How much is unemployment weekly benefit amount in Washington state 2025?

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter during your base period. The maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $999 per week. They take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then multiply by 0.0385 to get your weekly amount.

the max went up this year i think its like $999 now but most people dont get the max unless they were making good money

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify your benefit amount, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get connected to actual agents. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really helpful when you need to talk to someone about your specific situation.

Keep in mind you also have to meet the minimum earnings requirement. You need at least $5,265 in covered wages during your base period to qualify at all. And your benefit amount can't exceed 3.85% of your total base period wages.

Don't forget about taxes! Your unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can have federal taxes withheld at 10% and state taxes aren't withheld automatically, so you might owe at tax time.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator but it's been glitchy lately. Sometimes it gives you an error when you try to estimate your benefits.

also remember you can only collect benefits for 26 weeks max unless theres some kind of extension program running

I'm getting $743 per week right now. Was making about $58k before I got laid off in December. The amount seems fair based on what I was earning.

One thing to watch out for - if you have any other income like freelance work or pension payments, that can reduce your weekly benefit amount. Washington ESD has specific rules about how they calculate deductions.

Why is Washington ESD so complicated with their calculations? Every state seems to do it differently and their website explanations are confusing.

If you need to speak with someone at Washington ESD about your specific benefit calculation, definitely try Claimyr. I was getting frustrated trying to call them directly and this service got me through to an agent in minutes instead of hours.

Your benefit amount also depends on which quarter they use as your base period. If you just started working recently, you might want to wait to file so you have higher earnings in your base period.

does anyone know if overtime pay counts toward your benefit calculation?

The weekly benefit amount is just the starting point. You also need to factor in the job search requirements and weekly claim filing. Miss a week and you lose that week's benefits permanently.

I tried calling Washington ESD last week to ask about benefit amounts and stayed on hold for 3 hours before giving up. Their phone system is absolutely terrible.

Just remember that your first payment might be delayed if there are any issues with your claim. I had to wait an extra week because of some verification requirements.

The benefit calculator on Washington ESD's site gave me an estimate that was pretty close to what I actually received. Worth trying even if it's sometimes glitchy.

Make sure you understand the difference between your weekly benefit amount and your maximum benefit amount. The weekly is what you get each week, but there's also a total maximum for the entire benefit year.

thanks everyone for all the info! this thread has been super helpful for understanding how washington unemployment benefits work