What's the max unemployment benefit amount in Washington ESD right now?

Thanks! That's higher than I expected. Do you know how they calculate it exactly?

It's your highest quarter earnings divided by 26, but capped at that $999 maximum. Most people don't hit the max unless they were making really good money.

That sounds about right for that income level. The formula is pretty straightforward once you understand it.

I tried that but couldn't find the calculator. Is it on the main ESD page?

It's under the 'Apply for Benefits' section. Sometimes the site is slow to load though.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works.

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

It's legit. I was skeptical too but they actually got me connected to an ESD agent within a few hours. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

Yeah I wasn't making anywhere near that much. Just wanted to know what the ceiling was.

This is confusing. So which formula do they actually use?

They use whichever gives you the LOWER amount. It's designed to prevent people from getting too much compared to what they actually earned.

Exactly right. And your total benefit amount is usually 26 times your weekly benefit, assuming you're eligible for the full 26 weeks.

The minimum weekly benefit is $295 in Washington. You need to have earned at least $7,686 in your base period to qualify for any benefits at all.

Good to know, thanks!

It gets adjusted annually based on the state's average weekly wage. The $999 is for 2025, but it was lower in previous years.

Makes sense. Thanks for the info!

Good point. I'm still figuring out all the requirements. It's more complicated than I thought it would be.

That's a separate issue from benefit calculations. You should probably appeal the overpayment if you think it's wrong.

Yeah I'm working on that. Just frustrated because it's holding up everything.

Try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. I used it last week and finally got to talk to an actual person at ESD.

I'll check it out. At this point I'm willing to try anything.

That helps give me an idea of what to expect. Thanks for sharing!

Wait, unemployment is taxable? I didn't know that.

yeah it counts as income. you can have taxes withheld automatically or pay when you file your return

It is confusing at first. The key is understanding your base period earnings and how they calculate from there.

The training allowance is separate from the maximum benefit calculation. So you could get $999 plus the $25 if you qualify for both.

Good to know. I'm considering enrolling in a training program.

Agreed. Their website is not user-friendly at all.

Sometimes there are adjustments after they process your claim fully. Could be they found additional earnings or there was an error in the initial calculation.

That makes sense. I'll tell her to check with ESD about it.

Totally agree! Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain all this.

Good tip. I'll make sure to have everything organized before I apply.

Definitely keep all your documentation. Washington ESD can request verification at any time during your claim.