What is the max unemployment benefit amount in Washington ESD for 2025?

Thanks! That's higher than I expected. How do they calculate what quarter counts as your highest earning?

They look at the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at quarters ending March, June, September 2024 and December 2024.

Washington has one of the higher maximum benefit amounts in the country. The cost of living here is pretty high so it makes sense they'd adjust for that.

ok that makes sense i guess, rent here is crazy expensive

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

Really? That sounds too good to be true. Does it actually work for getting benefit amount questions answered?

Yeah it worked for me. They handle the calling and waiting, then connect you when an agent picks up. Way better than sitting on hold for 2+ hours myself.

Oh good point, I forgot about taxes. Is the 10% enough or should I set aside more?

Depends on your tax situation. The 10% covers federal but you might owe state taxes too. Washington doesn't have state income tax but if you work across state lines it gets complicated.

What percentage do they use? And how do they calculate the average weekly wage?

It's your highest quarter earnings divided by 26, then they pay you roughly 3.85% of that amount weekly, up to the $999 maximum.

Washington eliminated the dependency allowance several years ago. It used to add money for each dependent child but that program ended.

Darn, that would have helped. Thanks for clarifying.

I totally understand the frustration. That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - they basically automate the calling process so you don't have to sit there hitting redial all day. Worth checking out if you're at your wit's end.

at this point im willing to try anything, thanks

yeah the phone system has gotten worse since covid, way more people trying to call

What's the difference with standby status? I might be in that situation.

Standby is when your employer temporarily lays you off but expects to call you back within a specific timeframe. You don't have to do job searches but the benefit calculation follows the same rules.

Probably thinking of the federal pandemic programs like the extra $600 or $300 weekly that ended in 2021. Those were on top of regular state benefits but are long gone now.

That makes sense, she was probably thinking of when she got unemployment during covid.

Washington ESD typically announces the new maximums in late fall/early winter for the following year. The changes are based on average wages in the state and take effect with the new calendar year.

Good to know, so the $999 should be stable for all of 2025 then.

Correct. You need to have earned at least $7,000 total in your base period AND have earnings in at least two quarters. Plus your highest quarter needs to be 1.5 times more than your lowest quarter.

ok good thing i worked for 2 years before getting laid off

I tried that but I'm not sure I'm entering my quarterly earnings correctly. Do I use gross or net pay?

Use gross pay - that's what your employer reports to Washington ESD for unemployment insurance purposes.

It's the same statewide. Washington doesn't have regional variations in unemployment benefits like some other states do.

Thanks, that simplifies things.

Good reminder about the job search requirement. Are there any exceptions to the 3 searches per week?

If you're on standby with a specific return date, you're exempt from job searches. Otherwise you need to do them and keep records in WorkSourceWA.

Exactly - the $999 is your gross weekly benefit amount before any taxes. If you have tax withholding selected, that comes out of each payment.

Yeah I figured it out eventually but was panicking for a minute thinking Washington ESD shorted me.

No, the weekly amount doesn't affect duration. You get up to 26 weeks regardless of whether you get $200/week or $999/week. Duration is based on your total earnings and benefit year.

That's good to know, thanks for clarifying.

How do you request a redetermination? Is it through the website or do you have to call?

You can request it online through your SecureAccess Washington account or by calling. Online is usually faster if you can navigate the system.

If you need to call about redetermination issues, that's another good use case for Claimyr. Getting through to discuss monetary determinations can be especially tricky.

How much does it cost? I'm desperate but money's tight obviously since I'm on unemployment.

It's worth checking their site for current pricing, but for me it was way cheaper than the stress and time I was wasting trying to call myself. Plus it actually worked.

That's a good point. What if your recent job paid way more than your previous jobs? Are you stuck with the lower calculation?

You might be able to request alternate base period calculation if your recent earnings would result in higher benefits. But you have to specifically ask for it.

Thanks for all the info everyone! This thread has been super helpful for understanding how the maximum benefits work.

Glad we could help. Good luck with your claim!