How much do you collect on unemployment in Washington - weekly benefit amount?

Thanks! So if my highest quarter was around $13,000, that would be about $500 divide by 26 times 0.0385? That seems like a weird calculation.

Actually I think I mixed up the formula - it's your highest quarter divided by 26, then that's your weekly benefit amount up to the maximum. The 0.0385 is for something else.

OK that makes more sense! So $13,000 divided by 26 weeks = $500 per week. That's actually pretty decent.

Wait, is that before taxes? Do they take taxes out of unemployment benefits?

Yes, unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr.com - they help you get through to Washington ESD agents. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Really? How does that work exactly? Is it legit?

Yeah it's totally legit. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Way better than sitting on hold for 3 hours.

What's the base period? Is that just the last year of work?

Base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January 2024 through September 2024.

This is so confusing. Why can't they just use your last year of earnings like normal people would expect?

That's helpful to know! Did you have any issues with the application process?

Not really, just took forever to get approved. Spent 3 weeks in adjudication because they had questions about why I left my job.

How do they calculate how many weeks you can collect?

It's based on your total base period earnings. You can collect until you've received benefits equal to 30% of your base period wages or 26 weeks, whichever comes first.

So if you didn't work much in your base period, you might not get the full 26 weeks?

Exactly. That's why it's important to have consistent earnings in your base period quarters.

I tried that tool too and it was super confusing. You need your exact quarterly earnings, not just your annual salary.

Where do I find my quarterly earnings? I only know my annual salary and my paystubs.

You can estimate by dividing your annual salary by 4, but for the exact amounts you'd need to check with your payroll department or wait for your W-2.

Good to know! How much can you earn before it affects your benefits?

In Washington, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before they start reducing your benefits. After that, they reduce your benefits by the amount you earn over that threshold.

Agreed! And good luck getting someone on the phone to explain it to you. I've been trying for two weeks.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - got through to an agent in about 30 minutes instead of spending days trying to call. Worth every penny to get actual answers.

I keep seeing people mention Claimyr. Is it really that much better than just calling yourself?

For me it was. They handle all the waiting and calling back when lines are busy. Check out their video demo to see how it works.

What counts as a job contact? Just applying online or do you have to actually talk to someone?

Online applications count, but you have to keep detailed records in your WorkSourceWA account. They can audit your job search activities.

I got audited last year and it was a nightmare. Make sure you document everything properly!

What counts as good cause for quitting?

Things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to your job duties or pay, stuff like that. But you have to be able to prove it.

I quit because of a hostile work environment and they initially denied my claim. Had to go through the whole appeal process to get it approved.

Appeals can take months to resolve too. Better to have all your documentation ready upfront if you think there might be an issue.

Thanks everyone for all the info! This has been really helpful in understanding how it all works.

Yeah this thread was super informative. Way better than trying to decode the Washington ESD website!