What does unemployment pay in Washington state - need to know weekly benefit amounts

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base period to calculate benefits. For 2025 the maximum weekly benefit is $999 and minimum is $295. Your benefit amount is roughly 3.85% of your total wages in that highest quarter, but there are caps. With your salary you'll probably get somewhere in the $600-700 range per week.

The weekly benefit calculator on Washington ESD's site is pretty accurate once you get the hang of it. You need your gross wages from each quarter in your base period. Base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. So if you're filing now it would be Q4 2023 through Q3 2024.

I was having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about my benefit calculation and someone here mentioned claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you get through to actual ESD agents. Watched their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and it actually worked! Got connected within 20 minutes instead of spending hours on hold.

been on unemployment twice in washington and the amount varies a lot depending on your work history. first time i got like $400/week, second time got $650 because i had been making more money. the system looks at your best quarter so if you had a really good quarter it helps your benefit amount

I'm so stressed about this whole process. How long does it take to find out your benefit amount after you file? And what if they calculate it wrong - can you appeal that?

One thing to remember is that your weekly benefit amount gets reduced if you work part time while on unemployment. They have a formula for that too - I think you can earn up to about 1/3 of your weekly benefit before they start reducing it.

Just wanted to add that the $999 maximum is for 2025, it goes up slightly each year. Also don't forget you'll owe taxes on unemployment benefits - they don't automatically withhold federal taxes unless you request it.

The restaurant industry can be tricky for unemployment calculations because of tips and varying hours. Make sure Washington ESD has accurate wage information from all your employers including any side jobs.

Washington ESD SUCKS at answering phones. I spent literally 6 hours trying to get through last month. Finally someone told me about that claimyr service and I wish I had known about it sooner. Actually got to talk to an agent who explained exactly how my benefits were calculated.

Does anyone know if bonuses count toward your wage calculation? I got a decent bonus last year and wondering if that factors in.

For what it's worth, I've found the Washington ESD online calculator to be pretty accurate. Just make sure you're using gross wages not net, and include all quarters in your base period even if some show zero.

just remember you have to be actively looking for work to keep getting benefits. washington requires 3 job search activities per week and they do check up on it sometimes

Been through this process twice and honestly the hardest part is just waiting for everything to get processed. Once your claim is approved the money comes pretty regularly every week as long as you file your weekly claims on time.

One more thing - if you quit your job you probably won't qualify for unemployment unless it was for good cause like unsafe working conditions or harassment. Unemployment is mainly for people who got laid off or fired through no fault of their own.

The monetary determination letter they send you breaks down exactly how they calculated your benefit amount. Keep that letter somewhere safe because you might need it for other things like rental assistance applications.

I tried using that claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked great. Was skeptical at first but got connected to a Washington ESD agent who walked me through my whole benefit calculation. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

Don't forget that unemployment benefits are subject to federal income tax but NOT state income tax in Washington since we don't have state income tax. Just wanted to clarify that tax piece someone mentioned earlier.

The whole system seems complicated at first but once you get your first payment and settle into the routine of weekly claims it becomes pretty manageable. Just stay on top of your job search requirements and report everything accurately.

Just to wrap up the calculation piece - with your $52k salary you'll likely get somewhere between $600-750 per week depending on how your wages were distributed across quarters. That's assuming you had steady employment and meet all the other requirements.