How much do you make on unemployment in Washington - confused about benefit amounts
I'm trying to figure out how much I'll actually get from Washington ESD unemployment benefits. I worked retail for the past year making about $18/hour but my hours were inconsistent. Some weeks I'd get 35 hours, other weeks only 20. I'm seeing different numbers online and I'm confused about how they calculate your weekly benefit amount. Does anyone know the actual formula Washington ESD uses? I need to know what to expect so I can budget properly.
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Nia Thompson
Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from the past year to calculate your weekly benefit amount. They take that quarter's earnings and divide it by 26 to get your weekly amount. The maximum you can get is $999/week in 2025, but most people get way less than that.
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Luca Greco
•So if my best quarter was like $8,000, I'd get around $307 per week? That seems low compared to what I was making.
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Nia Thompson
•Yeah that sounds about right. Remember you also have to pay taxes on UI benefits if you choose to, so the actual amount you take home is even less.
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Mateo Rodriguez
The formula is more complicated than that. Washington ESD looks at your base period earnings (first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters) and uses the highest quarter. But there's also a minimum you have to have earned in your base period to qualify at all.
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Aisha Hussain
•What's the minimum you need to have earned? I only worked for like 8 months last year.
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Mateo Rodriguez
•You need at least $7,344 in your base period AND at least $2,448 in your highest quarter to qualify for benefits in 2025.
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GalacticGladiator
I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for three weeks to ask about my benefit amount calculation because the online estimate seems wrong. Their phone system is absolutely terrible - I either get disconnected or sit on hold for hours. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?
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Ethan Brown
•I had the same problem until I found Claimyr.com - they help you get through to Washington ESD agents without waiting on hold forever. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It saved me so much time and frustration.
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GalacticGladiator
•Really? How does it work exactly? I'm desperate at this point.
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Ethan Brown
•They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent is available. Way better than sitting on hold all day.
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Yuki Yamamoto
Your weekly benefit amount also depends on whether you're working part-time while collecting. If you earn more than your weekly benefit amount minus $5, they start reducing your UI payment. So if you get $300/week in benefits, you can earn up to $295 before they dock your payment.
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Carmen Ruiz
•Wait, so I can work part-time and still collect some unemployment? I thought it was all or nothing.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Yes, but you have to report ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD will calculate how much to reduce your benefits based on what you earned that week.
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Andre Lefebvre
honestly the whole system is designed to keep you poor. i made $22/hour full time and my unemployment is only $450/week. how am i supposed to pay rent and groceries on that?? the government doesnt care about working people
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Aisha Hussain
•I feel you. It's supposed to replace like 50% of your income but it never works out that way in reality.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•At least you qualified. I got denied because I quit my job due to harassment and they said it wasn't 'good cause' even though I documented everything.
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QuantumQuest
Check your monetary determination letter that Washington ESD sends you - it breaks down exactly how they calculated your weekly benefit amount. Mine was way different than what the online calculator estimated.
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Luca Greco
•I haven't gotten any letter yet. How long does it usually take to receive that?
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QuantumQuest
•Should come within a week or two of filing your initial claim. You can also check it online in your SecureAccess Washington account under documents.
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Jamal Anderson
The maximum benefit in Washington is $999 but you'd need to have earned like $65,000+ in your highest quarter to get that much. Most regular workers get between $200-500 per week depending on their earnings history.
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Mei Zhang
•Who the hell makes $65k in three months?? That's more than most people make in a whole year.
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Jamal Anderson
•High earners in tech, finance, some union jobs. But yeah, the vast majority of claimants get way less than the maximum.
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Liam McGuire
Remember you can also get partial benefits if you're working reduced hours. I was working 20 hours a week at my old job and still qualified for some UI benefits to make up the difference.
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Amara Eze
•How do you apply for partial benefits? Is it the same application process?
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Liam McGuire
•Same process, but you report your reduced hours and earnings on your weekly claims. Washington ESD automatically calculates if you qualify for partial benefits.
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Giovanni Ricci
I used Claimyr when I couldn't get through to fix an issue with my benefit calculation. The agent was able to explain exactly how they got my weekly amount and corrected an error in my work history. Definitely worth it if you're having trouble reaching them.
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NeonNomad
•How much did it cost? I'm already broke waiting for my benefits to start.
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Giovanni Ricci
•It's much cheaper than losing weeks of benefits due to unresolved issues. Check their site for current pricing - claimyr.com.
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
Don't forget about the job search requirements! You need to be actively looking for work and log your activities. If you don't meet the requirements, they can reduce or stop your benefits even if you qualify financially.
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Dylan Mitchell
•How many job search activities do you need per week in Washington?
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
•At least 3 job search activities per week, and they have to be documented in WorkSourceWA. Activities include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, etc.
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Sofia Martinez
Your benefit amount stays the same for your entire benefit year unless you have a new claim with higher earnings. So if you get $350/week, that's what you'll get for the full 26 weeks (assuming you don't work).
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Dmitry Volkov
•What if I get a raise at work before I file? Should I wait to file my claim?
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Sofia Martinez
•No, your benefit year is based on earnings from completed quarters, not current pay. A recent raise won't affect your UI calculation until you work a full quarter at the new rate.
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Ava Thompson
I'm still confused about the base period thing. My claim says I don't have enough earnings but I definitely worked enough hours. Can someone explain this better?
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CyberSiren
•Base period is the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. So if you filed in February 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024.
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Ava Thompson
•Oh that explains it! I started my job in November 2024 so most of my earnings weren't in the base period. Is there anything I can do?
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CyberSiren
•You might qualify for an alternate base period that uses more recent quarters. Call Washington ESD to ask about it - or use a service like Claimyr to get through faster.
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Miguel Alvarez
The online benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website is pretty accurate if you input your quarterly earnings correctly. It'll give you an estimate before you even file your claim.
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Zainab Yusuf
•Where do I find my quarterly earnings? I don't have my tax forms yet.
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Miguel Alvarez
•Check your pay stubs or ask your employer for a wage statement. You can also sometimes find quarterly earnings on your online payroll account if your company uses one.
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