How much does unemployment make in Washington - what's the weekly benefit amount?

So if I made around $33,000 last year, what would that work out to approximately?

Around $33k would put you at roughly $1,270 for your total base period wages calculation, so probably around $480-520 per week before taxes.

I tried looking for a calculator but couldn't find one - do you have a link?

There isn't an official calculator on the Washington ESD site anymore. You have to estimate based on your quarterly earnings.

Did they actually break down the math for you? I'm so confused by the base period calculation.

Yes! The agent walked through each quarter's wages and showed exactly how they calculate it. Made so much more sense than trying to guess.

How much does that service cost though? If I'm unemployed I don't want to spend money unnecessarily.

This is super helpful! I wasn't working full-time the whole period though - does that matter?

Yes, it's based on actual wages earned, not hourly rate. So if you had reduced hours or time off, that would lower your base period total and therefore your weekly benefit.

Wait, can you choose which quarters they use?

You can request an alternate base period if your standard base period doesn't qualify you or gives you a very low amount. It uses the most recent 4 quarters instead.

Exactly! I should have requested the alternate base period but didn't know about it until after my claim was processed.

That's not great advice - if you file when you're not eligible it can cause issues with future claims and create overpayments.

oh really? i didnt know that could mess things up later

The rules are actually pretty consistent, but they're written in legal language that's hard to understand. The basic eligibility is: you lost your job through no fault of your own, you earned enough wages in your base period, and you're able and available for work.

I get the basic idea but all the calculations and quarter stuff is overwhelming.

The $999 is just the state maximum. There's no additional federal unemployment compensation right now - that ended in 2021.

Thanks for clarifying! I was still thinking about the pandemic benefits.

Should I have taxes taken out or just pay at the end of the year?

Depends on your situation, but many people prefer having 10% federal tax withheld to avoid a big tax bill later. Washington state doesn't have income tax so no state withholding needed.

I made the mistake of not withholding taxes and owed like $2,800 when I filed. Definitely withhold if you're getting benefits for several months.

Unemployment is designed to be temporary assistance, not full income replacement. It's supposed to motivate people to find work quickly.

Easy to say when you have a job. Some industries are still recovering and there aren't enough positions available.

Have you looked into other assistance programs? Food banks, utility assistance, etc. can help stretch your unemployment benefits further.

I was a regular W-2 employee so I think I'd qualify for regular UI benefits.

Yes, that should be straightforward regular unemployment insurance then. Your employer will have reported your wages to Washington ESD quarterly.

Good to know! I've got most of my pay stubs saved digitally.

This happened to me - they were missing one of my employers completely. Had to submit wage verification forms and wait weeks for them to update my claim.

How much can you earn before it affects your benefits?

You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before they start reducing your benefits. After that, they reduce your benefit dollar-for-dollar with your earnings.

Right, so if your weekly benefit is $500, you can earn up to $505 without any reduction. If you earn $600, they'd pay you $405 in benefits that week.

Is that service legit? Seems too good to be true.

Completely legit. They just help you navigate the phone system to actually reach a human. Check out their demo video if you're skeptical.

So even if I find a job after 10 weeks and get laid off again, I could still use the remaining 16 weeks?

Yes, as long as it's within your benefit year and you meet the eligibility requirements for reopening your claim.

Do they automatically adjust existing claims or only new ones?

Only new claims filed after the effective date get the higher maximum. Existing claims stay at the rate they were calculated at.

How long did the appeal process take?

About 6 weeks total, but they backdated the increased payments to when I first filed. Worth the wait for the extra money.

This is exactly why I recommend using Claimyr to talk to an agent first - they can catch these issues before you file and save you the appeal hassle.

That's really helpful advice. I was waiting to get all my information perfect before filing.

Yeah, don't wait too long. The sooner you file, the sooner you can start the process and identify any issues that need to be resolved.