How much will my Washington ESD unemployment check be - need help calculating weekly benefit amount

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base period to calculate your weekly benefit amount. Generally it's about 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings. So if you made $13,000 in your best quarter, your weekly benefit would be around $500. But there's also a maximum weekly benefit amount that changes each year - I think it's around $999 for 2025.

Thanks! How do I know which quarter was my highest? Is that something I can see on my Washington ESD account?

Yes, once your claim is processed you should be able to see your wage history in your online account. It shows all four quarters of your base period and which one they used for the calculation.

Don't forget about taxes! Washington doesn't tax unemployment benefits at the state level but federal taxes still apply. You can choose to have 10% withheld or pay quarterly estimated taxes later.

Oh wow I didn't even think about taxes. Should I have them withhold it automatically?

I'd recommend having them withhold it unless you're good about saving for taxes. Last thing you want is a surprise tax bill next year.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for two weeks to ask the same question about my benefit calculation but their phone lines are always busy. The online chat is useless and they never respond to messages through SecureAccess Washington. This is so frustrating when you just need basic information about your claim!

Have you tried calling right when they open at 8am? I heard that's the best time to get through.

I've tried that multiple times and still can't get through. The system just says high call volume and hangs up on me.

I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. I watched their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and decided to try it. They actually got me connected to someone within a few hours and I was able to get my benefit amount confirmed. Check out claimyr.com if you're tired of the busy signals.

The Washington ESD benefit calculator is broken half the time anyway. I tried using it when I filed and it kept giving me error messages. Ended up just waiting for my monetary determination letter to see what my actual weekly benefit amount would be.

How long did it take to get your monetary determination letter?

About 10 days after I filed my initial claim. Came through regular mail, not email.

Just to clarify the calculation - Washington ESD looks at the four quarters before the quarter you filed in. So if you filed in January 2025, they'd look at wages from January 2024 through September 2024. They take your highest earning quarter from that period and multiply by 0.0385 to get your weekly benefit amount.

What if someone worked multiple jobs during that time? Do they combine all the wages?

Yes, they combine all W-2 wages from all employers during your base period. Self-employment income doesn't count unless you paid into the unemployment system as a business owner.

This is really helpful everyone. I'm starting to understand the process better. One more question - do they ever make mistakes on the benefit calculation? What if I think they got my wages wrong?

Yes, mistakes happen. If you disagree with your monetary determination you have 30 days to request a redetermination. Make sure you have your pay stubs and tax documents ready to prove your wages.

I had to do this last year. Washington ESD missed wages from one of my employers and my benefit amount was way too low. Took about 3 weeks to get it corrected but they did backpay me the difference.

Here's something important - your benefit amount can also be affected by other income. If you do any part-time work while collecting unemployment, Washington ESD will reduce your weekly benefit based on how much you earn. They have a formula for that too but it's complicated.

What counts as other income? Like if I sell some stuff on eBay while I'm unemployed?

Casual sales probably don't count but if you're running a regular business selling on eBay that could be self-employment income. Best to report it and let Washington ESD decide.

The whole system is so confusing. I wish Washington ESD would just tell you upfront what your benefit will be instead of making you wait for all these letters and calculations. Other states seem to handle this better.

Agreed. The uncertainty makes it hard to plan your budget when you're already stressed about being unemployed.

At least Washington has decent benefit amounts compared to some states. Could be worse I guess.

Update - I finally got through to Washington ESD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. The agent explained my benefit calculation and it matched what people were saying here about the 3.85% formula. Definitely worth trying if you can't get through the regular way.

How much did that service cost? I'm hesitant to pay just to talk to someone.

It was worth it for me since I'd been trying for weeks. Much less stressful than constantly redialing and getting hung up on.

For anyone still confused about the calculation, Washington ESD also considers your total base period wages to make sure you meet the minimum requirements. You need at least $4,500 in total wages during your base period to qualify for benefits.

Good to know. I definitely made more than that so I should be fine on that requirement.

There's also a requirement about wages in multiple quarters but I can't remember the exact details.

Pro tip: keep all your pay stubs and tax documents while you're collecting unemployment. Washington ESD can audit your claim later and you'll need proof of your wages if they have questions.

How often do they audit claims? Should I be worried about that?

It's not super common but it happens. As long as you reported everything accurately you have nothing to worry about.

I got my monetary determination letter yesterday and my weekly benefit amount was exactly what the 3.85% calculation predicted. So the formula people are sharing here is accurate. Now I just need to start filing my weekly claims and looking for work.

That's reassuring to hear! Hopefully mine comes through soon.

Don't forget about the job search requirements. You need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log.

The waiting is the worst part. I filed three weeks ago and still haven't gotten my determination letter. My claim status just says 'processing' with no other information.

That seems long. You might want to try calling to see if there are any issues with your claim that need to be resolved.

If you can't get through by phone, Claimyr worked great for me to check on claim status issues. Worth a try if you're stuck.

One thing to remember is that your first payment might be delayed if you have a waiting week. Washington ESD makes you serve one unpaid waiting week before you start receiving benefits.

So even after I get approved I won't get paid right away?

You'll get paid for the second week you claim if everything goes smoothly. The first week is just a waiting period with no payment.

Make sure you file your weekly claims on time even while you're waiting for your benefit amount to be determined. You can't go back and claim weeks you missed.

Good point. I've been filing them but wasn't sure if I should continue while waiting for the determination.

Definitely keep filing. It's much easier to maintain the routine than try to catch up later.

The maximum weekly benefit in Washington is pretty good compared to other states. Even if you were making good money, you'll probably get a decent unemployment check to help with expenses.

That's encouraging. I'm hoping it will be enough to cover my basic bills while I job search.

Just remember it's temporary. The goal is to get back to work as soon as possible, not rely on unemployment long-term.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information about Washington ESD benefit calculations. This thread has been way more useful than the official website for understanding how it all works!

Agreed! I feel much more prepared now for when my determination letter arrives.

Glad we could help. Good luck with your job search!