What is the maximum amount of unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Thanks! So it's based on my highest quarter, not my annual salary? That makes more sense.

Yeah the calculation is weird. I thought it would be based on yearly income too but it's all about that one quarter.

That's actually higher than I expected! So if I made $75k last year, I might qualify for close to the maximum?

It depends on how your earnings were distributed throughout the year. Washington ESD looks at quarterly earnings, not annual. You'd need about $18,731 per quarter to hit the max benefit.

That's still pretty decent though. How long did it take for your claim to get approved?

took about 3 weeks because it went into adjudication. couldnt get through to anyone at washington esd to check on it

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legitimate. I was skeptical too but it actually connected me to a real ESD representative who helped me understand my benefit amount calculation.

This is confusing. So they don't just look at my last year of earnings?

No, it's more complicated than that. They use a specific 12-month period called your base period, which might not align with a calendar year depending on when you file.

why does washington make everything so complicated?? other states just use your annual income

Do you happen to know what the minimum is? I'm worried I won't qualify for much since I was only working part-time.

The minimum weekly benefit is $295 in 2025. You need to have earned at least $1,480 in your highest quarter to qualify for minimum benefits.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That sounds too good to be true. Does it actually work?

Yeah it really does! I was skeptical at first but they got me connected within 2 hours. Way better than spending entire days trying to call myself.

Yes, it increased for 2025. Washington adjusts the maximum benefit amount annually based on the state's average weekly wage.

oh good to know. i filed in 2024 and got way less than that

Exactly right. If your $75k was evenly distributed, you'd have about $18,750 per quarter, which would qualify you for close to the maximum. But if you had irregular earnings or bonuses concentrated in certain quarters, it could be different.

This is why I hate the unemployment system. Why can't they just make it simple and base it on your yearly salary like normal people would expect?

What do you mean by base period? Is that something I can control?

Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be January 2024 through December 2024.

Exactly! And sometimes you can request an alternate base period if the standard one doesn't work in your favor.

Good point. I heard they're pretty strict about that now.

yeah they are. you have to log everything in WorkSourceWA or they can disqualify you

How did you know you qualified for the maximum? Did they tell you upfront or did you have to calculate it yourself?

Washington ESD sends you a monetary determination letter that shows your weekly benefit amount after you file your initial claim. That's when you'll know for sure what you qualify for.

That's not quite right. There's actually a small disregard amount before they start reducing benefits.

oh really? i thought it was dollar for dollar right away

How much does it cost though? I'm already struggling financially.

I'd rather not get into specifics about cost, but for me it was worth it to actually talk to someone at ESD who could explain my situation properly. Check their website for current info.

Still better than nothing though. At least Washington has relatively high unemployment benefits compared to other states.

true, some states max out at like $400 per week which is crazy

Good reminder. I'll make sure to have them withhold taxes if I end up needing to file.

yeah i learned this the hard way at tax time. ended up owing way more than expected

That seems like it would go by pretty fast when you're job searching.

It does. That's why it's important to start your job search immediately and take advantage of all the resources available through WorkSourceWA.

That's still a decent amount! I'm probably looking at minimum benefits unfortunately.

yeah its definitely helping with bills. just make sure you do your weekly claims on time or they'll mess up your payments

Where exactly is this calculator? I looked on their website but couldn't find it.

It's under 'Apply for Benefits' then 'Benefit Calculator' on the main ESD site. Sometimes their site navigation is wonky.

That's great! Just remember you'll need to actively search for work and report your job search activities to maintain eligibility.

Good point. How many job contacts do I need to make each week?

It's typically 3 job search activities per week, but the exact requirements can vary. Make sure to keep detailed records of your search activities.

seems like everyone's talking about this service. might have to try it myself

yeah its pretty convenient. beats dialing the main number over and over hoping to get through

Washington doesn't have a dependents allowance for unemployment benefits. The maximum is the same regardless of how many dependents you have.

That's disappointing. Some other states do that I think.

Yeah, it varies by state. Washington focuses more on the wage replacement aspect rather than family size.

Yes, overtime pay is included in your quarterly wage calculation. Any wages reported to Washington ESD by your employer count toward your benefit calculation.

Awesome, that should help boost my benefit amount then!

Oh that's something I hadn't thought about. My company does offer severance packages for layoffs.

Yeah, just make sure you report it accurately when you file. It doesn't reduce your total benefit amount, just delays when payments start.

Remember that unemployment benefits are temporary - typically 26 weeks maximum in Washington. So even at the max rate, you're looking at around $26,000 total, not $52,000.

Oh right, I forgot about the time limit. That makes more sense.

Plus you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits, so the actual take-home is less than the gross amount.

You're lucky! My claim has been in adjudication for a month now with no explanation.

That's frustrating. Have you tried calling to check on the status?

I've tried but can never get through. Might have to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier.

Good to know! So timing of when you file can matter depending on when they update the amounts.

Exactly. They usually update the amounts in January each year based on the previous year's wage data.

Smart move. I forgot to set up tax withholding and now I'm worried about what I'll owe.

you can change it anytime through your esd account. i think its 10% federal withholding

Yeah, it's tied to the state's average weekly wage. As wages go up, so does the unemployment maximum.

Makes sense. Still feels weird getting over $1000 a week for not working, but I paid into the system for years.

Thanks for the formula! That helps me understand how they calculate it.

No problem! The 0.63 factor is what gives you 63% of your average weekly wage from your highest quarter.

How much does it cost? Seems like something that should be free.

I mean, technically calling ESD is free but when you can't get through for weeks, paying for help makes sense. The peace of mind was worth it for me.

Great advice! I'll make sure to gather all my pay stubs before filing.

Smart move. It can speed up the process significantly if they need to verify your wages.