Thanks for starting this thread! I'm in a similar situation - just moved to Washington for work and trying to understand all the payroll deductions. Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like the main things to remember are: 1) Most wages count toward unemployment tax up to $70,200 for 2025, 2) The employee rate is about 0.43%, and 3) Each employer calculates separately if you have multiple jobs. I'm going to start keeping better track of my pay stubs to make sure everything looks right. Really appreciate all the detailed responses from everyone - this community is super helpful for navigating Washington's employment system!

This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who's also relatively new to Washington's unemployment system, I really appreciate how everyone broke down the wage base limits and what types of income count. One question I have - if you get a mid-year raise that pushes you over the $70,200 limit, does the unemployment tax just stop being deducted once you hit that threshold? Or do employers sometimes mess this up and keep deducting it? I want to make sure I'm watching for that on my pay stubs since I'm expecting a promotion later this year that might put me close to that limit.

One more option - if you're tech savvy, you can try using an auto-dialer app on your phone to keep calling repeatedly. Some people swear by this method but personally I'd rather just use something like Claimyr that does all the work for me.

Has anyone tried the early morning strategy on different days of the week? I'm wondering if certain days are consistently better than others for getting through at 8 AM. I've been trying randomly but maybe there's a pattern to when they're less swamped. Also curious if anyone knows what happens if you get disconnected while on hold - do you have to start completely over or is there any way to get back in the queue?

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation! I was a 5th grade teacher and got non-renewed due to enrollment decline. Filed for unemployment immediately and had no issues at all. The key things that helped me: 1) I had my non-renewal letter ready, 2) I filed online right away, and 3) I kept detailed records of my job search activities. Don't let anyone discourage you from filing - you absolutely qualify! The stress of not knowing about income is real, but unemployment benefits definitely helped bridge the gap while I found a new position. You've got this!

I'm going through something similar right now - my district eliminated my position due to declining enrollment and I've been really stressed about finances over the summer. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea that teachers could collect unemployment when their contracts aren't renewed. My HR department definitely didn't mention this as an option when they gave me the bad news. I'm planning to file online this week and I feel so much more confident about the process now. It's such a relief to know that this is actually what unemployment insurance is designed for. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and advice!

my cousin got jury duty during unemployment and he just told them he couldn't serve because he was looking for work and they excused him. might be worth a try if you dont wanna deal with all this ESD confusion

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I served on a 3-week trial while on unemployment last fall. The key things that worked for me: 1) Call ESD BEFORE jury duty starts to request the job search exemption (don't wait until you're already serving), 2) Report every penny of jury pay including mileage reimbursement if they give it, and 3) Keep your jury service certificate - ESD may ask for it later during an audit. Also heads up that some employers actually pay the difference between your jury stipend and regular wages, so if you get hired during this time, ask about that policy. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected once I got the exemption approved upfront.

For anyone else reading this thread, always check your pay stub first. It's the easiest way to determine which state you should file in.

I went through this exact situation a few years back - lived in Washington but worked in Oregon. The key thing to remember is that you always file where your employer paid unemployment taxes, which is typically where you worked. Since your employer was in Idaho, that's where their unemployment taxes were paid for your position. The Idaho Department of Labor website has a really clear section on this under their FAQ. Don't let the conflicting info online confuse you - your pay stub will show which state's unemployment taxes were deducted, and that's your answer right there!