Will ESD ever raise weekly benefit amounts? $999 max isn't enough for Seattle families in 2025

the max was like $790 for years then they finally bumped it up to $999 in 2023 i think. still way too low tho with rent being like $3000+ for anything decent sized. system is broken man

The benefit amount calculation is actually set by state law, not just ESD policy. The maximum benefit amount is calculated as a percentage of the state's average weekly wage from the previous year. Until the legislature changes the formula, ESD can't just decide to increase the amounts. For perspective, in 2021 the max was around $850, then it went up to $929 in 2022, and hit $999 in 2023. So there are annual adjustments, but they're tied to wage growth across the state, which hasn't kept pace with housing costs, especially in King County.

I worked at WorkSource for several years, and this was one of the most common complaints we heard. The benefit formula is meant to replace approximately 60% of your wages up to the maximum, which is why it varies by person. The issue is that housing costs have risen much faster than wages, especially in urban areas. One thing to consider - the unemployment system wasn't originally designed to fully replace income long-term. It was meant to be a temporary bridge during job transitions. That said, I completely agree the amounts haven't kept pace with reality in high-cost areas. If you feel strongly about this, contact your state representatives. The formula can only be changed through legislation.

If you're struggling with the ESD phone system while trying to resolve benefit amount questions or other claim issues, you might want to try Claimyr. They helped me get through to an actual ESD agent after I'd been trying for weeks. Their system holds your place in line so you don't have to keep redialing. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 I was skeptical at first but was desperate after getting disconnected repeatedly for two weeks straight. Finally got my issue resolved the same day I used their service.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!! I was on unemployment in 2020 and again now and they haven't changed ANYTHING meaningful. They expect people to survive on these pittance amounts while the politicians get rich. And don't even get me started on how they calculate the benefit amount - they use your two highest QUARTERS, not your actual highest EARNINGS period. So if you had one amazing month and then average months, they average it all together and you get WAY LESS than you deserve!!!!!

I recently wrote to my state representative about this very issue! She wrote back saying there's actually a bill in committee right now that would change the formula to account for regional cost of living differences, but it's been stuck for months. Apparently, there are concerns about increasing business taxes to fund higher benefits. What's frustrating is that many of us paid into this system based on much higher wages than the benefits we're eligible to receive. My previous job paid $125k/year, but because of the cap, my unemployment is less than half of what I was making. How am I supposed to maintain my mortgage payments?

yeh its rough my brother got laid off from amazon and his unemployment is like half what he was making even tho he was paying into the system for years. cant even cover rent with that let alone everything else

I'm in a similar situation - family of 5 in Kirkland. When I lost my tech job, going from $175k to maximum unemployment was a MASSIVE shock. We're burning through savings just to keep up with the mortgage. The thing is, I understand the system was designed decades ago when having a max benefit made sense - most people weren't earning what tech/healthcare/professional services pay now. The system hasn't evolved to match the modern economy. On the flip side, I spoke with a friend who lost a retail job in Spokane, and for her, the benefits are actually not bad compared to her previous income. Shows how much geographic disparity there is.

Just as an update on the timeline - I looked it up and the maximum weekly benefit amount increases each July based on the previous year's average annual wage. So the $999 amount was set in July 2023 based on 2022 wages and will adjust again this July (2025) based on the state's average wage from 2024. As several people noted, the challenge is that it's a statewide average that doesn't account for regional differences. The benefit amount is intended to be approximately 63% of your average weekly wage, up to that maximum cap. For anyone wanting to advocate for change, the relevant laws are in RCW 50.20.120.