What is the base period for unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

Thanks! So they don't look at the most recent quarter? That seems backwards to me.

Right, they skip the most recent quarter because employers need time to report wages to Washington ESD. There's usually a lag in the system.

Yes, the alternate base period uses the last four completed quarters instead of skipping one. Washington ESD will automatically check this if you don't qualify under the standard base period.

ok good to know thanks

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to Washington ESD agents without the endless hold times. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was a lifesaver for me when I needed to dispute my base period wages.

How do I check that? I logged into my account but I'm not sure where to look.

Look for 'Wage and Potential Benefit Inquiry' or similar. It should show your quarterly wages for the base period.

It's because of the reporting lag. Employers have up to the end of the month following the quarter to report wages. Using the most recent quarter could mean incomplete wage data.

Still seems like they could figure out a better system by now

Actually no, you're off by a year. If you filed in December 2024, your base period would be July 2023 through June 2024. Wait, let me recalculate that... it would be the first four of the last five completed quarters, so January 2024 through September 2024 I think.

Let me clarify this. If you filed in December 2024, the last five completed quarters would be July-Sept 2024, April-June 2024, Jan-March 2024, Oct-Dec 2023, and July-Sept 2023. Your base period would be the first four of those: April 2023 through March 2024.

This is getting confusing. Maybe I should just call Washington ESD to confirm my specific base period.

Generally no, 1099 income doesn't count because no unemployment taxes were paid on it. You need W-2 wages where UI taxes were deducted.

That's what I was afraid of. Guess I'll need to rely on just my regular job wages then.

There are some exceptions but they're pretty rare. Most independent contractors don't qualify unless they specifically elected coverage, which almost nobody does.

That's when Washington ESD would check the alternate base period. If you still don't qualify, then yes, you wouldn't be eligible for regular unemployment benefits.

Yikes, that's scary. I hope I worked enough hours.

I don't think it's intentionally complicated to deny benefits. The base period rules exist for legitimate administrative reasons, even if they seem outdated.

You're more trusting than I am. I've seen too many people get screwed over by technicalities.

If you're reopening a claim within the benefit year, it uses the same base period as the original claim. For a new claim, they calculate a new base period.

Good to know, thanks for the clarification.

How long did the appeal take? I'm worried I might have the same issue.

About 6 weeks from when I filed the appeal to when it was resolved. But my benefit amount was adjusted retroactively so I got back pay.

Yes, you can combine wages from other states through the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan. You'd need to contact Washington ESD to request wage information from other states.

That's a relief. I was worried I'd lose all my previous work history.

Agreed! The Washington ESD website could definitely be clearer about this stuff.

You're thinking about it right, but remember they take the FIRST four of the last five completed quarters. So it would be Jan-March 2024, April-June 2024, July-Sept 2024, and Oct-Dec 2023. That's your base period.

Ah I see, so they skip the most recent quarter (Oct-Dec 2024). Got it now, thanks!

Definitely worth trying. I was in the same boat and Claimyr got me connected to an agent within a day. Much better than the endless hold times.

I'll check out that demo video and see if it's worth it. Thanks for the recommendation.

Good point. I should probably check with my old employer to make sure they reported everything correctly.

Yeah, it's worth double-checking before you go through the appeals process with Washington ESD.

Same here! Thanks everyone for all the explanations. This stuff is way more complicated than it should be.

Glad we could help clarify things. The base period is one of those things that seems simple but has a lot of nuances.

No, standby status doesn't change the base period calculation. That's just about your work search requirements and callback expectations. The base period is still calculated the same way.

Thanks for clarifying that. I wasn't sure if standby was treated differently.

Unfortunately, delaying your claim filing date doesn't change which quarters are used for the base period. It's based on completed quarters, not when you file.

Ah, that makes sense. So timing doesn't really matter then.