How to calculate unemployment benefit amount - Washington ESD weekly payment formula?

So if I made like $14,000 in my best quarter, I'd get around $538 per week? That would actually help a lot with my mortgage payment.

Yeah that sounds about right. Just remember you still have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits unless you choose to have them withheld.

It's designed to reflect your recent earnings pattern. If you had a really good quarter followed by lower earnings, it helps maintain your standard of living during unemployment.

i guess that makes sense but still seems weird they dont look at the whole year

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. I was skeptical at first but they actually got me connected within a few hours. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost and do you have to give them your personal info?

It's pretty straightforward to use and focuses on just getting you connected to the right person at Washington ESD. Worth checking out if you're stuck like I was.

Did you check which quarters they're using for your base period? Sometimes if you have gaps in employment or seasonal work, it can affect the calculation significantly.

I worked steadily for 2 years at the same company. Maybe I should call and ask them to review it?

Definitely worth double-checking. Sometimes there are reporting errors from employers that can mess up your wage history.

Yes, overtime should be included in your total wages for each quarter. It all goes into the same calculation - they don't separate regular vs. overtime hours.

Good to know! I was worried they might cap it at 40 hours per week or something.

They combine all wages from all employers during your base period. So if you worked two part-time jobs, both would count toward your total quarterly earnings.

thats actually pretty good since i was working two jobs before i got laid off from both

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. The regular phone system is just broken - you can waste entire days trying to get through.

I feel your pain. I spent 6 hours on the phone yesterday and never got through to anyone. The system just keeps hanging up when you're next in line.

Maybe I should try that Claimyr thing you mentioned earlier. At this point I'm willing to try anything.

That's reassuring. I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything before I file my claim.

The hardest part is figuring out which quarters they're using as your base period. Once you have that, the math is simple.

Yeah I'm hoping to find something before then. 26 weeks should be enough time if I'm actively looking.

In some cases you might qualify for extended benefits but don't count on it. Better to assume 26 weeks max.

I tried that calculator last month and it gave me an error message. Ended up having to do the math myself.

Everything about their system is outdated. The whole website looks like it's from 2005.

Commission income should be treated the same as regular wages for unemployment calculation purposes. It's all reported as wages by your employer.

Perfect, that should help my benefit amount since I had some good commission months.

How long did it take them to get you connected? I'm getting desperate to talk to someone.

They got me connected within about 3 hours. Way better than the days I wasted trying to call directly.

What are the minimum amounts? I'm pretty sure I qualify but want to double-check.

I think you need at least $3,850 in your base period and your highest quarter needs to be at least 1.5 times your lowest quarter, but don't quote me on those exact numbers.

I was laid off due to lack of work, so hopefully that won't be an issue for me.

That should be fine then. Layoffs are usually pretty straightforward for unemployment eligibility.

Seriously consider using Claimyr - I was in the same boat and they got me connected to someone who could actually fix my issue.

At this point I'm willing to try anything. This whole process is so frustrating.

Yeah I've been reading about that. Looks like I need to apply for jobs and keep a log of my activities.

Exactly. And you have to register with WorkSource Washington too. Don't skip any of those steps or they'll hold up your benefits.