How much unemployment benefits you get depends on the State you live in and the income you received in your two highest earning quarters of your last year. Not sure what a base year or a high earning quarter is? This article will explain what those and other Employment Security Department jargon words mean and help you check your own benefit entitlements.

State Maximums and Minimums

First, your unemployment benefit maximums and minimums are set by State law. For example, states like Massachusetts offer a maximum of $942 a week, Rhode Island $660 and Connecticut $594. On the other end of the scale you have Florida and Tennessee with $275 and Mississippi with $230 a week. Bare in mind these reflect maximum amounts. You could get $942 a week in Massachusetts, but as you will see, for that to happen you need to have declared a large income the previous year.

In Washington State the maximum weekly benefits check is $5 70 and the minimum is $135.

However these figures have a habit of changing depending on the going State stimulus package and Employment Security Department’s ever changing guidelines.

Calculator Time

To calculate your weekly benefits in Washington State follow these instructions.

1) Work out what your base year is. Your base is year is the first four quarters of your last five quarters. So if you file for unemployment on April the 1st, 2010, the last five quarters would start 15 months earlier on January 2009 and your base year would go from January 2008 January 2010. If you still are unsure of what a quarter is check step 2.

2) Find out which were your top two paying quarters. A quarter is a three-month period starting with the January to March quarter. The second quarter is April to June, the third July to September and the fourth October to December.

3) Add the total income you earned in your top paying quarters.

4) Divide your total income for your two top-paying quarters by two.

5) Multiply by 0.0385

The result is your estimated weekly check.

Remember though, to qualify for unemployment benefits you must have worked at least 680 hours and lost your job through no fault of your your own. To remain eligible for your weekly unemployment compensation payments you must be fit and willing to start full time work immediately, actively search for work and file your weekly claims with the Washington Employment Security Department.

However, there are some exceptions. For instance, if you leave work voluntarily to protect yourself or your family from domestic violence or stalking or because your spouse is transferred, you may still be able to claim for benefits.

Claiming your unemployment benefits can be a long and frustrating exercise if you don’t know how the system works. If, like me, you hate talking to machines and being kept on hold for hours on end, this article is for you. We will explain in detail how to file your unemployment claim and prepare you for the answers you will be asked in the online forms.

Please understand that filing your weekly claim is vital if you want to receive your unemployment benefits. If you miss just one week, your payments will automatically freeze and your claim will be inactive until you reopen it.

Where do you file the claim?

Click here to visit Washington State’s online claim webpage.

What information must you supply?

Personal Information

Washington’s Employment Security Department must confirm you are who you claim to be. Answer all the questions truthfully. If you lie on this questionnaire you could be disqualified from receiving benefits altogether.

First, you must supply your Social Security Number twice, to avoid mistakes.  You must read the terms and conditions of the website and click on “I agree”.

Fill in the contact information form. You will need to supply your first, middle, last and previous last name (if you have used it in the last five years). Fill in your mailing address, contact telephone number, email and click on the box allowing the ESD to contact you with information on your claim.

You must also supply your age, gender, date of birth, ethnic background, language spoken, your military background (if any) and details on any disabilities you have. The form also requests your citizen status in the U.S. If you are not a citizen you will need to answer four additional questions designed to determine if you are eligible for unemployment benefits.

Eligibility Questions

The ESD must also assess if you are eligible for unemployment benefits by asking pertinent questions. Questions include:

- Have you filed for Unemployment Benefits in any state other than Washington in the last 12 months?

- Do you get your work through a Union?

- Are you starting work for a new employer before X ? The date included in the question will be five Sundays from the date you are filing your claim.

- Did you work 17 or fewer hours each week during the one-year period beginning [ date ] and ending [ date ]? The date shown in your questionnaire will reflect the beginning and end of your base year (52 weeks before your first claim).

- Is there any reason you cannot seek or accept full-time work?

If your answer is no, be ready to offer a good reason or lose your benefits.

Tax Information

The form also asks if you want the UIA to withhold your 10 percent tax liability and send it on to the IRS. Saving for taxes when unemployed is extremely difficult. We recommend you allow the ESD withhold your taxes for you to avoid tax problems in the future.

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