How to determine how much unemployment you will receive in Washington ESD

So if my highest quarter was $15,000, that would be about $288 per week? That seems lower than I expected.

Yeah that sounds about right. The formula is (highest quarter wages ÷ 26) × 0.50. So $15k ÷ 26 = $577, then 50% of that is $288.50 weekly.

Have you tried using Claimyr? It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. I found it at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Never heard of that before but I'll check it out. Getting through to ESD is seriously the worst part of this whole process.

I definitely worked way more than 680 hours so that shouldn't be an issue. Good to know about the earnings requirement too.

Wait, is it 680 hours AND the $3,800 or just one of them? I'm confused about the requirements.

It's OR not AND. You need to meet either the hours requirement (680 hours) OR the earnings requirement ($3,800 in highest quarter). Most people qualify through the hours since it's usually easier to hit.

How do they calculate the total number of weeks? I want to know how long my benefits might last.

They add up all your wages from the 4 quarters in your base period, then divide by 3. That's your total benefit amount. Then divide that by your weekly benefit to get the number of weeks, up to a maximum of 26 weeks.

Adjudication delays are really common right now. If you need to check on your claim status, you might want to try calling. I know someone mentioned Claimyr earlier - that might help you get through faster than trying to call on your own.

Yeah I might have to try that service. I've called like 50 times and either get busy signals or get disconnected after waiting on hold.

Washington ESD used to have a benefit calculator on their website but I think it's been down for maintenance. Your best bet is to do the math yourself using the formula people mentioned above.

The calculator was never very accurate anyway. I remember it giving me a way different amount than what I actually got approved for.

Really? I hadn't thought about that connection. How does the benefit amount relate to job search requirements?

It's not a hard rule, but generally if you were making good money before (and thus getting higher UI benefits), you have more leeway to look for jobs in your field rather than having to take any minimum wage job immediately.

If you file in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. It's the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim.

Oh okay that makes more sense. So they're not looking at your most recent work necessarily.

Good point. Can you have taxes withheld automatically or do you have to pay quarterly?

You can choose to have 10% federal tax withheld when you certify your weekly claims. It's optional but probably a good idea if you don't want a big tax bill later.

Totally agree. The lack of transparency is frustrating. That's why I ended up having to call them directly, which was a nightmare until I found that Claimyr service someone mentioned.

At least Washington is better than some states. I have friends in other places who had even worse experiences with their unemployment systems.

Yes, all wages count including overtime, bonuses, commissions, etc. As long as it was reported on your W-2, it should be included in the calculation.

That's good news for me then. I had a lot of overtime in my highest earning quarter.

You're right. If you don't qualify using the standard base period, they can use an alternate base period which looks at the most recent 4 completed quarters instead of going back further.

That's helpful to know. I've been working steadily so the standard base period should work fine for me.

How much can you earn before it affects your benefits? I might need to do some freelance work while I'm looking for a full-time job.

I think you can earn up to about $200 per week without any reduction, then they start reducing your benefit dollar for dollar after that. But you should double-check the current amounts.

Thanks for all the info everyone. I think I have enough information now to estimate my benefits and decide whether to file.

Good luck with your claim! And remember, if you need to contact Washington ESD for any reason, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier can really help you get through to an actual person instead of spending hours on hold.