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

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount (WBA) based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period. They take your total wages from that quarter and divide by 26. The maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is around $999 but most people get way less than that depending on their work history.

The weekly benefit amount in Washington depends on your earnings in your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). They take your highest quarter earnings and divide by 26, then that amount is your weekly benefit. Maximum is currently $999/week but most people get way less than that.

So it's based on my best quarter? That's actually helpful to know. I had some overtime in Q2 of last year so maybe that's why.

I've been fighting with Washington ESD for weeks trying to get my benefit amount corrected. They're saying I only qualify for $285/week but I made way more than that at my previous job. Their system keeps giving me the runaround when I try to call.

the calculation is weird. i made $45k last year but my unemployment is only like $350/week. doesn't make sense to me

Yeah and there's also a minimum amount too, I think it's like $295 per week or something around there.

Washington unemployment benefits are calculated using a formula that takes your total wages from your base period (first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters) and divides your highest quarter by 26. The minimum weekly benefit is $295 and maximum is $999 as of 2025. You also need to have earned at least $7,000 in your base period to qualify.

The formula is pretty straightforward once you understand it. Washington ESD looks at your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed) and finds your highest-earning quarter. Then they divide that by 26 to get your weekly amount. But you also need to have earned at least $3,850 in your base period total to qualify.

I definitely made more than $3,850 so that's not an issue. Thanks for explaining the base period thing, I was wondering what that meant on my account.

I'm getting $412 per week after working at Boeing for 3 years before the layoffs. Pretty decent compared to some horror stories I've heard.

Does anyone know if they count overtime in the calculation? I worked a ton of OT last year.

The system is so broken. I made $25/hour but I'm only getting $320/week on unemployment. How is that supposed to help anyone?

Wait so if I made $15/hour working 40 hours a week, what would my unemployment be approximately?

wait so if I only worked like 6 months last year am I screwed? I'm trying to figure out if I even qualify

@profile7 Not necessarily! It depends on which quarters you worked and how much you earned. You should definitely file a claim to see if you qualify.

I was in a similar situation trying to figure out my benefit amount. Spent forever on hold trying to reach Washington ESD to get answers about my weekly payment calculation. Finally discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at Washington ESD in like 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. The agent was able to explain exactly how they calculated my amount and why it was what it was.

Really? I've been trying to call for days but keep getting the busy signal or getting disconnected. How does that service work exactly?

Claimyr sounds too good to be true honestly. How do you know it's legit and not some scam?

Pro tip: you can see your exact benefit calculation in your ESD account under 'Monetary Determination'. It breaks down exactly how they calculated your weekly amount.

I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They basically handle the calling process and get you connected to Washington ESD. No scam, just helps you avoid the phone hell.

For what it's worth, if you're working part-time while collecting unemployment, they'll reduce your weekly benefit amount based on how much you earn. It's not dollar for dollar though - there's a formula for that too.

I'm not working right now but good to know for when I find something part-time. Do you know what the formula is for that?

I think they subtract your gross earnings minus $5 from your weekly benefit amount, but I'm not 100% sure on that. You'd need to check with Washington ESD.

Been on unemployment for 6 months now and still trying to understand why my benefit amount changed randomly in month 3. Anyone else have this happen?

The maximum benefit of $999/week sounds great but I don't think many people actually get that much. You'd need to make like $26,000 in a single quarter.

If you're having trouble getting your benefit amount figured out, seriously consider using Claimyr to talk to someone at Washington ESD. I wasted weeks trying to call them myself before someone recommended it to me. Worth every penny to actually get through to a human who can explain your specific situation.

Just remember you have to file your weekly claims to keep getting benefits, even if the amount seems low. Don't skip weeks or you'll lose those payments forever.

The whole system is confusing but once you understand it, it makes sense. Base period, highest quarter, divide by 26. Simple math but they don't explain it clearly anywhere.

One thing to watch out for - if you worked multiple jobs, make sure all your employers reported your wages correctly. I had one employer who didn't report all my hours and it lowered my benefit amount.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN! I've been waiting 6 weeks to get my correct benefit amount figured out. Every time I call Washington ESD they give me a different answer about how much I should be getting. It's like they make this stuff complicated ON PURPOSE!

