How much can you make on unemployment in Washington ESD?

Thanks! That's actually higher than I expected. How do I find out what my base year quarters were?

Your base year is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you file now in 2025, it would be Q4 2023 through Q3 2024. You can see your wage history once you create your account on the Washington ESD website.

Could be that their wages weren't evenly distributed or they had gaps in employment during their base year. The calculation can vary a lot based on when you worked.

oh that makes sense, he did switch jobs midyear

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to Washington ESD agents without the endless hold times. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. Game changer for getting actual answers about your claim.

Never heard of that service before. Does it actually work? I'm desperate at this point.

Yes it really works! I was able to speak to an agent within 30 minutes instead of wasting entire days trying to call. Worth checking out when you need to verify your benefit amount or resolve any claim issues.

Good point! With my salary I should definitely meet those requirements. Is there anywhere I can estimate my benefits online before filing?

Not really an official calculator but you can do rough math. Take your highest quarter wages, multiply by 0.0385, that's your approximate weekly benefit. But cap it at $999 if it goes higher.

I know right? Everything about unemployment is unnecessarily complicated.

The complexity is partly because everyone's work history is different. But I agree they could make the process more transparent.

That's good to know. So I could potentially do some freelance work while collecting benefits?

Yes but you MUST report all earnings on your weekly claim. Even $50 needs to be reported. Washington ESD will find out eventually through wage matching and you could face an overpayment.

This is why I love working with Claimyr when I have questions about reporting wages. Way easier than trying to decipher the rules on my own or spending hours on hold.

It gets adjusted annually based on the average weekly wage in Washington. The $999 maximum is for 2025. It was lower in previous years.

oh ok that explains why my cousin got less last year

Your base year might not include all of 2024 depending when you file. But unemployment during your base year doesn't disqualify you as long as you meet the minimum wage requirements.

So it's based on when I actually earned money, not when I was working continuously?

Exactly. They look at wages reported to Washington ESD by employers during those four quarters, regardless of gaps between jobs.

That's awesome! Good to know that service actually works. Might need to try it myself if I run into issues.

How much does Claimyr cost? I'm hesitant to pay for something when the phone calls should be free.

Honestly worth it for the time saved alone. I spent three weeks getting nowhere with regular calling. Got my answer in under an hour with their help.

Same calculation method but your varying income might mean your highest quarter is significantly higher than others. Could work in your favor for the weekly benefit amount.

That's what I'm hoping. Made most of my money in summer months so my highest quarter should be pretty good.

Don't wait too long! You can't get benefits for weeks before you file, so every week you delay is money lost. Better to apply and find out than assume you don't qualify.

Good point. I'll start the application this weekend.

How do they calculate how many weeks you're eligible for?

It's your total base year wages divided by your weekly benefit amount, but capped at 26 weeks maximum. So higher wages mean you'll likely get the full 26 weeks.

I feel you. The system definitely isn't user friendly.

Once you get through the initial setup it's mostly just filing your weekly claims. The hardest part is understanding the benefit calculation upfront.

Make sure to gather all your employment info before starting. You'll need employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation.

Already started collecting that paperwork. Hoping the filing process goes smoothly!