Maximum ESD weekly benefit amount - how much do I need to earn to qualify?
I got laid off from my construction project manager job and I'm trying to figure out my finances while job hunting. I've heard Washington has one of the highest unemployment benefits in the country, but I'm confused about how they calculate the maximum weekly benefit amount. Does anyone know roughly how much you need to have earned during your base year to qualify for the highest weekly unemployment payment? My earnings fluctuated a lot in 2024 because I was on medical leave for 2 months. Just trying to estimate what I might receive to plan my budget.
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Vincent Bimbach
For 2025, Washington's maximum weekly benefit amount is $1,115. To qualify for this maximum, you need to have earned approximately $91,150 or more in your base year (the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim). The calculation is complex but basically ESD uses your highest-earning quarters to determine your weekly benefit amount, which is roughly 63% of your average weekly wage up to that maximum. Keep in mind that your 2 months of medical leave might affect your benefit calculation if it reduced your earnings significantly during a quarter that would otherwise be used for your benefit calculation.
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Skylar Neal
•Thank you! That's super helpful. I was making about $97k before my layoff, but that medical leave probably dropped my yearly total closer to $81k. Sounds like I won't quite hit the maximum then.
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Kelsey Chin
i got the max benefit when i was laid off from amazon last year. i think i made like 100k+ but they only look at certain quarters not your annual salary
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Norah Quay
•Yep! ESD doesn't look at your annual salary. They look at your base year (first 4 of last 5 completed quarters). So if you file in April 2025, they'd look at Jan-Dec 2024. If you file in May 2025, they'd look at Apr 2024-Mar 2025.
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Leo McDonald
I was trying to figure this exact same thing when I got laid off in January! The ESD system is SO FRUSTRATING because they don't tell you how much you'll get until after you apply. I ended up getting $843/week even though I made $76K last year. I've been trying to reach someone at ESD to explain why it's not higher but IMPOSSIBLE to get through to a real person. Are you having trouble reaching ESD too? I spent literally 3 days hitting redial.
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Jessica Nolan
•I was in the same boat trying to get answers about my benefit amount calculation. After days of constant busy signals and disconnects, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an ESD agent. They have this service that basically waits on hold for you and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. I got through in like 40 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own.
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Angelina Farar
The benefit formula in Washington is actually quite generous compared to many states. As others mentioned, the maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $1,115, but there's another important factor - you need to have worked at least 680 hours in your base year to qualify for any benefits. If you had medical leave, make sure you understand how that affected your hours. Sometimes people are surprised when they don't qualify because of hour requirements, not because of the earnings threshold. Also, to maximize your weekly benefit, your two highest-earning quarters in the base year are the most important factors in the calculation.
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Sebastián Stevens
•This! The hours requirement trips up so many people. I had a coworker who made good money but didn't have enough hours because she was a contractor for part of her base year. ESD denied her claim entirely even though her earnings were well above minimum thresholds.
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Bethany Groves
does anybody know if they count overtime pay when figuring out your max benefit? i worked tons of OT last yr and wondering if that helps me get more benefits
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Vincent Bimbach
•Yes, all wages including overtime are counted when calculating your benefit amount. Any pay that was reported to ESD (where you paid unemployment insurance taxes) counts toward your benefit calculation. So your overtime will definitely help increase your weekly benefit amount up to the maximum.
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Skylar Neal
Thank you all for the helpful responses! This has cleared up a lot for me. Sounds like I'll be around $950-1000 per week based on my earnings this past year. One more question - does anyone know if the one-week waiting period is still in effect in 2025? I'm trying to figure out exactly when I'll get my first payment after filing.
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Norah Quay
•Yes, the waiting week is still required in 2025. That was only waived during the pandemic. So you won't get paid for the first week you're eligible, but you still have to file a weekly claim for it to satisfy the waiting period requirement.
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Leo McDonald
Washington's benefit calculation is SO CONFUSING!!! Even with the online calculators I was off by like $200 when I actually got my determination. And be prepared for DELAYS. It took them almost 6 weeks to process my claim even though I had a straightforward layoff with no issues. The system is broken!!!!!
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Skylar Neal
•Oh no, 6 weeks is a long time! I'm already stressed about the financial gap. I'll make sure I have some savings to cover me just in case. Thanks for the warning.
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