How much do I get on unemployment - Washington ESD weekly benefit amount calculation?

So they look at my best 3 months of earnings? That would probably be last summer when I was working more hours.

Exactly, and they also look at your total earnings in your base year to make sure you qualify. You need at least $8,019 in total earnings.

It's not exactly 60%. Washington uses a more complex formula. They take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then there's additional calculations based on your total base year earnings.

yeah youre right, i just remember it being roughly half of what i was making before

How much did that cost? I'm already worried about money so I don't want to spend a bunch on something if I don't have to.

I was in the same boat financially but it was worth it to get actual answers about my claim instead of guessing. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

That sounds about right for what I was making. $290 a week isn't great but it's something. Do they take taxes out of unemployment benefits?

Yes, unemployment is taxable income. You can choose to have federal taxes withheld (10%) or pay at tax time. Washington doesn't have state income tax so no worries there.

Don't forget you also have to do job searches every week and report any work or income when you file your weekly claims.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. I was so frustrated trying to get through on my own. Their system actually got me connected to a real person who could look at my specific case.

I might have to try that. This is driving me crazy and I need to know what's going on with my claim.

Wait, so they use whichever calculation gives me LESS money? That seems unfair.

Unfortunately yes, that's how the system works. It's designed to ensure you have consistent earnings throughout your base year, not just one really good quarter.

This is why so many people get confused about their benefit amounts. The formula isn't straightforward at all.

There's a waiting week? So even if I'm approved I don't get paid for the first week?

Yes, there's a one-week waiting period for all unemployment claims in Washington. You still need to file that weekly claim, you just won't receive payment for it.

I've only worked in Washington so that shouldn't apply to me, but good to know for others reading this.

Yeah, it's not super common but it can make a big difference for people who moved to Washington recently.

What kind of verification issues? I want to make sure I don't run into the same problems.

They needed additional proof of my earnings because my employer reported wages differently than what was on my paystubs. Just make sure you keep all your documentation.

This happens more often than people think. Always keep your final paystub and any separation paperwork from your employer.

That's exactly why services like Claimyr exist. I was able to get connected to someone in like 10 minutes instead of waiting hours on hold. They helped me understand exactly how my benefits were calculated.

I wish I had known about that when I was dealing with all this. Would have saved me so much frustration.

No, the calculation is the same for everyone. But seasonal workers often have uneven earnings which can affect their benefit amount since it's based on your highest quarter vs annual average.

That makes sense. I guess my holiday season earnings would probably be my highest quarter.

How would I end up getting overpaid if they're calculating it based on my earnings?

Usually happens if you don't report work or income correctly when filing weekly claims, or if there's an error in your initial wage information.

Always err on the side of caution when reporting any work or income. It's better to report something you're not sure about than to risk an overpayment.

What was different about your benefits the second time?

first time i got like $380/week, second time only $295/week because i had worked fewer hours the year before. its all about your base year earnings

So if I file now in January 2025, what would my base year be?

It would be October 2023 through September 2024. So your earnings from the last few months of 2024 wouldn't count toward your benefit calculation.

This is why timing can matter when you file. Sometimes waiting a few weeks for a new quarter to start can increase your benefits if you had higher earnings in the more recent quarter.

Yes, tips count as wages for unemployment purposes, but only if they were properly reported to your employer and showed up on your W-2. Cash tips that weren't reported don't count.

That makes sense. I always reported my tips so hopefully that will help my benefit amount.

6 weeks seems like forever when you have bills to pay. Did you have any issues or was that just normal processing time?

It was normal processing. They had to verify my wages with my employer and there was some back and forth. The waiting is stressful but once it's approved the payments are consistent.

Good advice, I'll definitely do that. Thanks everyone for all the help understanding how this works!

You're welcome! Don't hesitate to ask if you run into any issues with your claim. This stuff is complicated but there are ways to get help.

That's why I'm glad I found Claimyr when I was dealing with my claim issues. Made the whole process way less stressful when I could actually talk to someone who knew what they were doing.

yeah having real human help instead of just automated systems makes all the difference