How much do you have to make to get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Thanks! So if I file now in January 2025, my base period would be January 2024 through December 2024?

Not exactly - it would be October 2023 through September 2024. The base period doesn't include the most recent quarter. Washington ESD has a calculator on their website that can help you figure out your exact base period.

You're right! You need to earn at least 1.25 times your highest quarter earnings in your other base period quarters combined. So if you made $2,000 in your best quarter, you'd need at least $2,500 total in the other three quarters.

This is getting complicated. Is there an easier way to check if I qualify without doing all this math?

Really? How does that work exactly? Do they just call for you or something?

They handle the calling process and wait on hold for you, then connect you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through myself.

sounds too good to be true tbh. how much does something like that cost?

How can I check if my wages were reported correctly? One of my employers was kind of sketchy about payroll stuff.

You can request a wage statement from Washington ESD that shows all reported wages. If something's missing, you'll need documentation like pay stubs to prove the wages.

The monetary requirements do get adjusted periodically, but $3,850 is correct for 2025. You might be thinking of the alternative base period requirements which are slightly different.

ok that makes sense, i was probably confused about something else. this unemployment stuff is so complicated!

Tell me about it. I've been trying to figure out my own eligibility for weeks and every time I think I understand something new comes up.

Same thing happened to me yesterday! I called right when they opened and got disconnected twice. The Washington ESD phone system is absolutely terrible.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. The regular Washington ESD phone system is basically impossible to get through on your own.

Have you tried calling during lunch time? I've heard sometimes there's less volume around 12-1pm.

That's a good idea! I never thought to check my Social Security records. Thanks for the tip.

just remember that social security shows annual totals, not quarterly like washington esd uses for the base period calculation

It's because they need time to process and verify wage reports from employers. Using completed quarters ensures all the wage data is accurate and available.

still annoying though. especially when you're already stressed about losing your job and trying to figure out if you can pay rent

Oh that's good to know! So they'll try both ways to see if I qualify?

Exactly. They want to approve claims when possible, so they'll use whichever base period works better for you.

I didn't know they did that automatically. I was stressing about which base period to use when I applied.

That's reassuring to hear. I was worried because I only worked part-time recently.

Part-time work counts just as much as full-time for qualification purposes. It's all about the total dollars earned, not how many hours per week.

Good point. I lost my job last week so I should probably file this week.

yeah dont wait around. i made that mistake and lost like 3 weeks of benefits because i thought i had to wait or something

Exactly. There's a one-week waiting period anyway, so the sooner you file the sooner you can start getting paid.

Was it expensive to use? I'm already tight on money obviously.

It's worth it when you consider how much time you save and the peace of mind of actually talking to someone. Way better than the stress of calling all day and getting nowhere.

ok you convinced me, might have to try it if i cant get through on my own

Yes, reported tips count as wages for unemployment purposes in Washington. Make sure your employer reported them correctly though.

Thanks! I was worried my mostly-tips income wouldn't count.

I'll definitely check that out. Thanks for all the help everyone!

good luck with your claim! hope it goes smoothly for you