What is the unemployment pay rate in Washington - confused about weekly benefit amount

So if I made $15,000 in my highest quarter, that would be about $577 per week? That seems like a lot compared to what I was expecting.

Yes, that's right! Washington has one of the higher unemployment benefit rates in the country. Just remember you'll need to file your weekly claims and meet the job search requirements to keep getting paid.

It's actually not a straight percentage. Washington uses a formula based on your quarterly earnings during the base period. The calculation can vary quite a bit depending on your work history.

oh ok that makes sense why mine was different than what i expected then

Thanks, I'll look into that. I've been trying to call Washington ESD for two days but keep getting the busy signal.

I used Claimyr last month when I had questions about my adjudication. Got through to an agent the same day which was amazing considering how backed up they usually are.

I worked pretty consistently for the past year and a half, so hopefully that helps. Do they look at gross pay or net pay when calculating?

They use gross wages reported by your employers. So all your pre-tax earnings count toward the calculation.

Look for the line that says 'Weekly Benefit Amount' - that's what you'll get each week if you're approved for the full amount. The other numbers are things like your maximum benefit amount for the entire claim year.

ok found it! its $412 a week which is actually not bad. better than i thought it would be

Good point, I didn't think about taxes. Is it a lot? Should I have them withhold it automatically?

I'd recommend having them withhold 10% federal taxes. You can set this up in your eServices account. It's better than getting hit with a big tax bill later.

Washington doesn't have state income tax so at least you don't have to worry about that part.

That's good to know. I filed my initial claim in January 2025 so I should get the current rates.

Yeah the timing of when you file your claim matters for which benefit year rates you get. You got lucky filing in 2025!

Overtime counts as regular wages for the calculation. So if you had high overtime earnings in your base period quarters, that will increase your weekly benefit amount.

Sweet! I put in like 60 hour weeks for most of last year so hopefully that helps my benefit rate.

Just make sure all that overtime was properly reported by your employer. Sometimes there are discrepancies in the wage records.

It can take 2-4 weeks to get your monetary determination, especially if there are any issues with your wage records. If it's been 3 weeks you might want to call and check on the status.

I've tried calling but can never get through. The phone system just hangs up on me after being on hold forever.

That's exactly why I used claimyr.com when I needed to reach Washington ESD. Their system got me connected to an actual person instead of dealing with the busy signals all day.

Thanks! I just checked and my wages look accurate. Now I understand how they got to my weekly benefit amount.

That's really helpful. I was wondering where those numbers came from on my determination letter.

Yeah I've been doing my job search activities every week. Have to log 3 work search contacts per week in Washington.

Actually it's 3 job search activities per week, not necessarily 3 contacts. You can do things like attending job fairs or taking skills assessments too.

I'm not working right now but good to know for the future. Do you know what the threshold is before they start reducing benefits?

I think you can earn up to about $200 a week before they start deducting from your unemployment benefits, but don't quote me on that exact number.

It's actually more nuanced than that. They deduct 75% of your earnings over 25% of your weekly benefit amount. So it depends on your specific benefit rate.

The current system is designed to replace a higher percentage of wages for lower-income workers while still providing meaningful benefits for higher earners. It's progressive like the tax system.

I guess that makes sense from a policy perspective, but it definitely makes it confusing for regular people trying to figure out their benefits.

Yes, if there are errors in your wage records you can request a redetermination. You'll need to provide documentation like pay stubs or tax documents to support your claim.

Good to know. I have all my pay stubs saved so I can prove what I actually earned if needed.

If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about wage record issues, Claimyr might help you get through faster. I had a similar situation and their service saved me hours of calling.

Yeah my determination letter says I can get benefits for 26 weeks. Hopefully I'll find a job before then but it's good to know I have that time.

26 weeks goes by faster than you think. Start your job search right away even if you're getting decent benefits. The job market is competitive right now.