Washington Unemployment
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Washington ESD unemployment benefits after firing employee - employer questions
I own a small business in Washington and had to terminate an employee last week for performance issues (consistently missing deadlines, not following procedures). Now they're filing for unemployment benefits and I'm getting notices from Washington ESD. Do I have to pay into their unemployment claim? I documented everything but I'm not sure how this process works from the employer side. What are my options here?
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Do I pay tax on unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about IRS requirements
I've been getting unemployment payments from Washington ESD for about 2 months now and just realized I might need to pay taxes on this money? I thought since it was government assistance it wouldn't be taxable but my neighbor said I'm wrong. Do I need to set aside money for taxes or can I request they withhold it from my weekly payments? I'm really stressed about owing money I don't have when tax time comes.
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Just remember that even with tax withholding, you should still keep good records of all your unemployment payments and any work you do on the side. Makes tax filing much easier.
Good point. I should probably start a spreadsheet or something to track everything.
That's exactly what I do. Just a simple spreadsheet with dates, amounts, and any work income. Takes 5 minutes a week but saves hours at tax time.
Thanks everyone for all this helpful information! I had no idea unemployment was taxable and I've been on it for 2 months already. Better late than never to get this figured out.
Same boat! This thread has been really eye-opening. Glad I'm not the only one who was confused about this.
Happy to help! It's one of those things they don't explain very well when you first apply. Good luck getting your withholding set up.
How much you get from unemployment benefits in Washington state?
hey everyone, just wondering how much money people actually get from unemployment here in washington? i know it depends on your previous wages but what's the range? i'm thinking about filing but want to know if it's even worth it or if the amount is super low. also how long does it take to get approved and start receiving payments? thanks!
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one more tip - if you get denied for any reason, don't give up! you can appeal the decision. a lot of people don't realize that and just accept the denial
good to know. hopefully won't need to appeal but thanks for the heads up
no problem. the appeal process isn't too complicated and sometimes they made mistakes on the initial decision
been reading this thread and just wanted to say that washington's UI system is actually pretty good compared to what my friends in other states deal with. the amounts are decent and the process isn't too terrible if you have all your paperwork ready
that's reassuring! i was worried it would be a nightmare to deal with
nah it's not that bad. just be patient with the phone system if you need to call them
Do you get paid for unemployment waiting week in Washington ESD?
I just filed my first unemployment claim with Washington ESD last week and I'm confused about the waiting week. My friend told me there's a week where you don't get paid but I can't find clear info on this. Do I still need to file my weekly claim for that week even though I won't get paid? And does Washington state still have a waiting week or did they get rid of it? I'm really stressed about money right now and need to know what to expect.
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Just to add one more confirmation - filed my claim in January 2025 and got paid for week 1. No waiting week in Washington state. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on schedule!
Perfect timing on this info since I'm filing for January too. Thanks for the recent confirmation!
No problem! It's always nerve-wracking filing for the first time so I wanted to share my recent experience.
Bottom line for OP: Washington eliminated waiting week in 2020, you'll get paid for week 1 if eligible, still need to file your weekly claim, and if you can't get through to Washington ESD by phone there are services like Claimyr that can help you connect with an agent.
This is exactly the summary I needed! Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses. I feel much less stressed about this now.
Glad this thread helped! Unemployment can be really confusing especially when you're already stressed about money.
How much will I get paid on unemployment - Washington ESD benefit calculation help?
I just applied for unemployment with Washington ESD and I'm trying to figure out how much my weekly benefit amount will be. I was making $52,000 a year at my last job before I got laid off. I've been working there for about 2 years. Does anyone know how Washington calculates the weekly benefit amount? I'm seeing different numbers online and getting confused about the base period and all that. Really need to know what to expect so I can budget properly.
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Don't forget you'll need to do job searches every week to keep getting benefits. Washington requires 3 job search activities per week and you have to log them in WorkSourceWA. The benefit amount doesn't matter if you can't meet the work search requirements.
Make sure you understand what counts as a valid job search activity. Just browsing job websites doesn't count - you need to actually apply or make contact with employers.
The work search log is super important. I know someone who got disqualified for not keeping proper records even though they were actively looking for work.
Bottom line - with your $52k salary you're probably looking at $500-600 per week in unemployment benefits. Just be patient with the system because everything takes forever to process, even when there are no issues with your claim.
Yeah this thread was really helpful. I'm in a similar situation and was totally confused about how the calculations work.
If anyone needs to contact Washington ESD about their benefits and can't get through on the phone, definitely check out Claimyr. The video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ explains exactly how it works and it's been a game changer for actually reaching agents.
Christian Burns
One more thing - make sure you understand your rights in the appeals process if it comes to that. You can present evidence and have witnesses testify at unemployment hearings.
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Alice Pierce
AuthorGood to know. Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but it's nice to know I have options.
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Christian Burns
The hearing process is actually pretty straightforward and less intimidating than it sounds. Focus on facts and documentation if you end up there.
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Sasha Reese
Bottom line: respond to Washington ESD promptly, provide all requested documentation, and don't take it personally if they approve benefits. The system errs on the side of helping unemployed workers.
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Alice Pierce
AuthorThat makes sense from a policy perspective, even if it's frustrating as an employer. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice!
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Sasha Reese
You're welcome! This is all part of running a business. Just make sure to learn from it and improve your processes.
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