That's really frustrating. Have you tried filing an appeal if you think your benefit amount is wrong?

How am I supposed to appeal when I can't even get someone to explain what's wrong in the first place?? This whole system is a joke.

I feel you on this. Washington ESD is impossible to reach sometimes.

Quick question - does anyone know if the unemployment amount changes if you have dependents? I have two kids and wasn't sure if that affects the weekly benefit calculation.

Washington state doesn't have dependent allowances for regular unemployment benefits. Your weekly amount is just based on your work history and earnings.

Ah okay, thanks. I thought some states did that but I guess not Washington.

I remember when I first filed, I was shocked at how low my weekly amount was compared to what I was making. But then I realized I had only been at my job for like 8 months so my base period didn't include my full earnings potential. The system looks backwards not forwards if that makes sense.

That does make sense actually. So if someone just got a big raise recently, that wouldn't be reflected in their unemployment amount?

Exactly! It's all based on old earnings from your base period quarters. Kind of unfair but that's how it works.

The maximum benefit duration is also important to know - you can collect for up to 26 weeks in Washington, but the total amount you can collect is limited to 30% of your base period wages or 26 times your weekly benefit amount, whichever is less.

Wait so even if I qualify for 26 weeks, I might not get benefits for the full 26 weeks?

Right, if you didn't earn enough in your base period, you might exhaust your benefits before 26 weeks. It's another calculation they do.

This is getting confusing. Why does everything have to be so complicated with Washington ESD?

Has anyone successfully gotten their benefit amount recalculated? I think Washington ESD made an error on mine but every time I try to call them about it I get nowhere.

Yes! I had to be persistent though. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got through to an agent who could actually look at my account and fix the calculation error. Turned out they missed some of my wages from a previous employer.

Really? Maybe I should try that then. I've been fighting this for weeks on my own.

Same thing happened to me - they missed wages from my second job. Once I got through to someone who could actually review my records, they fixed it pretty quickly.

Pro tip: if you think your benefit amount is wrong, you can request a redetermination. You'll need to provide additional wage information or documentation to support your request. Don't just assume the initial calculation is correct.

How do you request a redetermination? Is there a form or do you have to call?

You can do it online through your Washington ESD account or by calling them. Online is usually faster if you have the documentation ready to upload.

honestly the whole unemployment calculation thing gave me such a headache when I first filed. I was expecting way more money than I actually got. Had to totally redo my budget and everything.

That's exactly what I'm worried about! I was hoping it would be closer to what I was making before.

Yeah it's usually way less than your actual take-home pay. Better than nothing though I guess.

One thing to remember is that unemployment benefits are taxable income. So whatever amount you're getting, you'll owe taxes on it at the end of the year unless you choose to have taxes withheld.

Oh no I didn't even think about taxes! How much do they usually withhold if you choose that option?

I think it's 10% federal tax withholding. You can set it up in your Washington ESD account settings.

Definitely recommend having them withhold taxes. I got hit with a huge tax bill one year because I didn't do that.

The benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website is actually pretty helpful if you want to estimate your weekly amount before filing. It's not 100% accurate but gives you a ballpark figure.

I tried using that but I wasn't sure what numbers to put in for my quarterly earnings. I'll have to dig up my old pay stubs.

Yeah you'll need your wage information for the base period quarters. Your employer should have that info too if you can't find your pay stubs.

Just wanted to add that if you disagree with your benefit amount determination, you have 30 days from the date of the notice to file an appeal. Don't wait too long if you think there's an error!

Good to know! I'll make sure to review everything carefully when I get my determination letter.

The appeal process is actually not that bad if you have documentation to support your case. Just make sure to meet the deadline.

Update on the Claimyr thing - I was skeptical but actually tried it yesterday when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my benefit calculation questions. Got connected to an agent in literally 8 minutes and she walked me through exactly how my amount was calculated. Definitely worth it if you're stuck on hold forever like I was.

That's really helpful feedback! I might have to try that if I can't figure out my calculation issues on my own.

How much does Claimyr cost though? Is it expensive?

I don't want to get into pricing details here but it was worth it for me to avoid spending hours on hold. Check their website for current rates.