How much unemployment will I get from Washington ESD - need to calculate my benefit amount

Thanks! How do I figure out what my base period is? Is it just the last year I worked?

Your base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January-December 2024.

Thanks! I'll check out the calculator. Do you know if they count overtime hours differently?

Nope, all wages count the same whether regular or overtime. It's just total gross earnings in each quarter that matters.

60% sounds about right from what I've heard. Hopefully it's enough to cover rent while I look for something new.

Thanks! That helps a lot. I think my highest quarter was around $14,500 so that would put me at maybe $280 per week?

That sounds about right. You can also check your benefit amount estimate on the Washington ESD website once you start your claim.

Wow that's way more complicated than I thought! $400-600 would actually be pretty helpful though.

Wait I'm confused, I thought they used all 4 quarters not just the highest 2?

You need earnings in at least 2 quarters to qualify, but the weekly benefit calculation uses your 2 highest quarters. The other quarters matter for total benefit duration.

It's not a percentage of your regular pay - it's based on your highest quarter earnings divided by 26. The actual formula is more complicated than just 60%.

oh ok that makes sense why mine was so different than what i thought

It's approximately 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest earning quarter, but it's capped at the maximum weekly benefit amount. Your situation might have been different depending on your wage history.

I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They basically call Washington ESD for you and get you connected to an actual agent. Saved me hours of trying to get through myself. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. Does it actually work?

Yeah it worked for me. I was able to get my benefit amount question answered and resolve an issue with my weekly claim filing. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

I tried that but it's asking for specific quarterly wage amounts and I don't have my old paystubs. Is there another way to estimate it?

You can request a wage and benefit inquiry from Washington ESD to get your wage history. Or check if your employer uses a payroll service that has online access to old paystubs.

Interesting, I'll check that out if I can't get through the normal way. How long did it take you to reach someone?

Way faster than calling myself. They handle the waiting and call you back when they get through to an actual person.

Never heard of this service before but sounds useful. The hold times are ridiculous.

Oh no, I hope I worked enough hours. I was pretty consistent with 35-40 hours most weeks.

You should be fine with those hours. The work requirement is usually 680 hours in your base period or wages equal to at least 390 times the minimum wage.

Yeah I've been trying to call them too but it just rings forever or gives me a busy signal. How did you finally get through?

I actually found this service called Claimyr that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to get through myself.

I tried that calculator but kept getting error messages. Maybe I was entering something wrong?

The calculator can be glitchy sometimes. Make sure you're using wages before taxes and entering them for the correct quarters.

seriously its so frustrating, like just give me a straight answer

I get the frustration but the formula is actually designed to be fair - it's based on what you actually earned and contributed to the system.

Oh I didn't know that! Should I have them take taxes out automatically?

It's usually easier to have them take out 10% for federal taxes so you don't get hit with a big bill later. Washington doesn't have state income tax so you don't need to worry about that.

How many jobs do I need to apply for each week?

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log of your activities. The Washington ESD website has details about what counts as a valid job search activity.

That shouldn't happen - the calculation is automated based on your wage records. If you got different amounts, one of the agents probably made an error or was looking at different information.

Well it did happen so obviously their system isn't as foolproof as you think. I had to file an appeal to get the right amount.

That's a good amount! Make sure you have all your employer information ready when you file - names, addresses, dates of employment, reason for separation.

Glad the calculator worked out well for you! If you run into any issues during the filing process, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier can help with those questions too.

What's adjudication? Should I be worried about that happening to me?

It's when they need to verify information about your claim before approving it. Usually happens if there are questions about why you lost your job or your work history. Most claims go through fine though.

Wow that's way more complicated than I thought. What if I worked multiple jobs during that time?

All your covered wages from all employers get combined for the calculation. Washington ESD gets wage reports from all employers in the state so they should have everything automatically.

unless your employer didn't report properly or you worked out of state. then it gets messy

It depends on when you file your claim. They use a specific base period - usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters. So if you file now in 2025, they'd typically look at Q1 2024 through Q4 2024.

ok that might actually help me then since I made more earlier in 2024

Usually you get your monetary determination letter within 1-2 weeks of filing your initial claim. If it's been longer than that, you might want to check if your claim is stuck in adjudication.

How do I check that? My online account just says 'claim under review' but doesn't give any other details.

That sounds about right for what I was making. I had some overtime during busy seasons so maybe my highest quarter was a bit more.

dont forget you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits too so budget for that

Good point about the weekly claims. I know you have to certify that you're looking for work and available to work.

Yeah and they're pretty strict about the job search log. You need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and document everything.

The calculator is only as accurate as the information you put in. If you estimated your wages instead of using exact amounts, that could explain the difference.

