How much can I get from Washington ESD unemployment benefits - what's the maximum weekly amount?
I'm thinking about filing for unemployment but want to know what I might qualify for first. I was making about $52,000 a year at my last job before getting laid off. Does anyone know what the current maximum weekly benefit amount is in Washington? I've looked at the Washington ESD website but it's confusing with all the calculations. Also wondering if there are any other factors that affect how much you get besides your previous wages.
45 comments
Join the conversation
Paolo Bianchi
The maximum weekly benefit amount in Washington for 2025 is $999 per week. But you probably won't get the max unless you were making around $75k+ annually. Your weekly benefit is calculated based on your highest earning quarter from your base year, then they use a formula to determine your amount. For $52k annually, you're probably looking at somewhere between $400-600 per week depending on how your earnings were distributed.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•Thanks! That's more than I expected actually. How do they calculate the base year exactly?
0 coins
Paolo Bianchi
•Your base year is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file now in 2025, they'd look at your wages from Q1 2024 through Q4 2024.
0 coins
Yara Assad
I just went through this process last month. Making $52k should put you in a decent range but don't expect the full maximum. The Washington ESD system looks at your quarterly wages and uses the highest quarter to calculate your weekly benefit amount. You can actually get an estimate by logging into your SecureAccess Washington account and looking at your wage history before you even file.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•Good tip about checking wages first. Did you have any trouble getting through to verify your estimate was correct?
0 coins
Yara Assad
•Actually yes, I spent hours on hold trying to get someone at Washington ESD. Eventually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an agent quickly. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo that explains how it works. Saved me so much time and frustration.
0 coins
Olivia Clark
just a heads up the amount you get also depends on if you have any part time work while collecting. they reduce your benefits dollar for dollar after a certain threshold
0 coins
Javier Morales
•That's not quite right. In Washington, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start reducing your benefits. So if your weekly benefit is $500, you can earn up to $495 without any reduction.
0 coins
Olivia Clark
•oh ok thanks for the correction. i was thinking of the old rules
0 coins
Javier Morales
The formula is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it. They take your highest quarter wages, divide by 26, then multiply by 0.0385 to get your weekly benefit amount. There's also a minimum of $295 per week and maximum of $999. So for someone making $52k annually, if your highest quarter was around $13-14k, you'd be looking at approximately $480-520 per week.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•This is super helpful! So it really depends on how my wages were distributed throughout the year.
0 coins
Natasha Petrov
•Exactly. If you got a big bonus in one quarter or worked overtime heavily in certain months, that could bump up your highest quarter and increase your weekly amount.
0 coins
Connor O'Brien
Don't forget you also need to meet the monetary eligibility requirements. You need at least $5,265 in your base year and wages in at least two quarters. Plus your highest quarter needs to be at least 1.5 times your lowest quarter. Most people with steady employment meet these easily but it's worth double checking.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•Good point. I had steady employment for the past two years so I should be fine on that front.
0 coins
Amina Diallo
•Yeah if you were making $52k steadily you'll definitely meet the requirements. The tricky part is usually for people with seasonal work or gaps in employment.
0 coins
GamerGirl99
ONE IMPORTANT THING - make sure you file as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. You can't get benefits for weeks before you actually file, even if you were eligible. I made the mistake of waiting a few weeks and lost out on those benefits forever.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•Thanks for the warning! I was laid off last Friday so I should file this week then?
0 coins
GamerGirl99
•YES! File immediately. You can file online 24/7 at esd.wa.gov. The sooner you file, the sooner your benefits can start.
0 coins
Paolo Bianchi
•Definitely file ASAP. Even if there are issues with your claim that need to be resolved, at least you'll have established your claim date.
0 coins
Hiroshi Nakamura
i was making around the same as you and got $485 per week. not bad but definitely less than my regular pay obviously. the hardest part was actually getting through to washington esd when i had questions about my claim
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•What kind of questions did you have? I'm worried I'll need to call them and I've heard the wait times are terrible.
0 coins
Hiroshi Nakamura
•just stuff about my job search requirements and when my first payment would come. took me calling like 50 times over two days to get through. so frustrating
0 coins
Yara Assad
Since we're talking about calling Washington ESD - I mentioned Claimyr earlier but wanted to add that their service really works. I was skeptical at first but they got me connected to an agent in under 10 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. The video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ shows exactly how it works. Totally worth it if you need to actually speak to someone.
0 coins
Isabella Costa
•How much does something like that cost though? I'm already tight on money being unemployed.
0 coins
Yara Assad
•I don't want to get into specific pricing but it was reasonable considering how much time and frustration it saved me. Way cheaper than missing work to spend all day calling.
0 coins
Malik Jenkins
Also remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or you'll owe when you file your return. I learned this the hard way last year.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•Oh wow, I didn't think about taxes. How much should I expect to have withheld?
0 coins
Malik Jenkins
•They'll withhold 10% for federal taxes if you elect it. State of Washington doesn't have income tax so no worries there. I'd recommend having it withheld so you don't get surprised at tax time.
0 coins
Freya Andersen
Just want to emphasize what others said about filing quickly. I procrastinated for like 3 weeks after getting laid off thinking I'd find something fast. Big mistake - lost out on over $1400 in benefits I could never get back. File immediately even if you think you might find work soon.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•Definitely filing this week! Better safe than sorry.
0 coins
Eduardo Silva
•Smart move. You can always stop claiming if you find work quickly, but you can't go back in time to claim weeks you missed.
0 coins
Leila Haddad
the calculations can be confusing but washington esd has a benefit calculator on their website somewhere. might be worth trying that out to get a rough estimate before you file
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•I'll look for that calculator. Would be nice to have a better idea of what to expect.
0 coins
Javier Morales
•The calculator is helpful but remember it's just an estimate. Your actual amount might be slightly different based on the exact wage data in their system.
0 coins
Emma Johnson
Make sure you understand the job search requirements too. You'll need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log. They can audit this stuff so don't slack on it.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•Good reminder. I assume applying online counts as a contact?
0 coins
Emma Johnson
•Yes, online applications count. You can also count things like networking events, job fairs, contacting employers directly, etc. Just keep detailed records of everything.
0 coins
Ravi Patel
•I use a simple spreadsheet to track all my job search activities. Date, company, position, type of contact, etc. Makes it easy if they ever ask for documentation.
0 coins
Astrid Bergström
From my experience with similar wages, you'll probably get somewhere in the $450-550 range per week. Not enough to maintain your full lifestyle but definitely helps cover basic expenses while job hunting. The key is to treat job searching like your full-time job.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•That matches what others have estimated. I'm prepared to tighten the budget but at least it'll help with rent and utilities.
0 coins
PixelPrincess
•Exactly the right attitude. Unemployment is meant to be a temporary bridge, not a permanent solution. Good luck with your job search!
0 coins
Omar Farouk
One last tip - if you have any issues with your claim or need clarification on anything, don't wait. Address problems early before they turn into bigger issues. And if you can't get through by phone, there's always the secure messaging system on their website, though responses can take a few days.
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much more prepared to file now.
0 coins
Yara Assad
•You're welcome! And remember, if you do need to reach an agent quickly, Claimyr is there as an option. Sometimes it's worth it just for peace of mind.
0 coins
Chloe Martin
•Good luck with everything! The process isn't too bad once you get started, just make sure to file your weekly claims on time every week.
0 coins