What is the most you can collect on Washington ESD unemployment - maximum weekly benefit amount?

Thanks! That's higher than I expected. My calculated amount on the Washington ESD site is showing $847 so I guess that's based on my actual earnings during the base period.

Yeah the $999 max is pretty recent, it used to be much lower. Most people don't hit the cap unless they were making really good money in tech or finance.

That makes sense with what I'm seeing on my claim. I had some really strong quarters last year with bonuses included.

Wait I'm confused about the base period thing. Is that the last 4 quarters or something different? My Washington ESD calculation seems off.

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

I was having the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. I used it last month when my claim was stuck in adjudication and finally got through. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Interesting, I hadn't heard of that. Does it actually work? I'm desperate at this point.

Yeah it worked for me. They handle all the calling and waiting, then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Way better than spending my whole day redialing.

Yeah I've been keeping track through WorkSource. The job search requirement is pretty manageable if you stay on top of it.

What counts as a job search activity? I've been applying to jobs but not sure what else qualifies.

Job applications, networking events, career fairs, informational interviews, WorkSource workshops, updating your resume with a professional - lots of things count. Just keep detailed records of everything.

Good point, I forgot about that. I should probably set up the tax withholding to avoid a big bill next year.

Yeah definitely do the withholding. I got hit with a huge tax bill last year because I forgot unemployment was taxable.

It's still 26 weeks for regular unemployment benefits in Washington. The duration hasn't changed, just the maximum weekly amount has increased over the years.

Thanks, that's what I thought but wanted to confirm. So theoretically someone could collect $25,974 total if they got the max for all 26 weeks.

Yep, assuming they don't find work sooner and meet all the requirements each week.

I used that before filing and it was spot on with what my actual benefit amount ended up being.

That calculator is helpful but sometimes the earnings data they have on file isn't complete, especially if you had multiple employers.

Yeah I've been setting reminders to file every Sunday. The system seems pretty strict about deadlines.

You can file up to one week late and still get paid for that week, but after that you lose it completely.

Exactly, and if you're doing any part-time work you have to report every penny. They will find out if you don't.

Washington has one of the higher maximums in the country. Some states cap out at $400-500 per week, while others like Massachusetts are up around $900+. Cost of living plays a big role.

Yeah we're lucky here. My cousin in Florida maxes out at like $275 per week which is basically nothing.

I ended up trying Claimyr too after seeing it mentioned here. Got connected to Washington ESD within a few hours and finally got my benefit calculation question answered. Much better than the weeks I spent trying to call myself.

How much does that service cost? I'm tempted to try it but money is tight right now.

I think it's worth it considering how much time it saves, but you can check their pricing on the website. For me it was worth not having to spend days calling.

How do you check if all your employers are listed correctly? Is that something you can see in your Washington ESD account?

You should be able to see your wage record in your online account. If something looks missing or wrong, you can contact Washington ESD to have them investigate and potentially add missing wages.

This happened to me - one of my employers hadn't reported my last quarter of wages. Once Washington ESD added them, my weekly benefit went from $523 to $687.

Right, and if you're in a specialized field like tech, they expect you to be looking for comparable positions, not just any job.

Though if you've been unemployed for a while, they may expect you to broaden your search. The longer you're on benefits, the more flexible they want you to be about job types and pay.

This is really helpful information! I didn't realize you could appeal the benefit calculation. How do you actually file an appeal with Washington ESD? Is it something you can do online or do you have to mail paperwork? I'm wondering if my calculation might be off since I had some contract work mixed in with my regular W-2 employment during the base period.

You can file an appeal online through your Washington ESD account - there should be an "Appeals" section where you can submit your request and upload any supporting documents. You'll want to gather all your pay stubs, tax documents, and anything else that shows your actual earnings during the base period. Contract work can definitely complicate the calculation since they might not have all your 1099 income properly recorded. I'd recommend being very detailed in your appeal about exactly why you think the calculation is wrong and include as much documentation as possible.

Thanks for sharing this! I had no idea about the 30-day appeal window. That's really good to know since I've been second-guessing my benefit amount calculation. I worked for three different companies during my base period and one of them was acquired halfway through, so I'm wondering if all my wages got reported correctly. Did you have to get a lawyer or representative for your appeal, or were you able to handle it yourself? Also, how long did the whole appeals process take from start to finish?

I handled my appeal myself without a lawyer - the process is actually pretty straightforward if you have your documentation organized. From filing to getting the decision took about 3 months total. There was an initial review, then a phone hearing with an administrative law judge where I could explain my case and provide evidence. The judge was fair and asked good questions about my wage records. Since you had a company acquisition during your base period, definitely check that all your wages transferred correctly in their system - that's exactly the kind of thing that can get missed. You can request a copy of your complete wage record from Washington ESD to verify everything before deciding whether to appeal.

This is super useful info! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation where I think my benefit calculation might be wrong. I was making around $85k at my last job but my weekly benefit amount seems lower than what I'd expect based on the $999 maximum. I had some stock options vest during my base period that showed up as wages, plus regular salary, so I'm wondering if Washington ESD calculated everything correctly. The appeal process sounds intimidating but if there's potentially more money I'm entitled to, it might be worth pursuing. Did you have to pay anything to file the appeal, or is it free through the Washington ESD system?

Appeals through Washington ESD are completely free to file - no fees involved. With stock options vesting during your base period, that's definitely something worth looking into since those can show up as large wage spikes that might not be calculated properly in their system. Stock compensation can be tricky because it might get reported in a different quarter than when you actually earned the underlying value. I'd suggest logging into your Washington ESD account and looking at your quarterly wage breakdown first to see if those stock options are showing up correctly in the right quarters. If the numbers look off compared to your pay stubs and tax documents, an appeal could definitely be worth it, especially at your income level where you might be closer to that $999 maximum.

This is really valuable information about the appeals process! I'm currently receiving unemployment benefits but I suspect my calculation might be incorrect. I had a complex employment situation during my base period - I was laid off from one tech company in Q2, then worked as a contractor for a few months, and then got hired full-time at another company before getting laid off again. The quarterly wage distribution looks weird in my Washington ESD account and I'm only getting $623 per week, which seems low given my earnings history. How detailed do you need to be in the appeal documentation? Should I include contracts, invoices from my freelance work, and all pay stubs, or just focus on the most relevant documents that show the discrepancy?