How much would my unemployment be from Washington ESD?
I'm trying to figure out how much my weekly unemployment benefit would be if I have to file a claim with Washington ESD. I made about $52,000 last year working full time at a tech company here in Seattle. I know they calculate it based on your earnings but I can't find a clear breakdown of exactly how Washington ESD determines the weekly benefit amount. Does anyone know the formula they use or have experience with similar income levels?
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Ev Luca
Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base year to calculate benefits. For $52k annually, you're probably looking at around $750-850 per week before taxes, but it depends on how your earnings were distributed across quarters.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•That's way higher than I expected! Is there a maximum weekly benefit amount in Washington?
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Ev Luca
•Yes, the maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $999. Your benefit is 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings, so if you made $13k+ in your best quarter, you'd hit the max.
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Avery Davis
i think its like 60% of your average wage or something like that but im not sure
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Collins Angel
•It's actually not based on a percentage of your total wages. Washington ESD uses a specific formula based on your highest earning quarter from your base year period.
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Avery Davis
•oh ok thanks for the correction
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Marcelle Drum
I had similar income last year and I'm getting $847 per week. But honestly the hardest part wasn't figuring out the amount - it was actually getting through to Washington ESD to file my claim. I spent weeks trying to call them during their peak hours and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Thanks for the benefit info! How long did it take for your claim to get approved once you filed?
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Marcelle Drum
•About 2 weeks for initial approval, but then I had to deal with adjudication for a job separation issue that took another 3 weeks.
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Tate Jensen
•Never heard of Claimyr before but the phone situation with Washington ESD is definitely a nightmare. Might have to check that out if I need to file.
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Collins Angel
The exact calculation is: (Highest quarter earnings ÷ 4) × 0.0385 = Weekly benefit amount. So if your highest quarter was $15,000, that would be $15,000 ÷ 4 = $3,750 × 0.0385 = $144.38 per week. Wait, that doesn't seem right for your income level...
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Ev Luca
•You're using the old formula. The current formula is just highest quarter × 0.0385 directly. So $15,000 × 0.0385 = $577.50 per week.
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Collins Angel
•Ah you're absolutely right, thanks for the correction. I was thinking of a different state's formula.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
This is really helpful everyone! One more question - do they count bonuses and overtime in the quarterly earnings calculation?
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Ev Luca
•Yes, all wages reported on your W-2 count, including bonuses, overtime, commissions, etc. As long as your employer reported it to Washington ESD.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Perfect, I had a decent bonus last Q4 so that should help bump up my benefit amount.
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Adaline Wong
Just be prepared for the whole process to take forever. I filed 6 weeks ago and still haven't received my first payment due to some adjudication issue they won't explain over the phone.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•6 weeks?! That's insane. Have you been able to talk to anyone at Washington ESD about what's causing the delay?
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Adaline Wong
•Nope, I call every day and either get hung up on or told they can't provide specific information about my claim status.
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Marcelle Drum
•This is exactly why I used Claimyr - they actually got me through to someone who could explain my adjudication delay. Worth every penny just for the peace of mind.
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Gabriel Ruiz
THE WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS BROKEN!! I've been waiting 2 months for my claim to process and they keep asking for the same documents over and over again. Meanwhile I'm about to lose my apartment because I can't pay rent!
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•I feel your pain. The whole system is overwhelmed and understaffed. Have you tried contacting your state representative's office? Sometimes they can help escalate cases.
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Gabriel Ruiz
•I didn't know that was an option. I'll try anything at this point.
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Peyton Clarke
For what it's worth, there's also an online benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website, but it's pretty basic and doesn't account for all the variables. Still might give you a rough estimate though.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•I tried that calculator but it seemed off. The estimates people are giving here seem more accurate based on real experience.
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Avery Davis
wait so if i made like 35k last year what would my weekly benefit be approximately?
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Ev Luca
•Depends on your quarterly distribution, but probably somewhere in the $400-500 range per week if your earnings were fairly consistent.
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Avery Davis
•not bad, better than i thought
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Vince Eh
Something else to keep in mind - your benefit amount also depends on your base year period. Washington ESD looks at the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. So timing can affect which quarters they use for calculation.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•That's a good point. My income was lower in early 2024 so I should probably wait until my higher earning quarters from later in the year are included.
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Vince Eh
•Exactly! If you can afford to wait, it might be worth it to maximize your benefit calculation.
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Sophia Gabriel
Don't forget you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits too. They don't automatically withhold federal taxes unless you request it.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Good reminder! Do you know what the tax rate typically is on unemployment benefits?
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Sophia Gabriel
•It's taxed as regular income, so whatever your normal tax bracket is. You can have 10% federal withheld automatically when you file your weekly claims.
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Tobias Lancaster
I'm a former Washington ESD employee and I can confirm the calculation is correct - highest quarter × 3.85%. The system automatically calculates it when you file your initial claim. Just make sure all your employers properly reported your wages or it could affect your benefit amount.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Thanks for the insider info! How can I check if my employers reported wages correctly?
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Tobias Lancaster
•You can request a wage transcript from Washington ESD, but honestly it's easier to just compare your quarterly earnings in your claim against your pay stubs.
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Ezra Beard
I was in a similar situation last year - tech worker with comparable income. Ended up getting $823/week. The key thing is they use your actual reported wages, not your salary, so if you had unpaid time off or started mid-year, that affects the calculation.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•That's really helpful context. I did start my current job in March so my Q1 earnings were probably lower.
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Statiia Aarssizan
Just went through this process myself. Once you know your potential benefit amount, make sure you understand the job search requirements too. You need to do 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Are those job search requirements waived if you're on standby with your employer?
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Statiia Aarssizan
•Yes, if you're on approved standby status you don't need to do job searches. But you still need to file your weekly claims.
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Reginald Blackwell
One thing nobody mentioned - there's also a waiting week in Washington. Your first week of unemployment isn't paid, it's considered a waiting period.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Wait, so even if I'm approved immediately, I won't get paid for the first week?
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Reginald Blackwell
•Exactly. It's like a deductible. You file for that first week but don't get paid for it unless you have a qualifying reason.
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Aria Khan
I tried using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked! Got through to Washington ESD in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. Was skeptical at first but definitely worth it when you need to talk to someone about your claim.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Good to know it works! I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues when I file.
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Adaline Wong
•Maybe I should try that too. I'm getting desperate trying to reach someone about my adjudication.
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Everett Tutum
also remember that if you do any part time work while collecting unemployment you have to report it and it reduces your weekly benefit amount
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•How much part-time work can you do before it affects your benefits?
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Everett Tutum
•they have a formula for that too but basically any earnings over like $100 start reducing your weekly benefit dollar for dollar
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Sunny Wang
The benefit amount calculation is just the start. The real challenge is navigating all the requirements and keeping up with the weekly claims. Make sure you understand the system before you need it!
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Thanks for all the advice everyone! This thread has been super helpful for understanding what to expect.
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Hugh Intensity
Bottom line: $52k income will probably get you around $750-850/week depending on how your earnings were distributed. Just be prepared for the bureaucracy and potential delays in the system.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Perfect summary! I feel much more prepared now if I need to file a claim.
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