How to determine unemployment amount - Washington ESD weekly benefit calculation?

So they don't look at all four quarters? Just the highest one? That actually might work in my favor since I had more hours in summer.

Exactly. They use the highest quarter to determine your weekly benefit rate. Your other quarters matter for qualifying, but the calculation is based on your best quarter.

I think I kept most of my pay stubs from last year. Let me dig them up and try to calculate it myself first.

Make sure you're using gross wages, not what you took home after taxes. Washington ESD calculation is based on gross earnings.

That's interesting - I didn't know there was a service to help get through to Washington ESD. The phone lines are always busy when I try to call.

Is that legitimate though? Seems weird to pay someone to make a phone call for you.

It's totally legit. They don't ask for your SSN or anything sensitive - just help you get connected to an actual Washington ESD agent. Worth it when you need real answers about your claim.

Oh that's really helpful! I was looking at the wrong quarters. Let me recalculate using the right base period.

Wait, I thought they could use an alternate base period if your regular one doesn't qualify you?

Yes, there's an alternate base period option but Washington ESD tries the standard one first. The alternate uses the last four completed quarters instead.

Wow that's a huge difference! Was your actual amount higher or lower than the estimate?

Lower of course! The calculator made it seem like I'd get way more than I actually qualified for. Super frustrating when you're trying to budget.

The calculator is just an estimate. There can be adjustments based on your specific work history and how Washington ESD interprets your earnings records.

At least we're both in the same boat! It's confusing when you have multiple jobs with variable hours.

yeah exactly. and i dont even know if both jobs reported my wages correctly to Washington ESD

Good point! I should be fine on the minimum but I'll double check. Thanks for the reminder.

The minimum is actually higher now I think. Washington ESD updates it every year based on average wages.

I know right? It would be so much easier if they had a simple, accurate calculator that actually worked.

Because then people might actually understand the system and that would be too convenient lol

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

That definitely makes it easier! Multi-state claims can take weeks longer to process.

That's a really helpful example! I need to go through my pay stubs and add up my highest quarter now.

yeah just make sure you're using the right base period like someone mentioned earlier. that tripped me up at first

That's probably the smart way to go - get the official answer directly from Washington ESD rather than guessing.

Exactly. The agent was able to look at my actual wage records and tell me exactly what my weekly benefit would be before I even filed.

I'm hoping to find full-time work quickly, but good to know in case I need to take something part-time temporarily.

Yeah, you can earn up to a certain amount before it affects your benefits. Washington ESD has specific rules about partial unemployment benefits.

I'm leaning towards calling them too. I need to know if the amount will be enough to cover my rent and basic expenses.

good luck getting through on the phone though. i tried for 3 days straight before giving up

How would I know if my wages were reported correctly? Should I check something before filing?

You can request a copy of your wage and tax statement from Washington ESD to see what they have on file. Better to check now than be surprised later.

Thanks for the heads up! I'm planning to file this week once I figure out the benefit amount situation.

good plan. you can always ask questions after you file, but you can't really go back and claim benefits for weeks you missed

That's awesome! I think I'm going to try that too. Did they charge you a lot for the service?

It was reasonable for the time it saved me. Definitely worth it compared to spending hours trying to get through on my own.

Thanks for the follow-up! Good to know it actually works.