What is the max payout for unemployment in Washington - need to know my weekly benefit amount

Thanks! So if I made $68k total last year, does that mean I'd get close to the max? How do they calculate the quarterly amounts?

It depends on how your earnings were distributed across quarters. They take your highest earning quarter and use that to calculate your weekly benefit amount. You might want to check your wage history on the Washington ESD website.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to actual Washington ESD agents. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Interesting, I'll check that out. I'm so tired of calling the 833 number and getting nowhere.

That's helpful math! So if someone made $15,000 in their highest quarter, their weekly benefit would be around $577?

Exactly! And remember you can receive benefits for up to 26 weeks in most cases, so your total potential benefit amount would be that weekly amount times 26.

Washington doesn't provide dependency allowances for children like some other states do. Your weekly benefit amount is based solely on your work history and earnings.

oh that sucks, i thought i read somewhere that you could get more

Adjudication delays are the worst! That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone who could explain what was happening with my claim. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person.

Yeah I should have done something like that. I just kept waiting and waiting, meanwhile my bills were piling up.

This is making me nervous about filing my claim. Should I expect delays even with a straightforward case?

Wait, I thought it was just the highest quarter? Are you sure it's the average of the two highest?

You're right to question that - I may be mixing up the calculation. Let me double check that formula.

Thanks for the correction! I was definitely mixing that up with another state's formula.

The $999 is just the regular Washington state unemployment benefit. There's no federal supplement right now like there was during the pandemic.

Got it, thanks. I wasn't sure if there were still any federal programs running.

Your benefit amount sounds reasonable depending on your earnings. Remember you need to have made over $62k in a single quarter to qualify for the maximum. What was your highest earning quarter?

I think my highest quarter was around $19,000. So $743 actually sounds about right based on that 3.85% calculation.

I understand the frustration but the system is designed to replace a percentage of your recent earnings. That's why they use your base period from the most recent 4-5 quarters.

I get that but it still feels unfair when you've been paying into the system longer.

Yes, the minimum weekly benefit in Washington is $295. But you need to meet certain earnings requirements during your base period to qualify at all.

That's actually higher than I expected for the minimum. Good to know!

I totally feel your pain - that's exactly why I started using Claimyr. Instead of wasting hours on hold, they connect you directly to Washington ESD agents. Worth checking out the demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. Thanks for the suggestion.

That makes sense since they recalculate based on your most recent base period earnings each time you file.

True, but cost of living here is also higher than most places. $999 doesn't go as far in Seattle as it would in other states.

Fair point about cost of living. I guess it's all relative.

The maximum benefit amount is tied to the state's average weekly wage and gets updated annually. It's increased most years to keep up with wage growth.

That's good to know it's not just a fixed number that never changes.

It's typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file your claim. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at your earnings from July 2023 through June 2024.

Ah that explains why my recent pay raise didn't affect my benefit amount. Thanks!

Right, and you have to be actively looking for work and filing weekly claims to keep getting benefits.

Exactly! The job search requirements are pretty strict too.

Same here! I feel much more prepared now. Thanks everyone for all the detailed info.

Glad this helped! Just remember if you run into any issues getting through to Washington ESD, there are services like Claimyr that can help you connect with agents directly.