How much do I get unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about weekly amounts

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base year to calculate your weekly benefit amount. They take 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings. So if you made $13,000 in your best quarter, you'd get around $500 per week. The maximum weekly benefit amount in 2025 is $999.

i think mine was like $450 a week when i got laid off but honestly the whole calculation thing is super confusing, they should just make it simpler

I had the same issue trying to reach Washington ESD about my benefit calculation. After weeks of failed calls, I found this service called Claimyr that actually gets you through to ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. Used it last month and finally got my questions answered about my weekly benefit amount.

The weekly benefit calculation also depends on whether you have any dependents. You can get an additional $35 per week for each dependent child under 18. And don't forget you'll have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits - they don't automatically withhold unless you request it.

WAIT A MINUTE. I thought unemployment was based on your last job's salary?? This base year quarter thing makes no sense. What if I just started a higher paying job and then got laid off - do I get screwed because my previous quarters were lower??

also remember you have to be actively looking for work to keep getting benefits. they want like 3 job search activities per week or something

Just a heads up - there's a one week waiting period before you start receiving benefits. So even if you're approved, you won't get paid for the first week you're unemployed.

Your weekly benefit amount will also be reduced if you have any part-time earnings. Washington ESD has a partial unemployment formula where they subtract 75% of your weekly earnings from your benefit amount. So if you get a part-time job making $200 a week, they'd subtract $150 from your weekly benefit.

The maximum duration for regular unemployment benefits is 26 weeks in Washington. After that you're done unless there are extended benefits available, which there usually aren't anymore since COVID programs ended.

For what it's worth, when I used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD, the agent was able to explain my exact benefit calculation on the spot. She even told me about the alternative base year option that would have given me higher benefits. Sometimes talking to an actual person beats trying to figure it out from the website.

just remember you can't get unemployment if you quit your job voluntarily. has to be a layoff or termination for cause that wasn't your fault

The best thing you can do is log into your Washington ESD account online and look at your monetary determination letter once it's available. That will show you exactly how they calculated your weekly benefit amount and what quarters they used.

Don't forget about the job search requirements! You need to make at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a log. Washington ESD can audit your job search at any time.

Also be prepared for potential adjudication delays. If there's anything even slightly complicated about your separation from work, they might put your claim on hold for weeks while they investigate.

I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months and honestly the whole system is a mess. Half the time their website doesn't work, you can never get through on the phone, and they take forever to process anything. But the weekly benefit calculation part is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it.

Pro tip: set up direct deposit for your benefits. Getting paper checks takes way longer and they can get lost in the mail. You can set it up in your online account.

One more thing about Claimyr - I was skeptical at first too but when you're unemployed and need answers about your benefits, sometimes you just need to talk to an actual human. The video demo I mentioned shows exactly how it works if you want to check it out before deciding.

Make sure you understand the difference between your weekly benefit amount and what you actually receive. The weekly benefit amount is the maximum you can get, but if you have any earnings or other deductions it will be less.

Bottom line - your weekly benefit amount depends on your earnings in the highest quarter of your base year. For most people it ends up being around 40-50% of what they were making per week when they were working. Not great but better than nothing.