How much is unemployment pay in Washington - confused about benefit amounts

Thanks! That's actually higher than I expected. Do you know if they include tips in the calculation?

Yes, tips count as wages if they were reported to your employer for tax purposes. So if you claimed your tips properly, they'll be included in your benefit calculation.

Wait I thought it was based on all four quarters not just the highest one?

No, the weekly benefit amount is calculated from your highest quarter only. But you need earnings in at least two quarters to qualify at all.

Never heard of that service before. Is it legit or just another scam?

It's legit - they don't ask for your personal info or anything sketchy. Just helps you navigate the phone system to reach an actual person at Washington ESD.

Right?? I ended up just filing my claim and letting them calculate it for me. Takes a few days but at least you get the exact amount.

good idea, im just gonna do that too instead of driving myself crazy with the math

So if my highest quarter was like $8,000, that would be $8000/13 = $615, then $615 x 0.5 = $307 per week?

Exactly! Though double-check your pay stubs to make sure you're using the right quarter. Sometimes people think they know their highest quarter but it's actually different when you look at the calendar quarters.

Oh crap, I didn't realize that. So if I'm still working 20 hours instead of 35, they'll reduce my benefits?

Yeah, but you might still come out ahead overall. Like if you make $300 working part-time and would get $400 in unemployment, they'd reduce the $400 by 75% of $300 (which is $225), so you'd get $175 in benefits plus your $300 wages = $475 total.

That's actually not too bad then. Better than just the part-time wages alone.

For a claim filed in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. They use the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters.

Thanks! That makes more sense now.

Yes, and they're pretty strict about it. You have to keep a log and they can audit you anytime.

Exactly. And if you're on standby from your employer, the job search requirements might be different.

That's exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier - seriously saved my sanity when I was trying to reach them about my claim issues.

I might have to try that. Getting hung up on after waiting 2 hours is driving me crazy.

Good point! I totally forgot about that. Is it better to have them withhold taxes or pay later?

Depends on your situation, but I usually have them withhold 10% just to avoid a big tax bill later.

The determination letter shows your weekly benefit amount, maximum benefit amount (total you can collect), and your base period wages. Which number are you confused about?

the one that says maximum benefit amount is like $8000 but weekly is only $300. does that mean i can only get $8000 total?

Exactly. In Washington, you can collect up to 26 weeks of benefits in most cases, so your maximum would be your weekly amount times 26 (or less if your base period wages don't support the full 26 weeks).

Ugh, I probably didn't claim everything perfectly. Is there any way to fix that now?

You might be able to provide additional wage documentation if you have records, but it's complicated. You'd probably need to talk to Washington ESD directly about that.

Got it. Do I report gross or net earnings?

Gross earnings, before taxes and deductions.

seriously!! why is it so complicated to just get help when you lose your job

It's frustrating for sure, but once you understand the basics it gets easier. The hardest part is just getting started.

Thanks for mentioning it again. I bookmarked their site in case I need it.

I used them too last month when I had questions about my overpayment notice. Worth it to avoid the phone runaround.

Good advice! I'll definitely keep everything organized.

The maximum benefit amount usually gets adjusted annually based on average wages in the state. I think it went up from like $970 to $999 for 2025, but I'm not 100% sure on those exact numbers.

at least its something i guess, but still not keeping up with rent increases

That's reassuring to hear. I'm just worried about making ends meet if this situation continues.

It's definitely stressful, but the partial benefits plus whatever hours you can get should help. And hopefully your restaurant picks back up soon.

Thanks for that tip! I was going to wait and see if things improved first but I'll file right away now.

Exactly right. There's no benefit to waiting, and you could miss out on weeks of eligibility.

Thank you! This thread has been super helpful. I feel way more prepared now.