Washington ESD unemployment how much will I get weekly - need help calculating

Thanks! How do I find out what my highest quarter was? Is that something I can see on my Washington ESD account?

Yes, once you file your initial claim, Washington ESD will show you your base year wages broken down by quarter. That's how you'll see which quarter was your highest.

Wow $999 is pretty high! I had no idea Washington ESD paid that much. My friend in another state only gets like $400 max.

Yeah Washington has one of the higher maximum benefit amounts. But remember you have to have earned enough in your base year to qualify for the higher amounts.

That sounds helpful! I've been dreading trying to call Washington ESD because I keep hearing about the long wait times.

I tried calling Washington ESD yesterday and gave up after 2 hours on hold. Maybe I should look into this Claimyr thing.

Oh crap I didn't think about taxes! So if I get $300 a week I should expect less than that?

You'll get the full $300 but you'll owe taxes on it at the end of the year unless you have them withhold. It's optional but recommended.

That helps give me an idea! Sounds like I might be looking at somewhere around $300-350 based on what I was making.

Yeah that sounds about right for your income level. Just make sure you file as soon as possible because there's a waiting week before you get your first payment.

The waiting week was eliminated during COVID but it came back. You have to serve one unpaid waiting week before your benefits start.

Ugh that's so frustrating when you're already stressed about money. Why do they do that?

It's just how the system works. Most states have a waiting week. At least it's only one week and not longer.

I think they removed the calculator tool. Your best bet is to file your initial claim and they'll tell you exactly what your weekly benefit amount will be.

That's another reason why calling through Claimyr might help - you can ask an agent to walk you through the calculation before you file.

What counts as a job search? Like applying for jobs or can it be other things too?

Applying for jobs, going to job fairs, networking events, updating your resume with WorkSource. They have a list of approved activities.

The base year is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, your base year would be October 2023 through September 2024.

That's so confusing! Why don't they just use the last 12 months? This makes it really hard to figure out if I qualify.

3 weeks?? I was hoping to get my first payment next week. That's really discouraging.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - I needed to talk to someone about why my claim was taking so long. Much easier than trying to get through on your own.

Only reported tip income counts. If your employer reported your tips on your W-2, then yes it's included in the calculation.

Most of my tips were cash and probably not fully reported. Guess I'll get less than I hoped.

I mean it's not supposed to replace your full income, just help you get by while you look for work. But I agree it's not much.

Easy to say when you're not the one trying to feed your family on unemployment. The system is broken.

Good to know! How long did the appeal take to get resolved?

took like a month but he got back pay for the difference once it was fixed

You'll need to contact that employer and have them submit a wage correction. Washington ESD can't fix employer reporting errors without documentation from the employer.

Yeah my old boss is being difficult about it. Says it's not his problem anymore since I don't work there.

That's awesome! I'm definitely going to try that if I run into any issues with my claim.

I'm still skeptical about paying for something like that but if it actually works maybe it's worth it.

What kind of proof do they want? Screenshots of applications or something more formal?

they want details like company name, position applied for, date, and method of contact. keep a spreadsheet or use their workshource system

What's an alternate base year? Is that something you have to request specifically?

It uses more recent wages if your regular base year doesn't qualify you. Washington ESD should automatically check it but you can request it if they don't.

That's what I'm worried about. Seems like there are way more people looking than jobs available.

Try looking at other industries too. A lot of skills transfer and some places are desperate for workers even if it's not restaurant work.

Thanks for the heads up! I haven't moved but good to know for the future.

Yeah it held up my payments for two weeks while they verified my new address. Such a pain.

Seriously! I feel like I understand it so much better now thanks to everyone's explanations.

Happy to help! The system is complicated but once you understand the basics it makes more sense.