What is the average unemployment payment amount in Washington ESD?

The average weekly benefit in Washington is around $480-520 per week, but it really depends on your earnings history. Washington ESD calculates your benefit based on your highest earning quarter from the past year. With your $52k salary, you'd probably get somewhere in the $450-600 range.

I just started getting benefits last month and I'm getting $542 per week. I made about $58k last year. The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator but it's not super accurate - my actual amount was about $30 higher than what it estimated.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about your benefit calculation, I'd recommend checking out Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you actually reach a live agent when the phone lines are jammed. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I used it last month when I couldn't get through about my adjudication issue.

Washington ESD uses a formula that's basically 3.85% of your total wages from your base year, divided by 52 weeks. But they also look at your highest quarter earnings. It's confusing but that's roughly how they calculate it. The $480-520 average sounds about right for someone making $50k+.

ugh the whole system is so confusing!!! I've been trying to figure out my benefit amount for weeks and Washington ESD keeps sending me different information. First they said $380, then $450, now I'm not sure what to expect. How do they even calculate this stuff??

Just got my first payment this week - $467 weekly. I made $48,000 last year working in retail. The amount seems fair but I wish the process wasn't so slow. Took over a month to get approved.

The Washington ESD website says the average is around $500 but I think that includes everyone, even people who worked part-time. If you made $52k full-time, you should be above average. I'd guess you'll get $550-650 weekly.

I'm getting $598 per week and I made about $65k last year. The calculation is based on your highest earning quarter, so if you had a particularly good quarter it can boost your weekly amount. Also remember you can collect for up to 26 weeks typically.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and finally got through to Washington ESD! The agent explained that my benefit amount was calculated correctly at $512 per week. She said the average in Washington is actually closer to $520 now because wages have gone up. Definitely worth using when you can't get through normally.

Just want to add that your benefit amount stays the same for your entire claim period, so whatever Washington ESD calculates initially is what you'll get each week (assuming you're fully unemployed). Part-time work can reduce your weekly payment though.

The Washington ESD benefit calculator gave me an estimate of $445 per week, but when I actually got approved it was $478. So the calculator is in the ballpark but not exact. With your $52k income, I'd expect you to be in the $500+ range.

Washington state definitely has higher unemployment benefits than most other states. I moved here from Texas where the max was only like $500 per week. Here you can get almost $1000 weekly if you earned enough. The $52k salary should put you well above the average.

Be prepared for potential delays in getting your first payment even after you're approved. Washington ESD has been having system issues lately and some people are waiting extra weeks for their benefits to start. Just file your weekly claims on time regardless.

One more thing - if you're getting close to the maximum benefit amount, double-check that Washington ESD calculated your base year earnings correctly. I had to call and correct an error where they missed one of my employers. It increased my weekly benefit by almost $100.

To sum up what everyone said - with $52k annual income, you're probably looking at $500-600 per week in Washington. The exact amount depends on your quarterly earnings distribution and which quarters Washington ESD uses for your base year calculation. Good luck with your claim!