What percentage of my salary do I get from Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

So it's based on quarterly earnings, not just my last salary? That's confusing. I was only at this job for 8 months.

Exactly. They look at all your covered wages during your base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. So if you had other jobs before this one, those wages count too.

That sounds about right for someone making good money. I'm hoping I'll get close to that amount.

The calculation is more complex than that. It's based on your highest quarter divided by 26, but there are different formulas depending on your earnings level.

How much did that cost? I don't want to pay a bunch of money just to find out my benefit amount.

It was worth it for me because I had other complications with my claim too. But you might be able to get an estimate using the online calculator first.

Never heard of Claimyr but calling Washington ESD is definitely a nightmare. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone.

This is super helpful! So if I was making $4,200 monthly ($969 weekly), I'd get about 65% of that, which would be around $630 per week?

That's roughly correct, but remember it depends on your earnings history, not just your last job. If you had lower-paying jobs before, it could reduce your benefit amount.

Wait, I'm confused. I thought it was based on your last job's salary? This is way more complicated than I expected.

Yikes, that's way less than I was hoping for. How do people survive on that little?

thats why you gotta find another job quick, unemployment isnt meant to replace your full salary

I feel you on this. The benefits definitely don't cover what you're used to spending when you had a good job.

So if I started my current job in May 2024 and got laid off in December 2024, they'd look at my wages from May through September 2024?

Exactly. And if you didn't work the full quarters, or had lower wages during part of that period, it affects your benefit calculation.

Like I mentioned earlier, I used Claimyr to get through. They helped me reach an agent who could see my account details and explain the calculation. Way better than trying to call myself.

I might have to try that. I've been calling for 2 weeks straight and either get busy signals or disconnected after waiting on hold.

The phone system is definitely broken. I tried calling yesterday and gave up after 3 hours.

It's designed to prevent people from gaming the system by taking a high-paying job briefly just to get higher benefits. The base period ensures benefits are based on sustained work history.

I guess that makes sense, but it's still confusing for people who legitimately had job changes.

That's actually pretty close to what I was hoping for! Did you have steady employment during your base period?

yeah worked the same job for almost 2 years before getting laid off. think that helped with the calculation

I tried that but wasn't sure which quarters to use. The instructions weren't super clear about the base period calculation.

Yeah, the interface could be better. You basically count back 5 quarters from when you file, then use quarters 1-4 of those 5.

I had to use the alternate base period because I didn't have enough wages in the regular one. Made the calculation even more confusing.

Good to know that service actually works. I might try it if I can't figure out my benefit amount from the online tools.

How long did it take for them to get you connected to someone?

Way faster than trying to call myself. I think it was like 15 minutes versus the hours I wasted before.

Oh wow, I didn't even think about taxes. So if I get $600 weekly and choose withholding, it's actually $540?

Exactly. And if you don't withhold, you'll owe taxes when you file your return next year. Most people choose to withhold to avoid a big tax bill later.

That range seems realistic based on what everyone else is saying. I'm hoping to be on the higher end since I had steady employment.

I got $412 weekly and was making $3200 monthly, so definitely on the lower end of that range.

How much is the dependency allowance? I don't have kids but good to know for others.

I think it's like $25 per dependent child, but there's a cap on the total you can get. Better than nothing though.

It's complicated but it's actually more fair than a simple percentage. It prevents abuse and ensures benefits are based on actual work history rather than just your most recent job.

I guess, but it sure makes it hard to plan when you don't know what you'll get until after you file.

That's a realistic expectation. I'll plan my budget around getting maybe $600-700 weekly and hope for the best.

Smart approach. Better to budget conservatively than count on getting more than you actually will.

Yeah, I've been reading about the job search log requirements. Seems like you need to apply to 3 jobs per week minimum.

Exactly, and keep good records because they do audit claims. Make sure you're actually applying and not just going through the motions.

That's exactly my situation - I had 2 different jobs during the base period. Might be worth calling to get it explained properly.

Definitely recommend using Claimyr if you need to actually talk to someone. Made the whole process much clearer for me when I had questions about my calculation.

3 weeks seems like a long time! Have you tried calling to check on the status?

Tried calling but never got through. My online account just says 'pending' with no other details. Frustrating.