How much unemployment benefits will I get from Washington ESD?

Washington ESD uses your highest quarter earnings from your base period to calculate benefits. Generally it's around 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings, but there's a weekly maximum. For 2025, I think the max is around $999 per week. Your $52k salary should put you in a decent range.

i think its more like 50% of your average weekly wage but theres caps and stuff. you should be able to get a estimate on the washington esd website somewhere

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter from the past 5 quarters (your base period). They take that quarter's wages, divide by 26, then you get about 50% of that amount. So if your highest quarter was $12,000, you'd get around $230 per week.

The maximum weekly benefit in Washington is $999 right now for 2025. Most people don't get close to that though. At $18.50/hour full time you're probably looking at somewhere between $200-300 per week depending on how consistent your hours were.

I was in a similar situation last year and had a really hard time getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about my benefit calculation. The phone lines are constantly busy and the online system doesn't always give clear answers. I actually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful.

Actually if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD for specifics about your claim, I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach agents on the phone. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really helped when I needed to verify my benefit calculation details.

don't forget you have to pay taxes on unemployment too so whatever amount you calculate take out like 10-15% for federal taxes unless you want a surprise bill next year

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED. They make it impossible to figure out what you'll get until after you file and then half the time the calculation is wrong anyway. I fought with Washington ESD for MONTHS over my benefit amount because they used the wrong quarters. Save yourself the headache and prepare for disappointment.

The base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you're filing now in early 2025, they'd look at Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. Your highest quarter earnings in that period determine your weekly benefit amount.

Washington ESD's benefit calculation is unnecessarily complicated. They should just tell you upfront what you'll get instead of making people jump through hoops with base periods and quarters and all that bureaucratic nonsense.

With your salary range, you should get close to the maximum weekly benefit. I was making around $55k and got $847 per week. The exact amount depends on your quarterly breakdown though.

dont forget you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits now. learned that the hard way last year

The whole system is a joke. I made $60k and they're only giving me $623 per week. Meanwhile my rent alone is $1,800. How are we supposed to survive on this?

Just wanted to update - I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it really helped. Got through to an agent who explained that my benefit would be around $260 per week based on my work history. The whole process was way smoother than I expected.

For anyone still confused about the calculation, here's the basic formula Washington ESD uses: They look at your wages from 4 out of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed (your base period). They find your highest quarter, divide by 26, then multiply by 0.5. That gives you your weekly benefit amount, up to the maximum of $999.

If you need to verify your exact benefit amount calculation, definitely consider using Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD. The agents can walk you through how they calculated your specific amount and explain any deductions.

i've been getting unemployment for 3 months now and still don't really understand how they calculated my amount lol. it's like $340/week which is decent but less than i expected. the system is so confusing

Just a heads up that if you worked multiple jobs or had irregular hours, the calculation can get more complicated. Washington ESD looks at all your covered employment during the base period, not just your most recent job.

Also remember that your benefit amount can change if Washington ESD discovers additional wages during your base period. They sometimes get updated employer reports that affect the calculation.

My sister went through this same thing last year and her benefit amount was way lower than expected because she had taken some unpaid time off that affected her quarterly earnings. Make sure you account for any periods where you weren't working full hours.

Does anyone know if overtime pay counts toward the benefit calculation? I worked a lot of OT in my highest earning quarter.

For what it's worth, I tried calling Washington ESD directly about 20 times before giving up and using Claimyr. The service really does work - got connected within an hour instead of spending days trying to get through. Worth it just for the peace of mind.

The thing that sucks is even if you get a decent benefit amount, it's still probably way less than what you were making. I went from $22/hour to like $380/week unemployment. Better than nothing but man it's tight.

The maximum weekly benefit is a joke considering cost of living here. Other states pay way more relative to their living costs.

you should get your determination letter pretty quick after filing that will show the exact amount

I'm in a similar situation - lost my job making $48k. Really hoping I qualify for decent benefits. The job market is rough right now.

One more thing - make sure you understand the job search requirements. You'll need to make 3 job search contacts per week to keep receiving benefits, and Washington ESD does audit these.

The benefit amount really depends on your work history. I had irregular hours and only qualified for like $400 per week even though I was working full time.

If you run into any issues getting information from Washington ESD about your benefit calculation, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me hours of calling.

Don't get your hopes too high. Even with a decent salary, the benefit amount might be less than you expect once you factor in taxes and the weekly maximum.

Final advice - file your weekly claims on time every week even if you're not sure about your benefit amount yet. Missing a week can complicate things and delay payments.

Hope it works out for you! The waiting and uncertainty is the worst part of this whole process.

Good luck with everything! And remember, if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, Claimyr can help you get through without the usual phone hassles.

Don't forget you can also potentially qualify for additional programs like food assistance or housing help while you're on unemployment. Every little bit helps when money's tight.

Final reminder - make sure you file your claim as soon as possible. You can't get benefits for weeks before you file, even if you were already unemployed. The sooner you get the process started, the sooner you'll know your exact benefit amount.

I used one of those online unemployment calculators before filing and it was pretty close to what I actually got. Might be worth trying one just to get a rough estimate.

One more tip - when you do get your monetary determination letter, keep it somewhere safe. You'll need it if you ever have to appeal anything or if there are questions about your claim later.

Just remember that Washington ESD can take WEEKS to process everything and actually start sending payments. Don't expect money right away even after you file. The whole system moves at a snail's pace.

The amount really depends on how much you made in your highest quarter. I was making good money but only worked 6 months before getting laid off, so my benefit was lower than expected because some quarters had zero wages.

Just to close the loop on the Claimyr thing - I know some people are skeptical about third-party services, but honestly it was a lifesaver. The Washington ESD phone system is just brutal to navigate on your own. Having someone help you get through saved me probably 10+ hours of calling.