Washington ESD maximum unemployment benefits - what is the highest weekly amount?
I'm trying to figure out what the maximum unemployment benefit amount is in Washington state for 2025. I've been looking at the Washington ESD website but can't find a clear answer about the highest weekly benefit rate. My job paid pretty well and I want to know if there's a cap on how much I can receive. Does anyone know what the maximum weekly unemployment benefit is right now?
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Christian Bierman
The maximum weekly benefit amount for Washington unemployment in 2025 is $999 per week. This is calculated based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. You need to have earned at least $74,925 in your highest quarter to qualify for the maximum amount.
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Makayla Shoemaker
•Thanks! That's higher than I expected. Do you know if this includes the additional $25 per week for dependents?
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Christian Bierman
•No, the dependent allowance is separate. You can get an additional $25 per week for each dependent child up to 5 kids, so potentially $125 extra per week on top of the $999 maximum.
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Emma Olsen
wait so if i made like 80k last year do i automatically get the max? or is it more complicated than that
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Lucas Lindsey
•It's based on your base period earnings, not your annual salary. Washington ESD looks at the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed your claim. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at your earnings from July 2023 through June 2024.
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Sophie Duck
I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks to get clarification on my benefit amount but can never get through. The phone system is absolutely terrible - I either get busy signals or sit on hold for hours before getting disconnected.
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Austin Leonard
•I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. You just go to claimyr.com and they handle the calling for you. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration!
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Anita George
The $999 maximum is correct but remember that's the GROSS amount. Washington doesn't tax unemployment benefits at the state level, but you'll still owe federal taxes. So your actual take-home will be less if you choose to have taxes withheld.
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Abigail Spencer
•Good point. I made the mistake of not withholding taxes last year and got hit with a huge bill at tax time.
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Logan Chiang
Does anyone know if the maximum changes every year? I swear it was lower when I was on unemployment in 2022.
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Lucas Lindsey
•Yes, Washington adjusts the maximum benefit amount annually based on the average annual wage. It's been increasing steadily over the past few years. In 2022 it was around $844 per week.
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Isla Fischer
This is all great info but I'm still confused about how they calculate YOUR specific benefit amount. Like what if you made $60k but it was spread unevenly throughout the year?
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Christian Bierman
•They take your highest earning quarter from your base period and divide it by 26. So if your highest quarter was $20,000, your weekly benefit would be about $769. It doesn't matter how the rest of your earnings were distributed.
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Miles Hammonds
I'm getting way less than the maximum even though I made good money. My claim shows I'm only getting $650 per week. Should I appeal this?
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Ruby Blake
•You should definitely check your monetary determination notice. It shows exactly how Washington ESD calculated your benefit amount based on your earnings history. If there's an error in your reported wages, you can request a revision.
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Micah Franklin
The Washington ESD phone system is absolutely broken. I've been trying for three weeks to get someone to explain my benefit calculation and it's impossible. This is ridiculous for a government agency.
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Ella Harper
•Have you tried using Claimyr? I was skeptical at first but it actually works. They got me connected to a Washington ESD agent in under an hour when I'd been trying for days on my own.
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PrinceJoe
Just want to confirm - the $999 maximum is for regular unemployment benefits, right? Not for any of the extended benefits or special programs?
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Lucas Lindsey
•Correct, that's for regular UI benefits. Extended benefits, when available, are typically calculated as a percentage of your regular weekly benefit amount. But extended benefits aren't currently available in Washington.
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Brooklyn Knight
One thing to keep in mind is that even if you qualify for the maximum weekly benefit, you still have to meet all the other requirements like job searching and being available for work. The maximum benefit doesn't exempt you from any of the regular UI rules.
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Owen Devar
•Good reminder. And you still have to file your weekly claims on time every week or you won't get paid, regardless of your benefit amount.
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Daniel Rivera
Does the maximum benefit amount apply to people on standby status too? Or is that calculated differently?
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Lucas Lindsey
•Standby benefits use the same calculation method as regular unemployment benefits. So yes, if you qualify for the maximum amount, you'd get $999 per week on standby status too, assuming you meet all the standby requirements.
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Sophie Footman
I wish Washington ESD made this information easier to find on their website. I had to dig through multiple pages just to find basic information about benefit calculations.
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Connor Rupert
•Totally agree. Their website is not user-friendly at all. Half the links don't work properly and the information is scattered everywhere.
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Molly Hansen
Quick question - does having multiple jobs affect the maximum benefit calculation? I had two part-time jobs that together paid really well.
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Christian Bierman
•Washington ESD combines wages from all your employers when calculating your benefit amount. So yes, having multiple jobs can help you reach the maximum if your combined earnings were high enough in your base period.
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Brady Clean
The maximum of $999 sounds great until you realize it's still only about $52,000 per year if you were unemployed for a full year. That's a big pay cut for most people who would qualify for the maximum.
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Skylar Neal
•True, but unemployment benefits are meant to be temporary income replacement, not permanent salary replacement. The goal is to provide some support while you look for a new job.
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Vincent Bimbach
For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD about their benefit amount - I finally got connected using Claimyr and it was so worth it. The agent was able to explain exactly how my benefits were calculated and fix an error in my claim. Highly recommend checking out claimyr.com if you're stuck.
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Kelsey Chin
•How long did it take them to get you connected?
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Oliver Alexander
This is really helpful information! I'm in a similar situation where I'm trying to figure out my potential benefit amount. One thing I'm curious about - if someone switches jobs mid-year and their new job pays significantly more, would that higher salary be reflected in their unemployment calculation? Or does it depend on when exactly they file their claim and which quarters fall into their base period?
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