How to calculate how much unemployment you will get from Washington ESD

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base year to calculate your weekly benefit amount. Your base year is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file now in 2025, they'd look at Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. They take your highest quarter earnings and divide by 26 to get your weekly benefit amount.

That makes sense! So if my highest quarter was like $16,000, I'd get around $615 per week?

Exactly! But there's also a maximum weekly benefit amount - I think it's around $999 for 2025. So even if your calculation comes out higher, you'd be capped at that max.

just filed mine last week and was confused about the same thing. my benefit amount was way lower than i expected because my highest quarter wasn't what i thought it was

Did they send you a breakdown showing which quarter they used? I'm worried mine might be lower too.

yeah in the determination letter it shows all your quarterly wages and highlights which one they used for the calculation

Don't forget you also need to meet the monetary eligibility requirements. You need at least $7,000 in your base year and your high quarter needs to be at least 1.5 times your total wages in the other three quarters. If you don't meet those, you might not qualify at all.

Oh wow I didn't know about that 1.5 times requirement. How do I check if I meet that?

Add up your wages from quarters 2, 3, and 4. Then multiply that by 1.5. If your highest quarter is equal to or greater than that number, you're good.

This is so confusing! Why can't they just make it simple like a percentage of your salary or something

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about my benefit calculation but their phone lines are constantly busy. Has anyone found a good time to call? I keep getting the busy signal.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents automatically. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit - they basically call for you and get you connected to an actual agent. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

The calculation seems straightforward but Washington ESD's website is so confusing about which quarters they actually use. I thought it was the most recent 4 quarters but apparently it's not?

Right, it's not the most recent 4 quarters. It's the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters. So there's usually a lag quarter that doesn't count.

That's ridiculous! So if I had a really good quarter recently it might not even count?

Exactly. That's why some people use the alternate base year if their recent earnings were higher. You can request that when you file.

wait so the weekly amount is just your highest quarter divided by 26? that seems too simple

That's the basic formula, yes. But you're right it can get more complicated with things like partial benefits if you're working part-time.

ok good because i was worried i was missing something important

I'm so stressed about this whole process. What if I calculate it wrong and file incorrectly? Will they deny my claim?

You don't have to calculate it yourself when you file. Washington ESD does the calculation automatically based on your wage records from employers. You just need to provide accurate employment information.

Oh thank god! I thought I had to figure out all the math myself.

Same here! I was getting overwhelmed trying to track down all my pay stubs.

just a heads up - if you worked for multiple employers during your base year, they'll add up wages from all of them for each quarter. so make sure you remember all your jobs

Good point! I had a part-time job for a few months last year that I almost forgot about.

The maximum weekly benefit changes every year based on the state's average wage. For 2025 I think it's $999 per week but you should double check that on the Washington ESD website.

Is there a minimum weekly amount too?

Yes, the minimum is around $295 per week I believe. If your calculation comes out lower than that, you'd get the minimum.

DON'T TRUST THE ONLINE CALCULATORS! I used one of those unofficial calculators and it was way off from what Washington ESD actually gave me. Stick to the official info.

Which calculators did you try? I was thinking about using one to get an estimate.

Some random website that came up in Google. It didn't account for the alternate base year option and gave me a number that was like $200 off.

If you're still confused about the calculation you can always call Washington ESD and ask them to walk you through it. I know their phone lines are busy but it's worth it for peace of mind.

That's what I've been trying to do but can't get through! Maybe I'll try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier.

Yeah I've heard good things about services like that. Sometimes you need help just to reach an actual person.

Pro tip: your benefit amount also affects how long you can collect. Higher earners sometimes get fewer weeks than people with lower benefits. It's all based on your total base year wages.

Wait really? I thought everyone got the same number of weeks.

Nope, it varies from 12 to 30 weeks depending on your total base year earnings. More wages usually means more weeks available.

The maximum is actually 26 weeks for regular unemployment benefits in Washington state, not 30.

i just went through this whole process and honestly the hardest part was getting my employment dates right. make sure you have exact start and end dates for all your jobs

Good advice! I should probably gather all that info before I file.

One thing to remember is that your benefit amount is taxable income. So that $615 per week isn't what you'll actually take home if you choose to have taxes withheld.

Ugh I didn't think about taxes! Can you have them withhold federal taxes automatically?

Yes, you can elect to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your claim. Saves you from a big tax bill later.

For anyone still struggling to reach Washington ESD about benefit calculations, I really recommend trying Claimyr. It's saved me so much time and frustration. Much easier than trying to call during their limited hours.

How much does something like that cost though?

Worth every penny when you consider how much time you save not sitting on hold. Plus they actually get you to a real person who can answer your questions.

If your recent earnings were significantly higher than your base year, definitely ask about using the alternate base year when you file. It could increase your weekly benefit amount substantially.

How do you request the alternate base year? Is it just a checkbox when filing online?

I think you have to specifically request it, either when filing or by calling after. It's not automatic unfortunately.

the whole system is so confusing but at least once you get approved the weekly claims are pretty straightforward. just answer the same questions every week about job search and any work you did

Speaking of job search, do you have to do a certain number of job searches per week?

yeah i think it's 3 job search activities per week unless you're in a training program or on standby with your employer

Just remember that this is all just an estimate until Washington ESD actually processes your claim and sends you the official determination letter. That's when you'll know for sure what your weekly benefit amount is.

Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. I feel much more confident about filing my claim now.

Good luck with your claim! Don't hesitate to ask if you run into any issues during the process.