What is the maximum weekly benefit for unemployment in Washington State?

Wow that's higher than I expected! How do they calculate if you qualify for the maximum amount?

They look at your base year earnings and take the highest quarter, then calculate your weekly benefit as roughly 3.85% of that quarter's earnings, capped at the maximum.

Good point about taxes. I should probably have them withhold taxes to avoid owing a bunch at tax time.

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

That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate at this point. I'll check it out.

Claimyr actually worked for me too. I was skeptical but they got me connected to an agent who explained my benefit calculation in detail.

Washington has one of the higher maximum weekly benefits in the country. The 50% rule is a general guideline but each state sets their own maximums and formulas.

Yeah Washington's benefits are pretty generous compared to states like Florida or Texas where the max is much lower.

That's scary. How did you resolve the overpayment issue?

Had to file an appeal and provide documentation proving I reported everything correctly. Took months to resolve.

No, the dependent allowance is separate. You can get an additional $25 per week for each dependent child up to 5 children, so potentially $125 more per week on top of the maximum.

Perfect, thanks for clarifying that!

Same here. The maximum sounds nice but most people don't qualify for it.

At least you're getting something. I'm still waiting for my claim to be approved after 6 weeks of adjudication.

Yes, Washington ESD adjusts the maximum weekly benefit amount annually based on average wages in the state. It's gone up significantly over the past few years.

It was $929 in 2023 and $999 in 2024, so the jump to $1,079 for 2025 is pretty substantial.

The job search requirement doesn't affect your benefit amount - you still get the same weekly payment. But you do need to complete at least 3 job search activities per week and log them in your WorkSource account.

The job search requirement is such a pain. I spend more time logging activities than actually looking for work.

Your base year is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. So if you filed in January 2025, your base year would be October 2023 through September 2024.

That makes sense. Thanks for explaining it clearly!

I had the same experience until someone told me about Claimyr. They call Washington ESD for you and get you connected to an actual person. Worth every penny to avoid the phone tree nightmare.

I'll definitely look into that. I can't keep wasting entire days trying to reach someone.

Unless there are federal extensions like during the pandemic, but those are rare.

Good point about the 26 week limit. I hadn't thought about the total maximum amount.

Exactly. The maximum gets all the attention but the median benefit amount is probably much lower.

I think the average weekly benefit in Washington is around $550, so most people are nowhere near the maximum.

Agreed! I learned way more here than I could find on the official website.