How much unemployment will I get if I make $1,500 a week - Washington ESD calculation help

Thanks! I've been making this amount for about 8 months now. So even though I make $1,500/week I'd only get $844 max?

Right, Washington caps it at $844/week regardless of how much you earned. The formula is roughly your highest quarter divided by 26, but there's a maximum.

I tried but I keep getting confused about which quarters to use and what counts as wages.

This is really helpful! So if my highest quarter was like $19,500 (13 weeks × $1,500), that would be $19,500 ÷ 26 = $750 per week?

Exactly! In your case you'd get $750/week since that's under the $844 maximum. You'd also be eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits if you meet all other requirements.

Never heard of Claimyr before. Did it actually work for getting through to someone at Washington ESD?

Yeah, it was pretty straightforward. They handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.

Same here! I spent my entire lunch break trying to get through just to ask one simple question about my weekly claim.

its so frustrating especially when you just need a quick answer about something important like benefit amounts

Good point. At $1,500/week for 8 months I should definitely meet those requirements.

Also remember you'll have job search requirements once you start collecting. Need to make 3 job contacts per week and register with WorkSource.

Yes, overtime counts as wages for the benefit calculation. Washington ESD looks at all reported wages from covered employment.

Thanks! That's good to know since a decent chunk of my pay comes from OT.

How strict are they? What happens if you're late?

you can lose that weeks benefits if youre more than a week late filing. they might let you backdate but its a hassle

You can choose to have federal taxes withheld at 10%, but Washington state doesn't tax unemployment benefits since we don't have state income tax.

That's actually really helpful to know. Thanks!

What was the adjudication about? I keep hearing horror stories about people getting stuck in adjudication for months.

Something about my separation reason even though I was clearly laid off. Took forever to get someone on the phone to explain it.

How do you check if wages are being reported correctly?

You can request a wage and benefit inquiry through your eServices account to see what Washington ESD has on file.

How much does something like that cost? Seems like it might be worth it to avoid the phone hassle.

It's pretty reasonable for what you get. Way less stressful than spending hours trying to get through on your own.

Good point. I wasn't planning to work part-time but it's good to know how that affects things.

Right, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start reducing your payment. So if you get $750/week, you could earn up to $745 without any reduction.

Don't be embarrassed! I had no idea how any of this worked either. That's why I asked.

We all had to learn this stuff at some point. The unemployment system is confusing even for people who work with it regularly.

That's really practical advice. What kind of records are most important?

Job search log with company names, positions, dates, and how you applied. Also keep screenshots of your weekly claim submissions and any correspondence from Washington ESD.

The maximum for 2025 is $844. It does get adjusted annually, but that's the current amount.

Thanks for clarifying. I was thinking of last year's numbers.

This is confusing. Why don't they just use your most recent wages?

It's because employers need time to report wages to the state. There's usually a lag of a few months before wages show up in the system.

Good to know! I wasn't sure about timing.

Yep, the sooner you apply the better. Benefits are effective from the Sunday of the week you file your initial claim.

That does sound a lot better than what everyone else is describing with the phone system.

Same experience here. I was on the fence about paying for something like that, but the time savings alone made it worthwhile.

Agreed! Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain all this stuff.

Happy to help! The unemployment system can be overwhelming, but once you understand the basics it makes more sense.

Yeah, unfortunately Washington caps everyone at $844 regardless of how much you were making. The drop is pretty significant when you're used to higher wages. As for bridging the gap, there aren't really other state programs specifically for that. Some people look into short-term disability if they have it, or use savings/emergency funds. The main thing is to apply right away if you do get laid off since there's no waiting period in Washington. You might also want to check if your employer offers any severance package that could help with the transition.