What is the highest unemployment pay you can get in Washington ESD?
I'm trying to figure out what the maximum weekly benefit amount is for Washington unemployment. My friend said she's getting like $900 a week but that seems really high? I made about $75,000 last year and wondering what I might qualify for if I file. Does anyone know what the actual max is for 2025? Also does it depend on how many dependents you have or just your wages?
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Chloe Taylor
The maximum weekly benefit amount (WBA) for Washington ESD in 2025 is $999 per week. This is based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. You need to have earned at least $7,992 in your highest quarter to qualify for the max. It doesn't matter how many dependents you have - that's not factored into the calculation.
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Omar Hassan
•Wow that's higher than I thought! So if I made $75k last year I should be able to get close to that max right?
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Chloe Taylor
•It depends on how your earnings were distributed throughout the quarters. Washington ESD looks at your base period which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file.
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ShadowHunter
i've been trying to call washington esd for 3 weeks to ask about my benefit amount and can never get through. the phone system is impossible
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Diego Ramirez
•Have you tried calling right at 8am when they open? That's usually the best time to get through to someone at Washington ESD.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have this system that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.
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ShadowHunter
•That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate at this point. Does it actually work?
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Sean O'Connor
Just to clarify the calculation - your weekly benefit amount is roughly 3.85% of your wages in your highest earning quarter during your base period. So if you earned $25,974 in your highest quarter (which would be about $104k annually), you'd get the maximum $999/week.
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Omar Hassan
•Thanks for breaking down the math! That helps me understand it better.
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Zara Ahmed
•wait so if someone made like $200k a year they still only get $999 max? that seems unfair
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Sean O'Connor
•Correct - there's a cap on unemployment benefits. The system is designed to replace a portion of wages up to a certain point, not to fully replace high incomes.
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Luca Conti
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!! I paid into unemployment insurance for 15 years making six figures and now they tell me I can only get $999 a week??? That doesn't even cover my mortgage payment! Meanwhile people who barely worked get almost as much as me!
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Chloe Taylor
•I understand the frustration, but unemployment insurance was never designed to fully replace high salaries. It's meant to provide temporary assistance while you search for new employment.
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Luca Conti
•Easy for you to say! Try explaining that to the bank when they're foreclosing on your house!
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Diego Ramirez
For anyone wondering about their specific benefit amount, you can use the Washington ESD benefit calculator on their website. It's pretty accurate if you have your wage information handy.
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Omar Hassan
•I tried that calculator but it asked for quarters and I don't have that breakdown. Where do I find my quarterly earnings?
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Diego Ramirez
•Check your pay stubs or W-2 forms. You can also request a wage transcript from Social Security Administration online.
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Nia Johnson
Your friend getting $900 sounds about right if she had high earnings. I'm getting $847/week and I made about $88k last year. The amount also depends on which quarters they use for your base period.
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Omar Hassan
•That's really helpful to know! Did you have to provide pay stubs when you applied?
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Nia Johnson
•No, Washington ESD has access to your wage records from employers. They pull that information automatically when you file your claim.
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Zara Ahmed
does anyone know if there's different rates for part time vs full time workers? or is it all based on the same calculation
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Chloe Taylor
•It's all based on the same calculation regardless of whether you worked part-time or full-time. What matters is your total wages in each quarter during your base period.
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Zara Ahmed
•ok cool thanks. i was worried they had different rules for part timers
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ShadowHunter
Update on the Claimyr thing - I tried it and actually got through to Washington ESD in like 20 minutes! The agent was able to tell me my exact benefit amount and when my first payment would come. Worth it just to avoid the phone hell.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•Glad it worked for you! I've recommended it to several people now and everyone's had success getting through to actual agents.
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Omar Hassan
•I might have to try that if I can't get my questions answered through the regular system.
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CyberNinja
Just be aware that even if you qualify for the maximum benefit amount, you still have to meet all the other requirements like doing your job search activities and filing your weekly claims on time. The money isn't automatic.
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Omar Hassan
•Good point! I've heard the job search requirements are pretty strict now.
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CyberNinja
•Yes, you need to complete 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records. Washington ESD can audit your job search log at any time.
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Mateo Lopez
i think the max used to be lower like $844 or something? when did it go up to $999
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Chloe Taylor
•The maximum gets adjusted annually based on the state's average weekly wage. It's been increasing gradually over the past few years.
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Mateo Lopez
•makes sense. inflation and all that
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Aisha Abdullah
One thing to remember is that unemployment benefits are taxable income. So even if you get $999/week, you'll owe taxes on that at the end of the year unless you choose to have taxes withheld.
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Omar Hassan
•Oh wow I didn't think about that! Can you have them take taxes out automatically?
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Aisha Abdullah
•Yes, you can elect to have 10% federal tax withheld when you file your weekly claims. There's a checkbox for it.
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Ethan Davis
My sister works for Washington ESD and she says a lot of people are shocked when they find out their benefit amount. The calculation is confusing and most people overestimate what they'll get.
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Luca Conti
•That's because the system is designed to screw working people! We pay in for years and get pennies back!
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Ethan Davis
•I mean, it's insurance - it's not supposed to fully replace your income, just help bridge the gap while you find new work.
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Yuki Tanaka
For what it's worth, Washington has one of the higher maximum benefit amounts compared to other states. Some states cap it at like $400-500 per week.
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Omar Hassan
•Really? I had no idea it varied that much between states.
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Yuki Tanaka
•Yeah, each state sets their own rates and rules. Washington is actually pretty generous comparatively.
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Carmen Ortiz
If anyone needs to get their questions answered quickly, I also used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Got connected to Washington ESD within 15 minutes and the agent walked me through my whole benefit calculation. Way better than trying to call on your own.
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Omar Hassan
•That's the third person who's recommended it now. Might be worth checking out.
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MidnightRider
•I'm always skeptical of these third-party services but if multiple people are saying it works...
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Andre Laurent
The duration matters too - you can get up to 26 weeks of benefits in Washington, so potentially $25,974 total if you qualify for the maximum weekly amount. That's assuming you don't find work before then.
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Omar Hassan
•26 weeks seems like a decent amount of time to find something new.
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Andre Laurent
•It can go by faster than you think, especially in competitive job markets. The key is to start your job search immediately.
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Zoe Papadopoulos
just remember you have to be available and actively seeking work to keep getting benefits. you can't just collect and sit at home doing nothing
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Omar Hassan
•Yeah I've heard they're pretty strict about the work search requirements now.
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Zoe Papadopoulos
•they are. my buddy got disqualified because he couldn't prove he was actually applying for jobs
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Jamal Washington
The $999 maximum is before any deductions too. If you have child support garnishments or other court-ordered deductions, those come out of your benefit amount.
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Omar Hassan
•Good to know - I don't have any of those issues but that could definitely impact people's actual take-home amount.
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Mei Wong
Bottom line - if you made good money and worked consistently, you'll probably qualify for a decent benefit amount. The exact calculation depends on your specific wage history, but Washington's benefits are pretty fair compared to most states.
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Omar Hassan
•Thanks everyone for all the info! This has been really helpful in understanding how it all works.
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Chloe Taylor
•Glad we could help! Just remember to file your claim as soon as you become unemployed - there's no waiting benefit for the first week in Washington.
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Ella Lewis
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you can also check your benefit amount estimate on the Washington ESD website before you even file your claim. They have a tool where you can input your wage information and it will give you a pretty accurate estimate of what your weekly benefit would be. Really helpful for planning purposes if you're facing a potential layoff or job loss.
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