How much do you get unemployment from Washington ESD - what's the weekly benefit amount?

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. They take that amount, divide by 26, then you get about 60% of that. So if your highest quarter was $13,000, you'd divide by 26 to get $500, then 60% would be $300 per week. But there's a maximum weekly benefit amount that changes each year.

you can also use the benefit calculator on the washington esd website, it's pretty accurate. just need your quarterly wages from the last 18 months or so

One thing to keep in mind is that your base period matters a lot. Washington ESD uses the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at your wages from October 2023 through September 2024. If you had a recent pay increase, it might not be reflected in your benefit amount.

I was having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about my benefit calculation and someone told me about this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you get through to actual agents instead of waiting on hold forever. There's even a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your specific situation.

Also remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income in Washington state. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your weekly payments or pay them when you file your tax return.

The whole system is confusing honestly. I thought I'd get way more than I actually did. Turns out I had some quarters with lower wages that brought down my average.

don't forget you also have to meet the minimum earnings requirement to qualify. i think it's like $5,000 total in your base period or something like that

Another factor people don't always realize is that if you work part-time while collecting benefits, they'll reduce your weekly amount. In Washington, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before they start reducing your benefits. So if your weekly benefit is $400, you can earn up to $405 without any reduction.

I remember when I first filed, I was shocked at how much paperwork there was. The benefit amount calculation was just the beginning. Then you have to do job searches every week and all that.

One more thing - if you disagree with your benefit amount calculation, you can appeal it. I had to do that once because they missed some of my wages and I was able to get it corrected.

WASHINGTON ESD IS SO SLOW WITH EVERYTHING! I've been waiting 3 weeks just to get my benefit amount determined. Their whole system is a mess.

For what it's worth, I used the online benefit calculator and it was pretty accurate. My actual benefit amount was within $10 of what it predicted.

just remember that benefits only last 26 weeks in washington unless there's some special extension program going on

Make sure you apply as soon as possible after losing your job. There's a waiting week but you want to get the process started. I waited too long and it delayed everything.

The benefit amount also depends on whether you're eligible for dependents allowance if you have kids. It's not much but every bit helps.

honestly the whole unemployment system could be so much simpler. why do they make it so complicated to figure out how much you'll get?

One last tip - when you do get your benefit determination letter, read it carefully. It breaks down exactly how they calculated your amount and what quarters they used. If something looks wrong, that's when you'd want to appeal.

Good luck with your claim! The initial setup is the hardest part. Once you get into the weekly routine it's pretty straightforward.

Yeah this thread was really helpful. I'm in a similar situation and learned a lot reading through all these responses.