


Ask the community...
If you need to talk to Washington ESD about tax-related issues with your unemployment benefits, I had good luck using Claimyr to get through. Much faster than trying to call on your own, especially during tax season when everyone's calling with questions.
Bottom line: unemployment withholding is just an estimate. Whether you get a refund or owe more depends on your total tax situation for the year. Washington ESD can't predict that, so they just offer a standard withholding option.
Thanks everyone for explaining this. I understand now that I'll just need to pay the additional amount I owe and maybe plan better for next time.
The whole certification process stressed me out at first too, but honestly after the first couple weeks it becomes routine. Just answer the questions honestly, keep good job search records, and file on time every week. You'll be fine!
One last thing - if you're on standby status with your employer, the weekly certification questions are slightly different. You'll need to report your standby status and any callback expectations each week.
Since you mentioned this is your first time filing, just remember that even after approval you need to keep looking for work and documenting your job search activities. The weekly claims will ask about this so be prepared.
Best case scenario you'll be approved within 2 weeks and see your first payment shortly after. Worst case it takes a month if there are complications. Most people fall somewhere in between. Your situation sounds pretty clean so I'd lean toward the faster end.
The job search requirements aren't too bad if you stay organized. You need to make 3 job contacts per week and keep track of them. WorkSource has tools to help manage this. Just don't wait until the last minute to do your job searches each week.
Thanks everyone for all this info! Feeling much more confident about filing now. Going to gather my documents tonight and file this weekend. Really appreciate all the detailed responses and tips about the process.
And remember, if you need to talk to Washington ESD later, Claimyr is always an option to avoid the phone hassles.
Liam O'Donnell
OP, did you end up checking your wage history? I'm curious what you found out about your eligibility.
0 coins
Diego Vargas
•I'm still trying to log into my SecureAccess Washington account to check my wage history. The website keeps timing out on me.
0 coins
Zara Khan
•This is another reason why Claimyr is so helpful - instead of struggling with the website, you can just talk to an agent who can pull up your information right away.
0 coins
Amara Nwosu
Hope this thread helped answer your question! It's a complicated topic but at least now you know what to look for. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
0 coins
Diego Vargas
•Thanks everyone! This has been really helpful. I'm going to check my wage history and probably try to talk to someone at Washington ESD to get a definitive answer about my situation.
0 coins
NeonNinja
•Smart approach. Having your wage information ready when you talk to them will make the conversation much more productive.
0 coins