How much money you get from unemployment - Washington ESD weekly benefit amounts?

Thanks! So if my highest quarter was like $14,000 that would be around $539 per week? That seems pretty reasonable.

Yeah that sounds about right. You can check your exact amount once your claim is processed and you get access to your eServices account on the Washington ESD website.

Good to know there's a minimum! I should definitely qualify for more than that since I was working full time.

How does that work exactly? Do you have to pay them to call for you?

They handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.

Interesting, might have to try that. I've been trying to reach someone at Washington ESD for two weeks about my benefit amount.

The base year is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they look at January 2024 through September 2024. It's designed to use complete quarters of wages.

See this is exactly what I mean - it's way too complicated for regular people to understand!

Wait, I thought it was just the highest quarter? Now I'm confused about which calculation is correct.

You're both partially right. They use different methods depending on your situation. The standard method uses your highest quarter, but there's an alternate calculation using two quarters if that gives you a higher amount.

Exactly - Washington ESD automatically calculates both ways and gives you whichever amount is higher. That's why the calculation can seem confusing.

Ugh I didn't even think about that. Can you have them withhold taxes or do you have to pay at the end of the year?

you can elect to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims but nothing for state taxes in washington since we dont have state income tax

That $623 is your gross weekly benefit amount before any tax withholding. First payments usually come 2-3 weeks after your claim is approved, as long as you're filing your weekly claims on time.

Thank you! That makes me feel better. I've been filing my weekly claims so hopefully it comes soon.

Good to know it actually works! I might need to try that if I run into issues with my claim.

Shouldn't have to pay someone else just to talk to a government agency that our taxes fund. The whole system is broken.

Good to know, thanks! I don't have kids anyway but was curious how that worked.

26 weeks should hopefully be enough time to find something new. Fingers crossed the job market picks up soon.

The 26 weeks resets if you work enough to establish a new claim later, but you can't just keep extending the same claim indefinitely.

That's helpful! So if I get $623 per week I could earn up to $618 without losing any benefits?

Exactly. Anything over $618 and they start reducing your benefit payment by the excess amount.

I understand the frustration, but the calculations are standardized to ensure fairness across different earning patterns. Once you understand your base year wages, the formula is actually pretty straightforward.

Easy for you to say! Some of us just need to know if we can pay rent next month.

That's a common concern. The base year system is designed to use complete wage records that have been fully reported by employers. Recent wages might not be in the system yet when you file.

In some cases you might be able to request an alternate base year if your recent wages were significantly higher, but it's complicated and not always approved.

Good luck! If you run into any issues or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, definitely consider using Claimyr to avoid the phone hassles.

yeah just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even if you dont get paid right away or youll lose those weeks

Perfect, thanks for all the help everyone! This thread has been way more informative than the Washington ESD website.