How much do you get paid with unemployment benefits in Washington?

Washington ESD uses your highest quarter of earnings from your base year to calculate your weekly benefit amount. They take that highest quarter, divide by 26, then you get about 60% of that amount. The maximum weekly benefit amount in 2025 is $999 per week. So if your highest quarter was around $13,000, you'd get close to $300 per week.

The formula is actually a bit more complex than that. Washington ESD looks at your two highest quarters in your base year, adds them together, divides by 52, then multiplies by 0.0385. There's also a minimum weekly benefit amount of $295 in 2025. You can use the benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website to get an estimate.

I had the same question last month when I got laid off. Trying to get through to Washington ESD to ask about my benefit amount was impossible - kept getting busy signals or hung up on after waiting forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at Washington ESD. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. The agent was able to explain exactly how my benefits were calculated and when I'd start receiving payments.

just to add to what others said, your benefit amount also depends on whether you qualify for the maximum. i think you need to have earned at least $52,000 in your base year to get the full $999 per week. most people don't qualify for the maximum though.

Don't forget you also have to meet the total base year earnings requirement. I think it's around $3,400 total across all four quarters of your base year to even qualify for benefits. And you need to have worked in at least two different quarters during that base year.

I got $387 per week when I filed last year. Made about $48,000 the year before. The Washington ESD monetary determination letter they sent me broke down exactly how they calculated it, which was super helpful for understanding the process.

THE WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN!!! I've been waiting 6 weeks for my monetary determination and still don't know what my benefit amount will be. Called probably 200 times and can never get through. This is people's livelihoods we're talking about!

For what it's worth, the benefit amount calculator on the Washington ESD website is pretty accurate. I used it before filing and my actual benefit was within $5 of what it estimated. Just make sure you have your wage information handy from the past 18 months.

Keep in mind that your weekly benefit amount is before taxes. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your unemployment payments, which I'd recommend so you don't get hit with a big tax bill next year. Washington state doesn't have income tax but you'll still owe federal taxes on unemployment benefits.

One thing to remember is that the benefit amount is just part of the equation. You also need to factor in how long you can receive benefits - usually up to 26 weeks in Washington unless there are extended benefit programs available. And you have to keep filing your weekly claims and doing job search activities to keep getting paid.

I used Claimyr when I had questions about my benefit calculation and it was a game changer. Actually talked to a real Washington ESD representative who walked me through exactly how my weekly amount was determined. Way better than trying to decipher the website or waiting on hold forever. Worth checking out their demo video if you're having trouble getting answers.

Just wanted to add that if you've had multiple jobs or inconsistent work history, the benefit calculation can get more complicated. Sometimes Washington ESD will use an alternate base year if it results in a higher benefit amount for you. Worth understanding all the options.

Bottom line - Washington ESD determines your weekly benefit based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base year, with a maximum of $999 per week in 2025. The exact calculation can be complex but the online calculator gives you a good estimate. Most important thing is to file as soon as you become unemployed since there's usually a waiting period before payments start.