later.

The calculation is actually set by state law, not arbitrary decisions by Washington ESD. The job search requirements are federally mandated too.

whatever, still feels like they're trying to make it as difficult as possible to get what you're owed

That's encouraging! I had some overtime in a few quarters so maybe that will help my calculation too.

Wait, what happens after 26 weeks? Do you just get cut off?

You can't collect regular unemployment after 26 weeks in your benefit year. You'd need to work again and earn enough to qualify for a new claim, or see if you qualify for other programs.

That's why it's so important to use the time to find work instead of just relying on benefits indefinitely.

You can work part-time and still collect partial benefits. Washington ESD has a formula - basically they reduce your weekly benefit by 75% of your gross earnings over $5. So if you earn $100, they reduce your benefit by $71.25.

Thanks! That's actually not too bad. I was worried any work would completely disqualify me.

Wow, that's a really good amount! Makes me feel better about my potential benefits.

Construction wages are usually higher which helps with the calculation. Plus no gaps in employment probably helped your base year total.

Good to know! How long did the appeal take?

About 6 weeks total. I had to provide old pay stubs and W-2s to prove the wages. But they backdated the correction so I got the higher amount retroactively.

This is important! I forgot to report right away and ended up with an overpayment that I had to pay back.

Exactly! Washington ESD is pretty strict about overpayments. It's much easier to report immediately than deal with paying money back later.

I ended up trying Claimyr after reading about it here. Worked exactly like they said - got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending all day calling.

That's amazing! I'm definitely going to try that. The phone system at Washington ESD is impossible otherwise.

Thanks for the reminder! I'll make sure to save it when I get mine.

That's a good attitude! I'm just grateful that unemployment benefits exist at all.

Agreed. Even if it's not enough to maintain your previous lifestyle, it beats having no income at all while job hunting.

Good reminder! I've been keeping a spreadsheet of all my applications and interviews.

Perfect! That's exactly what you need. The WorkSourceWA website also has tools to track your job search activities if you prefer using their system.