How much can I receive from Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your wages during your base year, which is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $999 and the minimum is $295. They use a formula that takes your highest quarter earnings and divides by 26.

So if I made $13,000 in my highest quarter last year, that would be $500 per week?

Exactly! $13,000 divided by 26 equals $500. That's your weekly benefit amount before taxes.

dont forget they take out taxes unless you opt out. i learned that the hard way when i got a big tax bill

Good point! I should probably have them withhold taxes to avoid a surprise at tax time.

The benefit calculation can be tricky if you haven't worked a full year. Washington ESD looks at wages from ALL employers during your base year period. If you're close to the maximum, you'll get $999/week. I've been helping people with unemployment claims for years and the wage calculation trips up a lot of folks.

I had two different jobs last year - do they count wages from both employers?

Yes, they combine all W-2 wages from your base year quarters. Make sure Washington ESD has accurate wage records from both employers.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for three weeks to ask about my benefit calculation and keep getting hung up on! Their phone system is impossible. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone?

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to Washington ESD agents without waiting on hold for hours. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was a lifesaver for getting my benefit amount sorted out.

Thanks! I'll check that out. I'm desperate to talk to someone about my claim.

washington esd benefit calculator is buried on their website but its there somewhere. i used it to estimate mine before filing

Do you remember where you found it? I've been looking everywhere on their site.

It's under 'File a Claim' then 'Benefit Calculator' but honestly it's easier to just call them or use a service to get through to an agent.

Keep in mind you can only collect for 26 weeks maximum in Washington, unless there are special extensions. And you have to be actively looking for work and filing your weekly claims on time.

26 weeks total? That's not very long if I can't find a job quickly.

Unfortunately yes, that's the standard duration unless Congress passes emergency extensions. Better to start job searching immediately even while collecting.

I GOT SCREWED ON MY BENEFIT AMOUNT! They said I didn't make enough in my base year even though I worked all of 2024. Turns out they were using 2023 wages because of when I filed. This system is so confusing!!!

You might be able to request an alternate base year if your recent wages are higher. Washington ESD allows this in certain situations.

How do I request that? Nobody told me that was an option when I filed!

For anyone making over $60k, you'll probably get close to the maximum $999/week. I was making $75k and got the full amount. Just make sure all your employers reported wages correctly to Washington ESD.

That's encouraging! How do I check if my wages were reported correctly?

You can see your wage records in your SecureAccess Washington account once you file your claim. If something's missing, you'll need to contact the employer and Washington ESD.

Just remember the benefit amount is based on gross wages, not take-home pay. A lot of people get confused about that.

Good to know! So they use my salary before taxes and deductions?

Exactly. They use your gross W-2 wages from each quarter.

been on unemployment twice and both times had issues with benefit calculation. first time they underpaid me for months before fixing it. second time used claimyr to get through and resolve it immediately

Was it hard to get the back pay when they underpaid you?

took forever the first time doing it myself. with claimyr help the second time it was resolved in one call. worth every penny

If you worked in multiple states, that complicates the calculation too. Washington ESD has to coordinate with other state agencies to get all your wage records.

I only worked in Washington so hopefully that keeps it simple.

The waiting week is gone now so you can get benefits starting your first week of unemployment. That's one good change they made recently.

That's great news! I was worried about having to wait a week with no income.

Yes, they eliminated the waiting week permanently. You can get paid for your first week if you're eligible.

Make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if your benefit amount is still being calculated. Missing a week can mess up your whole claim.

Good advice! I'll make sure to file every Sunday once I submit my initial claim.

i was making $48k and get $923 per week. pretty close to the max. washington has decent benefits compared to other states i think

That does seem pretty good! Hopefully I'll get a similar amount.

Don't forget about the job search requirements. You need to do 3 job search activities per week and keep a log. The benefit amount doesn't matter if you get disqualified for not looking for work.

What counts as a job search activity?

Applying for jobs, networking, attending job fairs, updating your resume with WorkSource. Check the Washington ESD website for the full list.

If your benefit amount seems wrong, don't wait to appeal. I waited too long and missed my chance to get it corrected.

How long do you have to appeal a benefit determination?

You have 30 days from the date of the determination letter to file an appeal with Washington ESD.

The whole system is designed to confuse people and pay out as little as possible. But if you know how it works you can get what you deserve.

That's why I'm trying to understand it before I file. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!

One more tip - if you have trouble reaching Washington ESD about your benefit calculation, services like Claimyr can help you connect with agents quickly instead of waiting on hold all day. I used them twice and it saved me hours of frustration.

I keep hearing about Claimyr in this thread. Might be worth looking into if I run into problems.