Why is my Washington ESD unemployment benefit amount so low?

Oh that makes sense... I started that job in March 2024 and got laid off in November. So my base period would include quarters when I was making way less at my old job.

Exactly. Washington ESD looks at your highest quarter wages to determine your weekly benefit amount. If your high-paying job didn't span multiple quarters, it really hurts your calculation.

Did you ever find out if there was a way to get it recalculated or appeal it?

tried calling washington esd like 50 times but could never get through. gave up eventually

How do I request that? Do I need to call or can I do it online?

You need to contact Washington ESD directly. Unfortunately their phone lines are swamped. I've had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they help you get through to an actual agent. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Never heard of that service before, is it legit? I'm desperate to get this sorted out.

I feel your frustration but getting angry won't help. The system has rules and if you understand them you can work within them.

Easy to say when you're not the one trying to pay bills on $150/week! These 'rules' are designed to screw over workers.

So if I made $11,000 in my highest quarter at the new job, that would be about $423/week right? But I'm only getting $180.

That suggests your base period doesn't include that high-earning quarter. You definitely need to look into the alternate base period option.

wait how do you know what your base period is? mine just says approved for $XXX but doesn't explain how they got that number

I got a letter but it was confusing. It showed wages for 2023 but not much for 2024 which is when I had my good job.

That confirms you need the alternate base period. It will include more of your 2024 wages in the calculation.

I filed within a week of being laid off, so timing wasn't the issue. It's just that I didn't work at the higher-paying job long enough.

Right, but for future reference, sometimes waiting a few weeks can shift your base period to include better quarters.

That's risky advice though. You lose benefit weeks if you wait to file, and there's no guarantee the alternate base period will be better.

Really? What did they help you with exactly?

Had an adjudication issue that was stuck for weeks. The agent was able to see what documents they needed and fast-track it.

How much did it cost? I'm hesitant to pay for something that should be free.

I've tried that multiple times. Either get a busy signal or sit on hold for hours before getting disconnected.

Fair enough. The call volume is definitely insane right now.

For 2024, the maximum weekly benefit amount in Washington is $999. It gets adjusted annually based on the state's average wage.

wow that's way more than i'm getting. so if someone made enough they could get almost $1000/week?

Yes, but you'd need to have earned around $25,000 in your highest quarter to qualify for the maximum.

That's exactly what I suspected. The alternate base period should include more of your 2024 wages and significantly increase your benefit amount.

I'm going to try calling first thing Monday morning. If that doesn't work I might try that Claimyr service.

That's a huge difference! How long did it take to get approved?

About 3 weeks once I finally got through to an agent. The hardest part was making contact with Washington ESD.

did they backdate the higher amount to when you first filed?

That would be amazing! I've already certified for 3 weeks at the lower amount.

Yep, they'll adjust all your prior weeks automatically once the new calculation is approved.

Good point. I should look into that. Do you know if getting food stamps affects your unemployment benefits?

Nope, they're separate programs. Getting SNAP won't affect your UI eligibility or amount.

You're absolutely right. It's worth the hassle to fight for the correct amount.

exactly. i see too many people just accept the low amount because they think that's all they qualify for

Let me know how it goes if you try to get yours recalculated. Maybe we can compare notes.

Will do! I'm going to try calling tomorrow morning.

That's the third positive review I've seen. Might be worth trying if calling directly doesn't work.

I'm still skeptical about paying for something that should be free, but I guess if it actually works...

I was skeptical too, but after wasting 20+ hours trying to get through the normal way, it was worth it to just get my issue resolved.

Great news! Keep us posted on what your new benefit amount ends up being.

Awesome! You should see a significant increase based on your wages.

Congrats on getting through! I'm still trying to reach them but this gives me hope.

Agreed. The Washington ESD website doesn't explain it clearly enough.

Yeah, they make it sound like your benefit is just based on your recent job, but it's much more complicated than that.

Fantastic! That's more than double your original amount. Shows how important it is to understand these rules.

This is so encouraging! I just submitted my request for alternate base period yesterday.

Congrats! That back pay is going to be a nice chunk of change too.