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The key is to file your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work, even if you're getting severance. The effective date of your claim is important for your benefit year.
Thanks everyone for all the advice. I'm going to file my claim this week and get the process started.
Good plan. Better to get it started and deal with the severance timing than to wait and potentially miss out.
Just went through this exact situation last year. Filed my claim immediately after my layoff even though I had 10 weeks of severance. Washington ESD put my claim on hold until the severance period ended, but having that early filing date saved me weeks of processing time. The transition was seamless - my first unemployment payment came just 3 days after my final severance check. Don't wait to file, and make sure you keep doing your weekly certifications even during the severance period. Also keep all your severance paperwork handy because they'll likely ask for it multiple times during the process.
That's exactly the kind of success story I needed to hear! I was so stressed about the timing but knowing it can work smoothly gives me confidence. Quick question - when you say they put your claim on hold, were you still able to access your online account and see updates, or was everything just frozen until the severance ended?
Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really reassuring to know the transition can be seamless. I'm definitely going to file this week. One more question - did you have any issues with the job search requirements during your severance period? I'm still confused about whether I need to be actively looking while I'm getting paid by my former employer.
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good luck with your claim! the whole process is stressful but at least severance + unemployment can help bridge the gap while job hunting
Thanks! Feeling much more confident about the whole situation now.
I went through this exact situation last year when I got laid off from Microsoft. Filed my unemployment claim the day after my last day of work even though I had 6 weeks of severance. Washington ESD approved my claim without any issues and I collected benefits while receiving severance payments. The key is being honest on your weekly claims about the severance income - you report it but it doesn't reduce your unemployment benefits. Don't make the mistake of waiting like I almost did!
That's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same situation! I was definitely leaning towards waiting but this thread has convinced me otherwise. Did you have any issues with the weekly claim reporting process, or was it pretty straightforward to report the severance payments?
The weekly claim reporting was actually pretty straightforward - there's a specific section where you report "other income" and I just entered the severance amount there each week. Washington ESD's system handled it automatically and never reduced my benefits because of it. The most important thing is just being consistent and honest about reporting it every week you receive a severance payment.
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Last thing - make sure you understand the weekly claim filing process. You have to file every week even if you don't have any work to report. Missing a week can cause payment delays. The system sends you reminders but it's easy to forget when you're dealing with job search stress.
You're welcome! This community is great for helping each other navigate the system. Good luck with your claim and job search!
Hope everything works out smoothly for you. The tech job market is pretty good right now so hopefully you'll find something soon.
Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this process recently! I'm on an L1 visa and filed for unemployment with Washington ESD about 6 months ago. The whole process was pretty straightforward once I gathered all my documents. Make sure you have your I-94 record handy too - they asked for that in addition to my work authorization documents. The online system worked fine for me, but I did scan my documents at high resolution to avoid any upload issues. One tip: if you have any gaps in your work authorization history (like renewals), be prepared to explain those with supporting documentation. Washington ESD was very thorough but fair in their review process. Best of luck with your claim!
Thanks so much for sharing your L1 experience! As someone who's been hesitant about filing, it's really encouraging to hear from people who've successfully gone through the process. The I-94 record tip is gold - I would have definitely missed that and probably caused delays in my application. I'm curious about one thing: when you mentioned gaps in work authorization history, did they want explanations for things like the period between when your old authorization expired and the new one was approved, even if it was just a few days? I had a brief gap during my H1B renewal where there was about a week between expiration and approval of the extension.
This is incredibly detailed and helpful! I'm the original poster (Diego) and your L1 experience gives me so much confidence about moving forward with my application. I definitely wouldn't have thought about the I-94 record on my own - that could have caused a major delay. The high resolution scanning tip is also clutch since I've heard others mention upload issues. I'm curious about your comment regarding gaps in work authorization - I've had continuous H1B status for the past two years, but there was about a 3-day gap between my initial H1B and the transfer to my current employer. Do you think something that brief would require explanation, or are they more concerned about longer gaps? Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
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Just to update you - I managed to get through to ESD using the Claimyr service I mentioned. The agent confirmed that Training Benefits don't automatically activate after regular UI. They need to manually switch your claim type in their system once your regular benefits exhaust. The good news is that as long as you keep filing weekly claims, they can backdate the TB activation to ensure no gap in payments. The job search requirements also change - you don't need to look for work while in approved training, but you do need to submit training attendance verification when requested.
I finally got through to ESD this morning! You're right - they said exactly what you mentioned. The agent activated my Training Benefits to start immediately after my regular UI ends next week. She also made a note in my file about the transition so there shouldn't be any payment delays. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help!
That's awesome news Andre! So glad you got through and got it sorted out. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation - it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Training Benefits DON'T automatically start, you MUST call ESD to activate them, 2) Keep filing your weekly claims during the transition, and 3) They can backdate to avoid payment gaps if you stay on top of it. This is such valuable info since the approval letters apparently don't make this clear at all!
Ryder Greene
honestly dont worry too much about it. i got fired for attendance issues last year which is way worse than performance and still got approved for unemployment. washington esd is pretty reasonable about these things
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Riya Sharma
•That does make me feel better. I was thinking performance issues might be an automatic disqualification.
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Santiago Diaz
•Definitely not automatic. Each case gets reviewed individually based on the specific circumstances.
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Liam McGuire
I went through a very similar situation about 6 months ago - got let go from a manufacturing job for not meeting production standards despite my best efforts. The whole process was nerve-wracking, but I ended up getting approved after about 4 weeks of adjudication. Washington ESD really does look at whether you were making good faith efforts versus deliberately slacking off. Since you mentioned you were genuinely trying but had mobility issues that affected your performance, that actually strengthens your case significantly. Document everything you can remember about your efforts to improve and any accommodations you might have requested. The fact that they only gave you two weeks between the warning and termination also works in your favor - shows they didn't give you adequate time to address the issues. Stay positive and keep filing those weekly claims!
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