What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Washington - confused about weekly amounts

Thanks! So if I made $95k last year, would I automatically get the maximum amount?

Not necessarily. Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount as a percentage of your average weekly wages during your base period. You'd need to earn enough in your base period quarters to qualify for the maximum.

It's actually calculated using your two highest quarters in your base period, not just the highest one. Washington ESD takes your total earnings from those two quarters, divides by 26 weeks, then applies their benefit formula.

oh that makes more sense then. i was wondering how they came up with my amount

I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They actually help you get through to Washington ESD agents by calling for you. I was skeptical at first but watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ) and decided to try it. Got connected to an agent within 2 hours instead of spending days trying myself.

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

They focus more on the value than the price from what I remember. For me it was worth it just to avoid the stress of calling repeatedly. The agent was able to explain my benefit calculation in detail.

I understand your frustration, but being in adjudication doesn't mean your benefit amount calculation is wrong. Often claims get held up for identity verification or work separation issues, not benefit calculations.

Well they could at least tell me that instead of leaving me in the dark for weeks! I have bills to pay.

Good point about taxes! I forgot about that. So the actual amount would be less than $999 if I choose withholding.

Exactly. Many people don't realize this and get surprised at tax time. Better to have it withheld upfront in my opinion.

The weekly benefit amount is the same regardless of whether you're on standby or regular unemployment. Standby just means you have a definite return-to-work date with your employer, but the benefit calculation is identical.

Thanks for clarifying that! I was confused about the difference.

Yeah it was $844 just a few years ago. The increases help but still doesn't keep up with Seattle area cost of living unfortunately.

Yes, bonuses count as wages for unemployment purposes as long as they were reported on your W-2. They'll be included in your quarterly earnings that Washington ESD uses for your benefit calculation.

Perfect, that should help my benefit amount then. Thanks!

You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before your benefits are completely reduced to zero. But any earnings over 1/4 of your weekly benefit amount will reduce your benefits dollar for dollar.

That's more complicated than I thought. Good thing I asked before taking that gig work.

The online calculator is just an estimate. Your actual benefit amount depends on the wage records Washington ESD has on file, which might be different from what you think you earned due to timing of when employers report wages.

That makes sense. I guess the calculator can only work with the info you put in.

How long did it take them to get you connected?

It was a couple hours. Way better than the days I spent trying to call myself and getting nowhere.

Wait, so even if I qualify for 26 weeks, I might not get the full 26 weeks?

Correct. Your total benefit entitlement is calculated separately from your weekly amount. You get the lesser of 26 weeks or your total benefit entitlement divided by your weekly benefit amount.

Because unemployment is designed to partially replace your lost wages based on your work history over time, not just your most recent job. The base period calculation helps ensure benefits are fair across different employment situations.

Good point. Being laid off like the OP should qualify, but if you quit or got fired for misconduct, you might not be eligible at all regardless of the benefit amount.

Yeah but it's still not enough to cover most people's actual expenses, especially in Seattle. Better than nothing though.

Washington ESD usually announces the new maximum weekly benefit amount in late fall, and it takes effect January 1st. It's based on the state's average weekly wage from the previous year.

Good luck! Make sure to file your weekly claims on time once you get approved. Missing even one week can cause delays.

Good to know. Hopefully I won't need to appeal but I'll keep that timeline in mind.

Agreed! It's nice to see people actually helping each other instead of just complaining about the system.

This is really helpful information! I didn't know about the detailed breakdown on their website. I've been struggling to understand why my estimated amount seemed different from what I calculated myself. The part about gaps in employment during the base period is especially important - I had a few months between jobs last year so that might explain some of the difference. Thanks for pointing out that resource!