Washington ESD weekly claim showing wage cuts from 1930s affecting my base period calculation?

That makes more sense! So they're looking at the wage cuts I had in 2024, not some historical data from decades ago?

Exactly. Your base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed your claim.

I had the same problem with calling Washington ESD until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you actually get through to ESD agents - they have this system that handles the calling for you. Check out claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Really? Does it actually work? I've wasted so much time trying to call.

Yeah, it worked for me when I needed to get my adjudication issue resolved. Way better than spending all day redialing.

So if I took a 20% pay cut six months before getting laid off, that would affect my unemployment benefits?

Yes, because that reduced wage would be part of your base period calculation. The timing matters a lot with Washington ESD benefit calculations.

I know right? The whole base period thing is unnecessarily complicated. They should just base it on your last few paychecks.

The reason they use a longer base period is to get a more accurate picture of your typical earnings and avoid seasonal fluctuations affecting your benefits.

How did you figure out which quarters they were using? My determination letter doesn't break it down clearly.

You can log into your SecureAccess Washington account and look at the monetary determination. It should show the wages from each quarter they used.

Thanks! I'll check that right now.

That's exactly why I'm going to try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. At least then I might actually talk to a human.

Let me know if it works. I'm getting desperate here.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already struggling financially.

I found it worth it considering how much time I was wasting trying to call on my own. Plus getting my benefits resolved faster was crucial.

How do I request that? Is there a specific form I need to fill out?

You'll need to contact Washington ESD directly to request it. They'll evaluate whether you qualify based on your wage pattern.

The original poster was confused about something their adjudicator said. We're talking about current Washington ESD unemployment benefits and how recent wage cuts affect the calculation.

oh ok that makes way more sense haha

Did you try to appeal or get it recalculated?

I tried but Washington ESD said the calculation was correct based on the wages reported. Very frustrating.

That's not really accurate. The system is designed to base benefits on your typical earnings pattern. It's not perfect but there's logic to it.

Easy to say when it's not your rent that's due.

How would I know if they made a mistake? What should I be looking for?

Check that they used the right date ranges and that all your reported wages are included. Compare it to your tax records or pay stubs.

Same here. I didn't realize the timing of pay cuts could affect benefits so much.

The key is understanding your specific base period dates and whether an alternate calculation might work better for your situation.

Agreed. I had to Google everything just to understand what my letter meant.

And then when you try to call for clarification, good luck getting through to anyone.

That's the second time someone mentioned that service. I might have to try it since I still don't fully understand my calculation.

It's definitely worth it if you're stuck trying to reach them through normal channels. The wait times are just impossible otherwise.

Thanks everyone for clearing that up! I was so confused about the historical reference. Now I understand it's about my recent wage history affecting the calculation.

Glad we could help! The unemployment system terminology can be really confusing at first.