What is unemployment maximum benefit amount in Washington ESD 2025?

Thanks! So with my salary I should hit that maximum then. Do you know how they calculate the base period?

Your base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file your claim. So if you file now it would be Q4 2023 through Q3 2024.

You're right, it was $929 in 2024. The maximum gets adjusted annually based on the state's average weekly wage calculations.

ok cool so it did go up a decent amount this year

Have you tried using Claimyr? I found it at claimyr.com when I was having the same problem. They help you get through to an actual Washington ESD agent without waiting on hold forever. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit - they basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration.

Good point about the part-time earnings. I wasn't planning to work while claiming but that's useful to know.

Yeah and don't forget you still have to do the job search requirements even if you're getting the maximum benefit amount

Washington doesn't have dependent allowances for unemployment benefits. The $999 maximum is it, regardless of family size.

Bummer, thanks for clarifying though

That's exactly what happened to me! Took forever to get someone on the phone to explain what documents they needed. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got connected to an agent the same day.

Wish I had known about that when I was dealing with my mess. Would have saved so much stress.

True, and you have to be actively job searching the whole time. They're pretty strict about the job search log requirements.

Exactly. Three job search activities per week minimum, and they do audit them.

That's still a decent amount! How long did it take for them to process your initial claim?

About 5 business days to get my monetary determination. No issues so far but I know that can change quickly with Washington ESD.

Good reminder. I always have them withhold 10% federal tax from my benefits to avoid a big bill at tax time.

Smart move. Washington has no state income tax but you'll still owe federal on the full amount.

Standby benefits use the same benefit calculation as regular UI. The difference is you don't have to do job search activities since you have a specific return-to-work date.

Perfect, that's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks for the clarification!

That's an important distinction. Also affects your job search requirements - you have to be searching for the type of work you're available for.

Exactly. Can't claim you're available for full-time work if you're only actually available part-time.

How strict are they about the weekly claim deadlines? Like if you file a day late what happens?

You can file late but it triggers additional verification steps and delays your payment. Best to just file every Sunday like clockwork.

And if you do have issues with late filing, that's another situation where services like Claimyr can help you get through to someone at Washington ESD to sort it out quickly.

Yeah this happened to my coworker. He was supposed to get $800/week but they were deducting $200 for an old overpayment.

Yep, they'll take up to 25% of your weekly benefit to recover past overpayments. Important to know about before you budget based on the full amount.