What is the max of unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Thank you! That's really helpful. So if I made around $18,750 in my highest quarter last year, I'd be just under the max then?

Yes, that's right. Your weekly benefit would be calculated at roughly $937-$950 per week based on those earnings. The exact formula is your highest quarter earnings divided by 26, up to the maximum.

Washington has one of the highest maximum benefit amounts in the country. The $999 max was set for 2025 based on the state's average weekly wage calculations. It gets adjusted every year.

Good point. What are the job search requirements right now? I heard they changed after COVID.

You need to complete at least 3 job search activities per week and maintain a log of your activities. This can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking, etc. Make sure to keep detailed records.

I had the same problem until I found claimyr.com - they have this service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you through to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.

Oh good point, I hadn't thought about taxes. Is it 10% federal withholding like regular income?

Yes, you can elect 10% federal tax withholding when you file your initial claim or change it later. Washington doesn't have state income tax so you don't need to worry about that.

Your weekly benefit is based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. If you didn't have $18,981 in earnings in any single quarter, you won't get the full $999. Check your monetary determination letter to see the exact calculation.

Thanks, I'll dig up that paperwork. I think I may have had some unpaid time off that quarter which would explain the lower amount.

The $999 maximum applies to regular unemployment insurance claims. If you're on standby, you're still getting regular UI benefits, just with different work search requirements. Your benefit amount calculation would be the same.

That's a relief. I was worried standby might have lower maximums. Good to know it's all the same system.

Your benefit isn't based on your annual salary, it's based on your highest earning quarter. If your income was spread evenly throughout the year, you might not have hit the threshold for maximum benefits even with $80k annually.

I was in the same boat with getting through to Washington ESD. Someone mentioned claimyr.com earlier in this thread and I actually tried it last week. They got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes and I was able to get my benefit calculation explained. Way better than the endless busy signals.

So if I file in January 2025, my base period would be July 2023 through June 2024?

That's right. And if you don't qualify using that base period, they can look at an alternate base period using the most recent 4 quarters.

Just remember you can only collect for 26 weeks maximum in most cases, so don't get too comfortable. Use the time to find a new job!

Self-employed people can get regular UI now but the calculation is trickier since it's based on reported income. If you've been paying into the system and reported high enough earnings, you could theoretically get the max, but most contractors don't reach that level.

Makes sense. I've been 1099 for years and never paid into unemployment, so I probably wouldn't qualify anyway.

The maximum gets adjusted annually based on the state's average weekly wage. As long as wages keep going up in Washington, the max will probably keep increasing too. It's tied to economic indicators, not political decisions.

That's actually a smart way to do it. Keeps benefits relevant to current wage levels.

Washington has a strong economy and high wages, especially in tech. The unemployment system is funded by employer taxes, and since wages are high, the tax base can support higher benefits. Plus the state has been pretty generous with unemployment compared to other states.

That makes sense. I guess I'm lucky to be in Washington then if I ever need to use it.

Yes, if you qualify for extended benefits, you'd get the same weekly amount as your regular claim. Extended benefits just give you additional weeks beyond the standard 26 weeks when unemployment rates are high.

Good to know. Hopefully I won't need extended benefits but it's reassuring that the amount stays the same.

Have you tried that claimyr service people mentioned? I used it when my claim got stuck in adjudication and it actually worked. Got me through to someone who could explain what was happening with my claim.

Glad it helped! Just remember to keep good records of your employment and earnings. Having that documentation ready makes the whole process smoother if you ever need to file.

Will do! I'm going to start keeping better track of my quarterly earnings just in case.