What is the maximum unemployment benefit Washington ESD pays in 2024?

Wow that's higher than I expected! Do you know what income level you need to hit that maximum?

You need to have earned at least around $78,000 during your base period to qualify for the max. Washington ESD uses a formula based on your highest quarter of earnings.

I tried their calculator but it keeps asking for all my wage info and I don't have my pay stubs with me right now.

You can find your wage information on your online account once you create one. Washington ESD pulls data directly from employers so it should all be there automatically.

I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They actually help you get through to Washington ESD agents on the phone. I was skeptical at first but it worked - I got connected to someone within like 20 minutes instead of trying for days.

Really? How does that even work? I'm so frustrated with not being able to talk to anyone at Washington ESD.

They have some system that helps navigate the phone tree and wait times. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Worth checking out if you're stuck like I was.

Yeah I figured most people probably don't hit the maximum. Still good to know what the ceiling is though.

That's really helpful, thank you! So it's based on your best quarter, not your total earnings over the whole year?

Exactly. They look at your base period which is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. Then they use your highest earning quarter from that period.

This is confusing me so much. What if you worked multiple jobs during that time? Do they count all of them?

Yes, Washington ESD counts wages from all covered employers during your base period. So if you had multiple W-2 jobs, they'll all be included in the calculation.

Good point about taxes. I always forget that unemployment benefits are taxable income.

Wait unemployment is taxable?? I thought it was like welfare or something

Unemployment benefits are definitely taxable income. You'll get a 1099-G form at the end of the year and need to report it on your tax return.

Yikes, that's good to know. I'll definitely elect to have taxes withheld if I end up filing for unemployment.

How much did you end up owing if you don't mind me asking? Trying to figure out if I should have taxes taken out.

I owed about $2,800 in federal taxes on my unemployment benefits. It was a nasty surprise at tax time.

With partial unemployment, your weekly benefit amount stays the same but gets reduced by a portion of your part-time earnings. Washington ESD has a specific formula they use to calculate the reduction.

Ok that makes sense. So the $999 max would still apply, it's just that your actual payment might be less because of the part-time work.

If you file in December 2024, your base period would be July 2023 through June 2024. It's always the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim.

Got it, thanks. So they're looking pretty far back, not just recent earnings.

Yeah that's why it's important to file as soon as you become unemployed. The longer you wait, the older the earnings they'll be looking at.

I feel for you. The adjudication process can take forever and they're terrible at communicating what's happening. Have you tried getting help reaching someone by phone?

I've called hundreds of times. Either busy signal or they hang up on me after hours of waiting.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr. I was in a similar situation and couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD. They helped me actually connect with an agent who could explain what was holding up my claim. Saved me weeks of frustration.

At this point I'm willing to try anything. Thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks for confirming! Yeah it does seem like a decent amount compared to some other states.

Washington has one of the higher maximum benefits in the country. Some states cap it at like $400-500 per week.

The dependent allowance is separate from the base benefit amount. So if you qualify for the maximum $999 and have dependents, you could get an additional $25 per week for up to 5 dependents.

Sweet, so theoretically someone could get up to $1,124 per week if they max out both the base benefit and dependent allowances?

That's correct. $999 base maximum plus up to $125 for dependents equals $1,124 maximum possible weekly benefit.

Same here! I was dreading having to file for unemployment but at least the benefits seem reasonable.

Good reminder! I'll make sure to keep track of my job search activities if I end up needing to file.

Yeah they're pretty strict about the job search requirements. Make sure you understand what counts as a valid job search activity.

Exactly. And keep good records because they can audit your job search log at any time.