How much unemployment will I get from Washington ESD - benefit amount calculation?

That's helpful but I'm not sure what my highest quarter would be. Do they look at the last four quarters or something different?

It's actually the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. So if you file now in January 2025, they look at July 2023 through June 2024.

That's more than I expected! Was that the maximum or did you have higher earnings in your base period?

i had worked some overtime during busy season so my highest quarter was probably around $8500 or so

Where do I find this benefit calculator? I've been all over the Washington ESD site and can't locate it.

It's buried in their resources section but honestly it's easier to just call and ask them to calculate it for you when you file your initial claim.

Good luck getting through on the phone though. I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status and can never get past the busy signal.

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true if Washington ESD phone lines are always jammed.

Yeah it's real. They basically keep calling until they get through and then conference you in. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.

I used Claimyr too when I needed to sort out an adjudication issue. Much better than sitting there hitting redial all day.

I don't have kids but that's good to know for others reading this thread.

wait really? i never knew about the dependent thing. my claim got approved but they never asked about my daughter

You have to specifically request it when you file. It's not automatic. You might be able to add it retroactively if you call them.

Oh I didn't think about taxes on unemployment benefits. Is that required or optional?

It's optional but highly recommended. They'll withhold 10% federal tax if you request it when you file your weekly claims.

They used to have something like that but removed it because everyone's situation is different based on their specific work history.

Everything about Washington ESD is unnecessarily complicated. took me 3 months to get my first payment because of some adjudication issue they couldn't explain clearly

Good advice. Should I contact my HR department to get this information or just use what I remember?

Get it from HR if possible. Any discrepancies between what you report and what your employer reports can cause delays in your claim.

That range sounds reasonable based on what others have shared. Definitely worth filing then.

Just remember you have to actively look for work and report your job search activities each week to keep getting benefits

26 weeks should hopefully be enough time to find something new. Thanks for all the helpful information everyone!

Good luck with your claim! The process can be frustrating but the benefits do help bridge the gap while job hunting.

I tried messaging them about my benefit amount calculation and never got a response. Phone is really the only reliable way.

That's why I ended up using Claimyr. The messaging system is hit or miss but getting an actual person on the phone gives you immediate answers.

True, no harm in applying. I'll gather my employment info and file this week.

exactly. and if you do get approved you can always supplement with part time work as long as you report the hours and earnings

I had a couple weeks off without pay last summer for a family emergency. Would that significantly impact my benefits?

It might lower your quarterly earnings for that period, but probably won't make a huge difference in your overall calculation if it was just a couple weeks.

I was laid off due to slow business so that should be straightforward. No performance issues or anything like that.

Layoffs are usually the cleanest reason for unemployment claims. You should have no issues getting approved.

Good to know about the waiting week. I'll make sure I have enough savings to cover that gap.

The waiting week applies to your first claim ever, not necessarily if you've filed for unemployment before in Washington.