How much you get unemployment - Washington ESD weekly benefit amounts explained

So it's based on my highest quarter, not my total annual income? That makes more sense. Do you know which quarters they look at?

Yes, they use your base period which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you filed in January 2025, they'd look at quarters from January 2024 through September 2024.

That range sounds about right for what I was hoping. Did you have any trouble getting through to Washington ESD to confirm your amount?

Oh yeah, calling Washington ESD is basically impossible. I must have tried 50 times before giving up and just waiting for my determination letter.

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach Washington ESD normally.

I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Way better than sitting there hitting redial for hours.

Might have to try that if I need to talk to someone about my benefit amount calculation.

Wait I thought it was just your highest quarter divided by 26? That's what someone told me at WorkSource.

No, that's an old calculation method. Washington ESD updated their formula several years ago to use the two highest quarters averaged together.

This is why the system is so confusing! Even the WorkSource people don't know the current rules.

That's really helpful to know! Did it take long for Washington ESD to process your initial claim and send the determination?

About 3 weeks for me, but I didn't have any complications. Some people wait longer if there are issues with their work history or eligibility.

Oh right, I forgot about that. Can you have taxes withheld automatically or do you have to pay quarterly?

You can choose to have 10% federal tax withheld when you file your weekly claims. Washington state doesn't have income tax so you don't worry about state withholding.

So there's a cap on total benefits too? I didn't realize that. Is the 26 weeks pretty standard?

Yes, 26 weeks is the standard maximum unless there are extended benefits available, which is rare. And the total amount cap means if you had lower base period wages, you might exhaust your benefits before hitting the 26 week limit.

This happened to me! I only qualified for 18 weeks of benefits because my base period wages weren't high enough.

Yes! I used it twice now and both times got through within 15-20 minutes. Definitely worth trying if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD.

Thanks, I'm going to check out that video demo and give it a shot. This is ridiculous that we need a third party service just to reach our own state agency.

How do I request a wage transcript? Is that something I need to call for or can I do it online?

You can request it through your Washington ESD online account or by calling. The online method is usually faster if the system is working properly.

The waiting is the worst part! I remember checking my account multiple times a day waiting for that determination letter.

exactly! and you cant get through on the phone to ask about status so you just have to wait and hope

Good point. I might pick up some part-time work while job searching. Is there a minimum amount of earnings that affects benefits or is it any amount?

Any amount of earnings gets deducted from your weekly benefit. But you can still work part-time and collect partial benefits as long as you're actively seeking full-time work.

And don't forget you still have to do your job search activities even if you're working part-time. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week.

Yeah the base period thing trips up a lot of people. You might qualify for alternate base period if your recent earnings were significantly higher.

I tried that but Washington ESD said I didn't meet the requirements. Still stuck with the lower benefit amount.

What kind of income level do you need to hit that maximum? I'm guessing way more than my $52k.

You'd need total base period wages of around $65,000 or more to qualify for the maximum weekly benefit amount.

That's exactly what I need! My determination letter doesn't break down the calculation clearly enough.

The agent was really helpful explaining the formula step by step. Made much more sense after talking to someone who actually understood the system.

Good reminder. I should look into what other assistance might be available while I'm job searching.