How to calculate unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about weekly benefit amount formula

Thanks! So if my highest quarter was around $14,500, that would be about $557 per week? That seems higher than what I expected.

That sounds about right for your wages. Washington has pretty decent benefit amounts compared to other states.

You might be thinking of the minimum eligibility requirements. They look at your total base year wages to see if you qualify, but the weekly amount is based on your highest quarter divided by 26.

oh ok that makes more sense, i was confusing the two calculations

Interesting, I've never heard of that service. Is it legitimate? I'm always nervous about third-party services when it comes to government stuff.

Totally legitimate - they just help you get through the phone system, they don't handle any of your actual claim information. Worth checking out if you need to talk to an actual person at Washington ESD.

I used Claimyr too after getting frustrated with the phone system. Really does work - got connected to an ESD agent who walked me through my benefit calculation step by step.

Good to know about the minimum. With my wages I should be well above that threshold.

The minimum helps people who had part-time or lower wage jobs. Washington's unemployment system is pretty fair about making sure everyone gets something reasonable.

That's a good point. I definitely meet those requirements since I worked consistently for 2 years at good wages.

Yeah, with your work history you shouldn't have any issues qualifying. The monetary determination letter will show all the math when you file.

The monetary determination shows your base year wages by quarter and calculates both your weekly benefit amount and total potential benefits. Very helpful document to review.

Three weeks is pretty normal processing time. The monetary determination usually comes within 2-4 weeks of filing your initial claim.

ok good to know im not the only one waiting forever for paperwork from washington esd

I hadn't thought about that connection. So higher weekly benefits might mean fewer total weeks available?

Exactly. It's one of those things where the calculation works both ways - weekly amount AND total duration are both limited by your base year earnings.

Most people don't hit that total benefit cap unless they have really high wages or collect for the full 26 weeks. But it's good to understand how it works.

That's a good idea for planning purposes. I'll look for one of those calculators.

yeah i used one too and it was within like $20 of my actual weekly benefit amount

Good point about taxes. I should probably have them withheld to avoid a big tax bill later.

Definitely recommend withholding taxes. Unemployment benefits are fully taxable income.

You can change your tax withholding elections anytime through your eServices account on the Washington ESD website.

Yes, overtime pay counts as wages for benefit calculation purposes. Any wages reported to Washington ESD by your employer are included in the base year calculation.

awesome that should bump up my weekly benefit amount then

I'll check that out on their website. Thanks for the tip!

It's under the 'Before You Apply' section. Really helpful for planning your budget.

I've been trying to reach ESD for weeks about my benefit amount. Might have to try that service if the phone lines don't improve.

Seriously worth it. I wasted so much time on hold before finding them.

Right, I understand I'll need to do job searches and be available for work. Just wanted to understand the money side first.

smart to plan ahead, the job search requirements are pretty specific in washington

I only worked in Washington so that shouldn't be an issue for me.

Good, that keeps it simple. Interstate claims can get complicated with the calculations.

I understand the frustration, but the system is designed to be fair and based on your actual work history. Once you understand the basic formula it's not too bad.

I guess but they could explain it better on their website instead of using all this confusing jargon

That's good to know for timing purposes. I should probably file soon then.

Yeah, don't delay filing if you're eligible. You can't get benefits for weeks before you actually file the claim.

That's reassuring. I've heard mixed things about unemployment in general but sounds like Washington does it relatively well.

Definitely better than a lot of states. The maximum benefit amount is pretty generous.

What do you mean by waiting week? I won't get paid for the first week?

right, the first week you file is a waiting week where you meet all requirements but don't get paid. benefits start the second week

The waiting week is waived during certain economic conditions, but under normal circumstances it applies to new claims.

How long did the appeal process take? That sounds like it could delay everything.

It took about 6 weeks to get resolved, but I got back pay for the higher benefit amount once it was corrected. Worth fighting for if they make a mistake.

This is another situation where being able to actually talk to an ESD agent through Claimyr would be helpful - they can often fix wage reporting issues over the phone if you have the documentation.

Glad we could help! Good luck with your claim.

Make sure to file as soon as you're eligible. The sooner you start the process, the sooner you'll get your benefits.