How much unemployment do you get from Washington ESD weekly benefits?

Thanks! So they don't look at your total annual salary, just your best quarter? That's actually higher than I expected.

yeah but you also have to meet the minimum earnings requirement in your base year or you won't qualify at all

What if you didn't work much in that timeframe but had higher earnings more recently? Can they use a different base year?

Yes, if you don't qualify using the standard base year, Washington ESD can use an alternate base year which would be the last four completed quarters. This might help if you had recent higher earnings.

I had the same problem trying to reach them! Spent hours on hold. Actually found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier.

wait how did you get $580 from $55k? that seems low based on what the other person said about dividing by 26

Good point, I forgot about the tax implications. Do they withhold federal taxes automatically or do I need to request it?

You can request 10% federal tax withholding when you file your weekly claims. It's optional but saves you from owing a big chunk at tax time.

So if my highest quarter was $12,000, I'd need at least $15,000 total in my base year to get the full 26 weeks?

Exactly. If you don't meet that threshold, you might get a reduced benefit duration. It's all about having consistent work history.

If you filed in December 2024, your base year would be October 2023 through September 2024. So your October 2024 earnings wouldn't count unless you qualified for the alternate base year.

That explains why my benefit amount was so low! Most of my recent earnings weren't included.

Yes, overtime counts as regular wages for benefit calculation purposes. It's all part of your gross earnings for that quarter.

that's good to know, my overtime was a big part of my income last year

I had the same issue with their phone system. Someone mentioned Claimyr earlier - I actually tried it and it worked great. Got connected to a real person at Washington ESD within minutes instead of waiting hours.

The SAW website has a benefit calculator tool that can give you an estimate if you know your quarterly earnings

Washington ESD can combine wages from other states if you don't have enough Washington earnings to qualify. It's called an interstate claim and they'll contact the other state's unemployment agency to get your wage information.

Good to know, I worked in Oregon for part of my base year

Yes, Washington ESD adjusts the maximum weekly benefit amount annually. For 2025 it's $999 per week. You'd need to have earned at least $25,974 in your highest quarter to reach that maximum.

wow that's a pretty high threshold to hit the maximum

That math checks out if your highest quarter was around $12,090

these calculations are making my head spin but at least I have a better idea what to expect

So if my WBA is $400, I can earn up to $100 per week without any reduction?

Exactly. Anything over $100 in that example would reduce your benefit payment by the same amount.

I keep hearing about this Claimyr thing. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit. They don't ask for your personal info or anything sketchy. Just helps you get through the phone system faster. Check out their demo video if you're curious.

Good luck! Make sure you have all your employment info ready when you file.

Same here, this thread was super helpful. Way better than trying to decode the Washington ESD website.