How much do I get paid on Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

So if I made like $12,000 in my best quarter, I'd get around $460 per week?

That sounds about right, but you should double check your benefit determination letter from Washington ESD to be sure.

No, that's not how Washington calculates it. It's based on your base period wages, not a percentage of your previous income.

oh ok my bad, i was thinking of something else

I think I threw that away thinking it was junk mail! Can I get another copy?

Yeah, it should be available online. If not, you might need to call Washington ESD to get a duplicate.

Have you tried calling right when they open at 8am? That's usually the best time to get through.

Yeah I've tried that, still takes forever. There's gotta be a better way to reach them.

Actually, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They basically call for you and get you connected. I used it last month when I was having issues with my adjudication and it worked great. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

I don't have any kids, so I guess that doesn't apply to me.

Wait, really? I have 2 kids and I never knew about this! How do I add them to my claim?

You need to contact Washington ESD and provide proof of dependency. Birth certificates usually work.

This is super helpful, thank you! I think I'm starting to understand how it works now.

What if you worked multiple jobs? Do they combine all your wages?

Yes, they combine wages from all employers during your base period.

I know right? The paperwork they send is like reading a foreign language.

At least Washington's system is better than some other states. My brother in Florida had to wait months just to get approved.

Oh no, I didn't think about taxes! How do I set that up?

When you file your weekly claims, there's an option to have 10% withheld for federal taxes. You can also have state taxes withheld if you want.

I learned this the hard way last year. Owed like $800 in taxes because I didn't withhold anything.

I always reported my tips properly, so hopefully that helps my benefit amount.

Yeah, tips count as wages for unemployment purposes in Washington, which is good for restaurant workers.

You can work part-time and still collect unemployment, but you have to report all your earnings when you file your weekly claim. They'll reduce your benefits based on how much you earn.

How much can I earn before they start reducing my benefits?

In Washington, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start reducing your benefits dollar for dollar.

That's weird, it should be the same amount every week unless you have earnings to report or there's an issue with your claim.

You might want to call Washington ESD to ask about the variation. If you're having trouble getting through, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier could help you reach an agent to get it sorted out.

They round down to the nearest dollar. So if your calculation comes to $462.75, you'd get $462 per week.

Every little bit counts when you're on unemployment, so that rounding down really adds up over time.

You need at least $7,000 in your base period and wages in at least two quarters to qualify for benefits in Washington.

What happens if you don't meet those requirements?

Then you wouldn't be eligible for regular unemployment benefits. You might qualify for other programs depending on your situation.

Overtime is just regular wages as far as Washington ESD is concerned. It all gets counted the same way in your benefit calculation.

That's good to know. I worked a lot of overtime last year so hopefully that helps my weekly amount.

Right? Like just show me: Quarter 1: $X, Quarter 2: $Y, Highest quarter: $Z, divided by 26 = your weekly benefit.

If you want a clear explanation of your specific calculation, calling Washington ESD is really your best bet. I know the wait times are rough, but Claimyr can help you get through without the hassle of waiting on hold for hours.

Correct, your weekly benefit amount stays the same throughout your benefit year unless you have a new claim with different wages.

Good to know for budgeting purposes. At least that's one thing that's consistent in this whole process.

Seriously, this thread answered so many questions I had. I feel like I actually understand how it works now.

That's what this community is for - helping each other navigate the unemployment system!