What percentage does unemployment pay in Washington - confused about benefit amount calculation

Washington unemployment benefits are calculated based on your highest earning quarter from your base period, not a straight percentage. They take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then that's your weekly benefit amount. There's also a minimum and maximum - currently minimum is $295/week and maximum is $1019/week for 2025.

i think it works out to roughly 50% for most people but the formula is weird. when i got my benefits last year it was about half my regular pay but i had to wait forever to get through to someone at washington esd to explain it

The Washington ESD benefit calculator isn't based on a fixed percentage like some states. It uses a formula: (Highest quarter wages ÷ 26) = Weekly Benefit Amount. So if your highest quarter was $11,000, you'd get about $423/week. Most people end up getting somewhere between 40-60% of their average weekly wage, depending on their earnings pattern.

Wait, there's a maximum? I thought you just got whatever the formula calculated. I was making good money before I got laid off, like $28/hour, so does that mean I'm capped?

The whole system is confusing as hell. I've been on unemployment twice and still don't fully understand how they calculate it. First time I got $340/week, second time I got $290/week even though I thought I was making more money the second time around.

This is so stressful trying to figure out what I'll get. I filed my claim 2 weeks ago and it's still showing pending. How am I supposed to plan my budget if I don't even know when I'll get paid or how much?

I think the percentage thing is just a rule of thumb people use but it's not how Washington actually calculates it. My brother got about 45% of his regular pay, I got about 55% of mine. Depends on your specific situation.

For what it's worth, most people I know who've been on unemployment in Washington get somewhere around $300-500 per week, which usually works out to be less than half their regular income. It's really not enough to maintain your normal lifestyle.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO SCREW OVER WORKING PEOPLE! They make it impossible to get through on the phone, the benefits are barely enough to survive on, and they make you jump through a million hoops. It's ridiculous!

Just went through this myself. Made about $50K last year and my weekly benefit came out to $461/week. So for me it was pretty close to 50% but I know it varies based on when you worked and how your earnings were distributed throughout the year.

Here's a tip - you can estimate your benefit amount before you even file by looking at your paystubs from the last year and figuring out your highest earning quarter. Just add up 3 months of gross pay and divide by 26.

been on ui twice in washington and both times it was definitely not 50%. more like 40% of what i was actually bringing home. you really gotta tighten your budget

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator tool but I found it kind of confusing to use. Easier to just wait and see what they actually give you once your claim is processed.

Whatever you do, don't count on getting the maximum benefit unless you were making really good money. Most regular working people get somewhere in the $300-600 range per week.

One thing to keep in mind is that your benefit amount stays the same for your entire benefit year, even if you had a higher paying job more recently. It's all based on that base period calculation.

Update for anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD - I used Claimyr again yesterday to check on a relative's claim status and they got me connected within 20 minutes. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected. Really recommend it if you need to talk to someone about your benefit calculation or claim issues.

Bottom line - don't expect unemployment to replace your full income. Plan for getting maybe 40-50% of what you were making and budget accordingly. And start looking for work immediately because the job search requirements are real.