I used my exact W-2 amounts so don't tell me it was my fault. Their system is just broken.

same thing happened to me, estimated $380 but got $310. something's definitely off with that calculator

I feel your pain. Have you tried reaching out to your local WorkSource office? Sometimes they can help escalate issues.

I've tried everything. The system is designed to deny people benefits and make it as hard as possible.

I was laid off due to slow business so I should be okay on that front.

Perfect, that's exactly what unemployment is for. Just make sure you have documentation of the layoff.

Good point, I'll try to find my old paystubs. Most of them are probably digital through my company's payroll portal.

Also keep in mind that if you worked in another state during your base period, you might need to file a combined wage claim to get credit for all your earnings.

yeah the max is $999 now but you gotta be making good money to get that much

I lost my job on Friday, should I file this weekend or wait until Monday?

File as soon as you can. The online system is available 24/7 and you want to get your claim in right away.

Oh shoot I didn't think about taxes. Can you have them automatically withhold it?

Yes when you file your weekly claims there's an option to have 10% withheld for federal taxes. I'd recommend it.

Washington doesn't have state income tax so you only need to worry about federal withholding.

How much does that service cost? I'm already tight on money from being unemployed.

I thought it was reasonable for the time it saved me, but you can check their website for current pricing. The main thing is it actually gets you connected to a real person at Washington ESD instead of sitting on hold forever.

That's good to know! I might need to use that if I have questions after I file.

20 minutes vs 3 hours on hold sounds amazing. Definitely bookmarking that site.

Ha! Good thing you mentioned that. I was thinking weekly but it's easy to get confused.

I'll check that out too. Better to understand the system than be surprised later.

That's another thing I hadn't considered. Hopefully I can find a new job before running into that limit.

With your work history you should be fine for the full 26 weeks if needed. But yeah, better to find work sooner rather than later.

Good reminder! I was thinking about maybe doing some gig work while job searching.

you can still do that just report it honestly and they'll adjust your benefit amount for that week

Thanks for the timeline! I was wondering how long it would take to see money.

Yeah 2 weeks is pretty typical if there are no issues with your claim. Some people get it faster, some take longer if they need adjudication.

I definitely plan to take the job search seriously. Need to find something new anyway!

That's the right attitude. The requirements are there for a reason and they do check up on people.

Yes, bonuses are included in your covered wages as long as your employer reported them properly and paid unemployment taxes on them.

Great! That should definitely help my weekly benefit amount then.

Yeah I'm already starting to look for jobs even though my claim isn't approved yet. Better to get a head start on the job search requirements.

Smart move. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week so it's good to start tracking that right away.

The maximum gets adjusted annually based on the state's average weekly wage. I believe it did increase slightly for 2025 but you'd need to check the current Washington ESD rate tables for the exact amount.

I saw somewhere it went up to like $1,015 or something but don't quote me on that

That's really helpful to know! Did you have any trouble with the adjudication process or did it go smoothly?

It was mostly just waiting. They had to verify with my employer that I was laid off and not fired for misconduct. Took forever but eventually got approved with no issues.

Good to know. I wasn't planning on working part-time but it's good to understand the rules in case something comes up.

I think you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount before they start reducing it, but definitely double check that with Washington ESD

Yeah I'm starting to think that might be the best approach. I've been overthinking this whole thing.

Exactly! Just file your claim with accurate information and let Washington ESD do the calculation. You can always appeal if you think they got something wrong.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much more prepared to file my claim now.

Good luck with your claim! Hope everything goes smoothly for you.

How much does that cost though? I'm already struggling financially.

It's not expensive and honestly saves you so much time and stress. Check out their website at claimyr.com to see the pricing.

I worked at the same company for 3 years, so I should be okay right?

Yeah, 3 years is definitely long enough. You need wages in at least 2 quarters during your base period to qualify for benefits.

What day of the week do I need to file?

You can file starting Sunday for the previous week. I always do mine on Sunday morning so I don't forget.

I wish I was making enough to get the maximum! I'm only getting $180 per week which barely covers my rent.

Yeah the amounts really vary. At least it's something to help while you're looking for work.

That's about 6 months right? Hopefully I'll find something before then.

Yeah exactly. And if you find part-time work you might still be able to get partial benefits depending on how much you earn.

I'm skeptical about paying for something like that but if it actually works maybe it's worth it.

I was skeptical too but I was desperate to get answers. It definitely worked and saved me a lot of hassle.

I think I have most of them but I'm missing a few. Will that be a problem?

They can usually get wage information from your employers directly, but having your own records helps speed things up.

Thanks everyone for all the help. I feel a lot better about filing my claim now.

Good luck with your claim! Feel free to ask if you have any other questions.