Washington Maximum WBA

• When you're claiming unemployment, your weekly benefit amount is the amount you are eligible to collect each week in compensation. In Washington state, the most you can receive for WBA is $570. The number is based on a percentage of the amount the average Washington state worker makes per week in work covered under unemployment laws. State laws limit this amount to ensure equitable distribution of the unemployment insurance funds between claimants.
  
  

How to Get It

• Since a Washington WBA is based on your previous wages, to get receive the highest WBA amount, you must have the necessary base period covered wages. Covered wages are those you earn from employment covered under the unemployment compensation laws. Your base period is the first four of the last five full calendar quarters before you filed your claim. To receive the $570 WBA, the average covered wages in your two highest earning base period quarters must be $14, 805 or higher.
  
  

Washington Maximum MPB

• When calculating your Washington unemployment benefits, you should also be concerned with the maximum payable benefits. The MPB is the most you can collect unemployment compensation per benefit year, which is the 52 weeks that follow the Sunday of your initial claim week. This limitation prevents you from using unemployment as your only source of income the entire year. You can only collect 26 times your WBA each benefit year or $14,820.
  
  

How to Get It

• When the ESD calculates your MPB, it divides your total covered base period wages by 3. If that number is more 26 or more, you'll receive the maximum MPB the state has to offer. This means you must have at least $44,460 in total base period covered wages to receive the maximum state MPB. You also must remain eligible during that time to keep receiving benefits. For example, you could be eligible for the state's maximum MPB but if you stop looking for a job after week three, you're ineligible to collect any more compensation.