How to figure out unemployment pay amount in Washington ESD system?
I'm trying to understand how Washington ESD calculates my weekly benefit amount but I'm getting confused by all the information on their website. I worked part-time at two different jobs for the past year - one retail position and one restaurant job. My hours varied a lot between both places. When I look at my monetary determination letter, there are all these quarters and wage amounts that don't seem to match what I remember earning. Is there a simple way to figure out what my weekly payment should be? I don't want to mess up my weekly claims by reporting wrong information.
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Tyrone Johnson
Your weekly benefit amount is based on your highest earning quarter from your base period, which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. Washington ESD takes that quarter's wages, divides by 26, then multiplies by 0.0385 to get your weekly benefit rate. The maximum is currently $999 per week.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•That math seems complicated - is there somewhere I can double-check this calculation myself?
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Ingrid Larsson
•You can see all the wage information Washington ESD has on file in your eServices account under 'Monetary Determination.' It should show exactly which quarters they used.
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Carlos Mendoza
I had the same confusion when I first filed! The monetary determination can be really confusing especially with multiple jobs. Make sure all your employers from the base period are listed correctly - sometimes Washington ESD doesn't get wage reports from smaller businesses right away.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•How would I know if an employer is missing from my wage record?
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Carlos Mendoza
•Check your pay stubs against what shows up in the monetary determination. If there's a big difference, you might need to contact Washington ESD to add missing wages.
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Zainab Mahmoud
honestly trying to get through to washington esd on the phone is impossible... been calling for 2 weeks about my wage issue and keep getting disconnected or put on hold forever
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Ava Williams
•I had the same problem until I tried Claimyr - it's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. You can check it out at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Finally got my wage issue sorted out after using it.
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Ingrid Larsson
The key thing to remember is that your benefit calculation only looks at wages from employers who paid unemployment taxes. If you did any independent contractor work or gig work, that usually won't count toward your base period wages unless you paid Self-Employment Assistance Program taxes.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•Both my jobs were regular W-2 positions so that shouldn't be an issue for me.
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Raj Gupta
•wait what about door dash? i did that for like 3 months last year
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Ingrid Larsson
•DoorDash drivers are typically independent contractors so those earnings wouldn't count toward regular UI benefits unless you elected to pay into the system.
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Lena Müller
The washington esd system is so confusing compared to other states!! Why cant they just make it simple and tell you exactly what you'll get
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Tyrone Johnson
•The calculation method is actually standardized - it's designed to replace about 50% of your average weekly wage up to the maximum benefit amount.
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Lena Müller
•ok but that still doesnt help me figure out what MY specific amount will be
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TechNinja
Don't forget that your weekly benefit amount can also be affected if you have any earnings while collecting unemployment. You need to report ALL work and earnings on your weekly claims, even if it's just a few hours.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•How does part-time work affect the payment? Do they just subtract what I earn from my weekly benefit?
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TechNinja
•It's more complicated than that. Washington ESD has an earnings deduction formula where they subtract your earnings minus $5 and then minus 25% of your weekly benefit rate. So if you earn a small amount, you might still get most of your unemployment payment.
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Keisha Thompson
•That sounds way too complicated... there should be a calculator for this stuff
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Paolo Bianchi
I've been collecting UI for 8 weeks now and still don't fully understand how they calculate everything. The good news is that as long as you report your earnings honestly on your weekly claims, Washington ESD will do the math for you.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•That's reassuring - I was worried I'd mess something up if I calculated wrong.
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Yara Assad
•yeah just be honest about everything and file your claims on time every week
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Olivia Clark
If your benefit amount seems way lower than expected, definitely appeal it or contact Washington ESD. I had an employer who reported my wages wrong and it took months to get it fixed, but my back pay was adjusted once they corrected the wage information.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•How long do you have to appeal a monetary determination?
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Olivia Clark
•You have 30 days from the date on the determination letter to file an appeal if you think the wage information is wrong.
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Javier Morales
Pro tip: keep all your pay stubs and tax documents when you file for unemployment. If there are any discrepancies in your wage record, you'll need that documentation to prove your actual earnings.
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Natasha Petrov
•wish someone had told me this before i filed... now i'm scrambling to find old pay stubs
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Connor O'Brien
•You can also request wage records from your previous employers if you can't find your pay stubs
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Amina Diallo
Another thing that trips people up - if you quit one job but got laid off from another during your base period, Washington ESD will look at the reason you left each job. Make sure you understand how that affects your eligibility.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•Both of my jobs ended due to layoffs so that shouldn't be an issue for me.
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GamerGirl99
•thats good - quitting without good cause can disqualify you from benefits entirely
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Hiroshi Nakamura
If you're still having trouble understanding your monetary determination, I'd recommend using a service like Claimyr to get through to a Washington ESD representative who can explain it. The phone system is usually jammed but they can help you actually reach someone.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•I might try that if I can't figure this out from the paperwork. Thanks for the suggestion!
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Isabella Costa
•yeah claimyr helped me get through when i had questions about my benefit calculation - saved me hours of calling
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Malik Jenkins
Just remember that even after you figure out your weekly benefit amount, you still have to meet all the other requirements - job search, able and available, etc. The monetary part is just the first step.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•Good point - I've been so focused on the payment calculation that I haven't really looked into the job search requirements yet.
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Freya Andersen
•you need to do 3 job search activities per week and log them in worksourcewa - dont forget about that part!
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Eduardo Silva
•The job search log is super important - Washington ESD can audit it anytime and if you don't have proper documentation, you could owe back all your benefits.
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Leila Haddad
Bottom line - if your monetary determination looks right and matches your work history, then your weekly benefit amount should be accurate. Just make sure to file your weekly claims on time and report any work or earnings honestly.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•Thanks everyone for all the help! I think I have a better understanding now of how the system works.
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Emma Johnson
•good luck with your claim! the washington esd system can be confusing but once you get the hang of it, the weekly claims become routine
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