How much unemployment will I get in Washington - need to calculate my weekly benefit amount

Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount using your highest earning quarter from your base year. They take your total wages from that quarter and divide by 26. The maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $999 per week. You'll also need to meet the minimum earnings requirements.

i think its more complicated than that, they look at multiple quarters not just your highest one. also theres a minimum you have to earn in your base year or you dont qualify at all

The Washington ESD website has all this information but honestly it's confusing as hell. I spent hours trying to figure out my benefit amount when I got laid off last year. If you're having trouble getting through to them by phone to ask questions, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me reach an agent quickly. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me from sitting on hold for hours.

Your weekly benefit amount is calculated using the quarter method mentioned above, but there are some additional factors. Washington state also looks at your total base year earnings to determine duration. You can receive benefits for up to 26 weeks in most cases. The exact formula is: take your highest quarter wages, divide by 26, but it can't exceed 63% of the state average weekly wage.

DONT COUNT ON GETTING THE FULL AMOUNT!!! They find every excuse to reduce your benefits or deny your claim entirely. I was supposed to get $650 a week but they said I quit voluntarily even though I was clearly laid off. Fighting with Washington ESD for months now.

Just to clarify the calculation since there's some confusion here - Washington ESD looks at all four quarters in your base year, not just the highest one. They use your highest quarter to calculate the weekly amount (quarter total ÷ 26) but you need minimum earnings spread across the base year to qualify at all.

Also keep in mind that your benefit year starts when you file your initial claim, not when you lost your job. So don't delay filing if you're eligible. The sooner you apply, the sooner your benefits can start.

One thing nobody mentioned yet - your benefit amount might be different if you worked in multiple states or if you were in the military. Washington has interstate agreements that can affect your calculation.

The calculation seems straightforward but Washington ESD's system is so outdated. When I filed last year it took them 3 weeks just to process my initial claim and another 2 weeks to get my first payment. Plan for delays.

For what it's worth, when I had questions about my benefit calculation, I used that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier and was able to speak with an Washington ESD agent the same day. They walked me through exactly how my amount was calculated and explained why it was lower than I expected. Much better than trying to guess from the website.

just a heads up - your first payment might be less than your calculated weekly amount because of the waiting week. washington doesnt have a waiting week anymore but some people still get confused about this

Don't forget about taxes! Your unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them when you file your return next year.

The benefit calculator on Washington ESD's website never worked for me either. Always gave me error messages or crashed halfway through. Super frustrating when you're trying to plan your budget.

Remember you'll need to file weekly claims to actually receive your benefits. It's not automatic once you're approved. You have to certify every week that you're still unemployed and looking for work.

Based on your $58k salary, you're probably looking at somewhere between $500-600 per week depending on how your earnings were distributed throughout the year. That's just a rough estimate though.

Make sure you have all your employment info ready when you file - employer names, addresses, dates of employment, reason for separation. Washington ESD will verify everything with your employers.

The whole system is a mess honestly. I've been waiting 5 weeks for my adjudication to complete because they can't verify my identity or something. Meanwhile bills keep coming.

If you're really worried about the amount, you can always try to get a part-time job while collecting benefits. Washington allows you to work and still receive partial unemployment as long as you report your earnings.

Bottom line - file your claim ASAP and don't stress too much about the exact amount until you get your determination letter. Washington ESD will calculate it for you and send you a detailed breakdown.