What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Washington State 2025?

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

They look at the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. So if you filed in January 2025, they'd look at Q1 2024 through Q4 2024.

Your benefit amount depends on how much you earned in your base period. If you were making minimum wage or part-time work, $400 sounds about right for your situation.

makes sense i guess. my job wasnt paying that much anyway

Thanks! That's higher than I expected. Do you know if that includes the additional federal supplement or is that just the state benefit?

That's just the Washington state benefit. There's no federal supplement right now like there was during COVID.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr.com - it's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?

I don't remember the exact price but it was worth it to finally talk to someone. Way better than spending hours trying to call myself.

No, it's definitely $999 for 2025. They update it every year based on the state average wage. You might be thinking of last year's amount.

oh ok thanks for clarifying, good to know it went up

That makes sense. My salary was around $85k so I'm trying to calculate what I might actually receive.

With an $85k salary, you'd likely qualify for close to the maximum, but the exact amount depends on how your earnings were distributed across quarters in your base period.

I didn't know about the dependency allowance! I have two kids, so that would be an extra $50 per week for me?

Yes, exactly. You'll need to provide documentation for your dependents when you file your claim.

Wait, is this for regular unemployment or does it include other programs too? I'm on standby status through my union.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents automatically. Check out claimyr.com - they have 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. How much does it cost?

It's worth checking out their site for pricing details. For me, the time saved was definitely worth it since I was burning through cell phone minutes trying to call Washington ESD every day.

Good to know! My union rep mentioned something about this but wasn't sure about the exact amounts.

Your benefit isn't based on your total annual income - it's calculated from your highest earning quarter in the base period. If your income was spread evenly throughout the year, you might not hit the maximum threshold in any single quarter.

That makes no sense! Why wouldn't they just use your annual salary?

The quarterly system is designed to reflect your recent earnings pattern. If you want to verify your calculation, you can request a monetary determination review from Washington ESD.

Correct, the duration is typically 26 weeks for regular UI benefits, regardless of your weekly benefit amount. The weekly amount and duration are calculated separately by Washington ESD.

Good to know, thanks for confirming that.

The $999 maximum applies to regular UI benefits. Standby benefits might be different since they're for temporary layoffs. You'd need to check with Washington ESD for standby-specific amounts.

I was on standby last year and got the same weekly amount as I would have gotten on regular UI. The benefit calculation seemed the same.

You actually used Claimyr? I'm still on the fence about trying it. Did they ask for a lot of personal information?

nah it was pretty simple. just needed basic info to set up the call. way easier than what i was doing before

I agree their website could be clearer. The base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. So if you filed in January 2025, your base period would be January 2024 through December 2024.

Thank you! That actually helps me understand it better. I wish they explained it that simply on their site.

Yes, the distribution matters because they look at your highest earning quarter specifically. If your $80k was spread evenly, you'd qualify for a higher benefit than if most of it was concentrated in one quarter that falls outside your base period.

ugh this is so confusing, guess i need to call washington esd but we all know how that goes

Good point about the job search requirements. Do you know how many job contacts they require per week for the maximum benefit?

It's the same requirement regardless of benefit amount - 3 job search activities per week that you log in WorkSourceWA.

That's the gross amount before taxes. You can choose to have federal and state taxes withheld from your benefits, or you can pay them when you file your tax return.

Thanks! I'll probably have them withhold taxes to avoid a big bill later.

I understand the frustration but the benefits do help people get through tough times. The phone system definitely needs improvement though.

Fair enough, I'm just frustrated after weeks of trying to get answers about my claim.

Was it worth it? I'm still on the fence about trying a third-party service.

For me it was definitely worth it. I had been trying to call for three weeks with no luck. The agent was able to explain exactly how my benefit amount was calculated.

Good point! Do you know when they typically announce the new rates each year?

Usually around October or November for the following year, but it can vary.

That's reassuring to hear. Six months seems like a reasonable amount of time to find something good.

yeah he was being picky about finding the right job which i think was smart with that level of benefits

You're partially right. The formula is more complex - it's based on your two highest quarters, but there's also a maximum cap. Even if 60% of your wages would be higher than $1,015, you still can't get more than the state maximum.

Ah okay, so the $1,015 is like a ceiling that you can't go above no matter what.

Yes, unemployment benefits are taxable income regardless of the amount. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your weekly benefits or pay them when you file your tax return.

Thanks for the clarification. I'll probably have them withhold taxes to avoid a surprise bill next year.

They do post updates on their website, but you're right that they could do better with notifications.

True, I guess I should check their site more regularly.

Absolutely. It gives you time to find a job that matches your previous salary level rather than taking the first minimum wage job available.

Exactly! That's the whole point of unemployment insurance - giving people time to find appropriate work.

Glad we could help! That's what these forums are for - sharing information when the official sources aren't clear enough.

Agreed! This thread has been super helpful for understanding how the maximum benefits work.

Good reminder about partial benefits. Many people don't realize you can still collect some unemployment while working part-time.

Right, and it's better to report everything accurately than risk an overpayment issue later.

Washington ESD adjusts the maximum benefit amount annually based on changes in the state's average weekly wage. It usually gets announced in the fall for the following year.

Yeah I remember it being lower in 2023, so it definitely goes up most years.

Don't worry - Washington ESD does all the calculations for you. You just provide your work history and they determine your benefit amount based on their records. If you disagree with their calculation, you can always appeal.

Okay that's a relief. I was stressing about having to do math with all these quarters and percentages.

Same here! I had to provide pay stubs from all my jobs. Washington ESD eventually got it figured out but it delayed my first payment by like 3 weeks.

Yeah the multiple employer thing definitely makes it more complex. Worth it though if you qualify for a higher benefit amount.

You should be able to get it added retroactively if you contact Washington ESD and provide the required documentation for your dependent. It might take some time to process though.

awesome thanks! gonna call them tomorrow... well gonna try to call them lol

If you can't get through on the phone, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier might help. I've used it a couple times now when I needed to talk to someone at Washington ESD.

Good point. In Washington you can collect for up to 26 weeks, but that's based on your total benefit amount, not the weekly amount.

Exactly. So if you're getting the maximum weekly benefit, you want to make sure you're actively job searching to make the most of it.

This happens sometimes, especially if there are discrepancies in wage reporting between you and your employer. You can request a wage transcript to verify what earnings Washington ESD has on file for you.

How do I request that? Through the website or do I need to call?

You can request it through your SecureAccess Washington account online, or you can call. If you need to call and have trouble getting through, some people have had luck with services like Claimyr to get connected faster.

Same here! I had no idea about the dependency allowance or how the quarterly calculations worked.

I noticed the same confusion! From what I've been able to piece together from this thread, it looks like there might be some outdated information floating around. The most recent posts seem to indicate it's $1,015 for 2025, but I'd recommend double-checking on the official Washington ESD website to be absolutely sure before you file. These amounts do change annually so it's always best to verify with the source.