How much is unemployment pay in Washington state - need to know weekly benefit amount

Thanks! So if my highest quarter was around $13,000, that would be $500 per week? That's actually better than I thought.

Yes exactly, $13,000 divided by 26 is $500. Just make sure you have enough earnings in your base year to qualify - you need at least $5,265 total.

It's not exactly 60% - Washington ESD has a specific formula. The weekly benefit amount is calculated as your highest quarter earnings divided by 26, with a minimum of $295 and maximum of $999 for 2025.

oh ok that makes more sense then why mine was weird amount

Really? I've been dreading having to call Washington ESD. How does that Claimyr thing work exactly?

You just go to claimyr.com and they handle getting you through to an actual Washington ESD representative. No more sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. Way easier than trying to call directly.

Hmm sounds too good to be true but if it actually works that would be amazing. The regular Washington ESD phone system is absolutely terrible.

Good to know! I don't have kids but that's helpful for others reading this.

Wait really? I have two kids and I'm getting unemployment right now but I don't think I'm getting the extra $25 each. How do I add them to my claim?

You need to report your dependents when you first file your claim. If you didn't do it initially, you'll probably need to call Washington ESD to update your claim information.

This is super helpful! I wish Washington ESD made this easier to understand on their website.

Yeah the 680 hours thing is confusing. Is that total hours for the whole base year or what?

It's total hours worked during your base year period. So if you worked full-time for 6 months that would easily meet the 680 hour requirement.

I understand the frustration. The calculation can be complex because it has to account for different work patterns and earnings. The best way to get an exact amount is to actually file your claim or speak with a Washington ESD representative.

Same here! I gave up trying to calculate it myself and just filed the claim to see what happened.

Ugh I didn't even think about taxes. So the $500 weekly isn't really $500 take-home?

Right, you'll owe federal income tax on it. You can have them withhold 10% when you certify your weekly claims or pay it when you file your tax return.

That's really close to what I calculated for myself. Did you have any issues with your claim or was it pretty straightforward?

Pretty smooth actually. The hardest part was just gathering all my employment information from the past 18 months. Make sure you have exact dates and employer info ready.

Yes, overtime pay counts as part of your total earnings for Washington ESD benefit calculations. All wages reported on your W-2 are included in determining your weekly benefit amount.

Awesome! That should bump up my benefit amount quite a bit then.

Good point! I'll make sure to set a reminder if I end up needing to file.

Yeah I made that same mistake. You can usually file the missing weeks but it's easier to just stay on top of it from the beginning.

I tried using that calculator and got completely lost. Ended up calling and waiting forever just to ask what a 'base year' was.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr when I had questions. Way better than sitting on hold with Washington ESD for hours just to ask basic questions about benefit calculations.

Oh wow I might get severance if they lay me off. So that would delay my unemployment payments?

It depends on how the severance is structured. If it's paid as a lump sum for specific weeks, those weeks might not be eligible for unemployment. Best to ask Washington ESD directly about your specific situation.

The dependent allowance is in addition to your regular weekly benefit amount, but the total still can't exceed the maximum weekly benefit amount of $999.

Thanks for clarifying! So if my calculated benefit is $950 and I have one dependent, I'd get $975 total, not $999.

Yeah exactly! That's why I wanted to figure this out ahead of time. Hope things work out better for both of us.

Smart to plan ahead. Also look into COBRA coverage for health insurance if your employer offers it. That was another expense I hadn't factored in.

Commission and tips that were reported as wages count toward your base year earnings. If you're in a tipped position, make sure your employer was reporting your tips properly for unemployment purposes.

This is why I always made sure my tips were properly reported even though it meant higher taxes. Helps with unemployment eligibility.

Washington state has a one-week waiting period, but you can be paid for that first week if you're on unemployment for at least 3 weeks total. It's called the 'waiting week' and gets paid retroactively.

Good to know! So essentially no pay for the first week unless you're unemployed longer term.

I mentioned this earlier but Claimyr has been a lifesaver for actually getting through to Washington ESD representatives. Check out claimyr.com - they can get you connected instead of dealing with the phone maze.

I'll definitely check that out. I've wasted so many hours trying to call Washington ESD directly.

Fortunately I've only worked in Washington so that won't be an issue for me.

I had to do an interstate claim - it took longer to process but the benefit calculation was still pretty straightforward once they got all the wage information.

Agreed! I feel much more prepared now if I do end up needing to file for unemployment.

Glad we could help! The unemployment system can be confusing but having the right information makes it much more manageable.