How much is unemployment benefit amount in Washington ESD - confused about weekly payment

Thanks! That helps explain it. Where can I see which quarter they used for my calculation?

You should see your monetary determination in your Washington ESD account online. It shows your base period wages and how they calculated your weekly benefit amount.

Did you ever figure out if yours was right? I'm still not sure about mine.

mine was actually lower than i expected but when i called washington esd they explained it was because of my work history gaps

Interesting, I'll check that out. How long did it take for them to connect you?

It was pretty quick actually. Much better than sitting on hold for hours trying to call Washington ESD directly.

Never heard of that service before but sounds useful for getting through the phone lines

Oh wow, that's way further back than I thought! That explains why my amount seems different than what I expected.

Wait, so they don't use your most recent pay? That seems backwards...

Correct, they use a base period that doesn't include your most recent work. It's to ensure all wage data is properly reported by employers.

I feel you! The whole system seems designed to be as confusing as possible.

I understand the frustration, but the base period system is used to ensure accurate wage reporting. Using recent paychecks would be less reliable since not all employers report wages immediately.

How do I request that? Is there a form I need to fill out?

You can request it when you file your initial claim or contact Washington ESD afterward. They'll automatically consider it if your regular base period doesn't qualify you.

Good point! I've been filing them but wasn't sure if the amount was right.

Yeah definitely keep filing. You can always get adjustments later if there's an error.

That sounds really helpful. I might try that service if I can't figure this out myself.

How much does Claimyr cost? Is it worth it just for a benefit calculation question?

The peace of mind was worth it for me. Having an actual Washington ESD agent explain my specific situation made everything clear.

I found the letter in my online account. Some of my wages do look off now that I'm looking closer.

Definitely get that corrected. Missing wages can significantly impact your benefit amount and total claim duration.

That's true, though most people don't qualify for the maximum amount.

Right, you need to have earned around $24,000 in your highest quarter to get the max weekly benefit.

Same here! The phone system is terrible. I've been trying for weeks.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr - they handle the calling part so you don't have to deal with busy signals and getting hung up on.

Oh that's good to know! I was wondering about getting a part-time job while collecting benefits.

Yes, and you still need to report all earnings on your weekly claims, even if it doesn't reduce your benefit amount.

I wish I had known about that before filing! Would have saved me a lot of confusion.

I used it and it was pretty close to my actual benefit amount. Maybe off by like $10 or so.

Good point! I did have a side job for a few months. I should check if those wages are included.

You can see all reported wages in your monetary determination. If something's missing, contact the employer first to make sure they reported it correctly.

True, I should probably stop overthinking it and just make sure I'm filing everything correctly.

Yeah, and if there is an error, Washington ESD will usually catch it eventually and make adjustments.

Thanks for the suggestion! Several people have mentioned that service now. I think I'll give it a try.

It's definitely worth it for the peace of mind. Unemployment can be stressful enough without worrying about whether you're getting the right amount.