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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. I think I have a much better understanding now of how business ownership affects unemployment eligibility.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do next. The entrepreneurial spirit is admirable even when things don't work out.
Definitely. Starting a business takes guts and most people never even try.
I'm in a similar boat - had to close my freelance design business last month after three years. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like since I was taking distributions rather than paying myself a salary, I won't qualify for regular UI benefits. It's frustrating because I did pay self-employment taxes, but apparently that doesn't count toward unemployment insurance. Has anyone found success with other assistance programs for former business owners? I'm looking into everything at this point.
@Aiden Chen I m'really sorry you had to close your business too. It s'such a tough situation when you ve'put years of work into something. Have you looked into whether you might qualify for any SNAP benefits or other basic assistance programs while you re'transitioning back to traditional employment? I know it s'not the same as unemployment insurance, but it might help bridge the gap. Also, since you were doing freelance design work, you probably have a portfolio and client relationships that could help you find contract or permanent positions with agencies or companies. The skills transfer even if the business structure didn t'work out.
I'm really sorry to hear about your design business closing - that must be incredibly difficult after putting three years into it. You're absolutely right that the self-employment tax situation is frustrating since it feels like you were paying into the system, just not the right part of it for unemployment purposes. I've been researching other options myself since realizing I won't qualify for regular UI benefits either. One thing I discovered is that some local workforce development boards have special programs for displaced business owners or entrepreneurs transitioning back to traditional employment. They sometimes offer job search assistance, retraining opportunities, or even temporary financial support that's separate from the regular unemployment system. It might be worth reaching out to WorkSource Washington to see if they have any programs specifically for people in our situation. Also, since you mentioned you were doing freelance design, have you considered reaching out to temp agencies that specialize in creative services? They might have contract opportunities that could provide some income while you're figuring out your next steps.
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does washington have a waiting week or do benefits start right away?
Washington eliminated the waiting week in 2020. Benefits start with your first week of unemployment as long as you file your weekly claim on time.
awesome, thats one less thing to worry about when budgeting
This thread should be pinned somewhere. Best explanation of Washington ESD benefit calculations I've seen. Way clearer than their official website.
Totally agree! I've been lurking here trying to understand my own benefit calculation and this thread has been incredibly helpful. The step-by-step breakdown with actual examples really makes the difference. Government websites are usually so hard to navigate and understand.
I'm new here but this thread really saved me! I've been stressing about my unemployment calculation for weeks and couldn't make sense of the Washington ESD website. The formula everyone explained (highest quarter × 0.0385) is so much clearer than anything I found online. Just did my math and I should get around $420/week which will help a lot while I job hunt. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge!
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I was in almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago! Filed with Washington ESD and then my previous employer reached out about coming back within a week. What I learned is that you definitely CAN withdraw your claim before any payments are issued - I called and spoke with a representative who walked me through the process. The key is to act quickly before your first payment gets processed. In my case, I decided to keep the claim open but just stopped filing weekly certifications until I knew for sure about the job situation. Turned out to be the right call because the employer ended up changing their mind about rehiring. Having that safety net already in place saved me from having to start the whole application process over again. My advice would be to get something concrete in writing from your employer about their timeline before making any final decisions about withdrawing the claim.
This is super helpful! I'm in almost the exact same boat - filed about a week ago, no payments yet, and now my former employer is making noises about bringing me back. Your approach of keeping the claim open but not filing weekly certifications sounds like the smartest strategy. I'm definitely going to push for something in writing from my employer before making any moves. Out of curiosity, when you eventually reactivated your claim after your employer changed their mind, was there any complicated paperwork or did you just resume filing weekly certifications normally?
Wow, this is incredibly helpful! I'm actually the original poster and your experience sounds almost identical to mine. It's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through this exact situation. I think you're absolutely right about keeping the claim open but not filing weekly certifications - that seems like the safest approach while I figure out what's happening with my employer. I'm definitely going to ask for something in writing about their timeline and intentions. It sounds like even if they change their mind later, I'll be protected by having the claim already established. Thanks for sharing your story - it's exactly what I needed to hear!
I went through something similar with Washington ESD about 8 months ago. One thing that really helped me was calling early in the morning (like right when they open at 8am) - the wait times were much shorter than calling during peak hours. Also, when you do get through to someone, ask them to email you a confirmation of whatever action they take on your claim. I learned this the hard way when there was some confusion later about whether my withdrawal request had actually been processed. Having that email documentation saved me a lot of headaches. Given that your employer is just "considering" bringing you back, I'd personally lean toward keeping the claim open but inactive until you have something more concrete from them.
That's really smart advice about calling right when they open! I never thought about timing making such a difference with wait times. And getting email confirmation is brilliant - I can see how that documentation would be crucial if there's any confusion later. Your point about keeping the claim open but inactive until I have something concrete from my employer really resonates with me. Right now all I have is a phone call saying they're "considering" options, which isn't exactly a firm job offer. I think I'll follow your approach and wait for something more solid before making any big moves with the claim. Thanks for the practical tips!
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For what it's worth, I used Claimyr again last week to get clarification on some wage reporting questions. Their service really does work well for getting through to Washington ESD when you need specific business answers.
I'm definitely going to try them if I run into issues. Seems like a lot of people here have had good experiences.
Anything beats sitting on hold for hours. Time is money when you're running a business.
Thanks for all the detailed info everyone! This thread has been incredibly helpful. I'm starting to get a clearer picture of what to expect. It sounds like budgeting around 3% of payroll is a good starting point, and I should definitely keep good records from day one. The fact that the rates can vary so much based on your claims history really emphasizes the importance of good hiring and management practices. I'll probably reach out to an accountant to help set up the quarterly reporting system properly.
Great summary! One thing I'd add is don't wait until tax time to set up your unemployment account with Washington ESD. You need to register as soon as you have your first employee, even before you pay them. The penalties for late registration can be steep. Also, if you're doing payroll yourself, make sure you understand the difference between regular wages and things like bonuses or commissions - they might be treated differently for unemployment tax purposes.
Eloise Kendrick
I went through something similar about 6 months ago. Filed my claim as "discharged" since they made the decision to end my employment early, even though I had given notice. Washington ESD approved it after about 10 days of review. The key thing that helped my case was having documentation showing I gave proper notice and they chose to terminate me immediately. Make sure you mention in your application that you were willing and able to work the full notice period but the employer refused. Good luck!
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Monique Byrd
•Upload them right away when you file! I made the mistake of waiting and it just delayed my review process. Washington ESD wants to see all the documentation upfront if possible. Having that paper trail from the start really strengthened my case and probably helped speed up the 10-day approval.
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Jamal Brown
•This gives me so much hope! I was worried that giving notice first would automatically disqualify me, but hearing that you got approved in just 10 days makes me feel way better about filing. I'll definitely emphasize that I was ready to work the full two weeks but they chose to terminate me early. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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Edward McBride
I work in HR and see this situation fairly often. What happened to you is called "accepting resignation with immediate release" and it's actually pretty common in retail and food service. The good news is that Washington ESD typically treats this as a discharge rather than a voluntary quit, since the employer made the final decision about your employment end date. When you file, make sure to emphasize that you were ready, willing, and able to work through your full notice period but the employer chose to release you immediately. This shows you didn't abandon your job - they ended it early. Document everything and file as soon as possible!
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Genevieve Cavalier
•This is super helpful to know there's actually a term for this! "Accepting resignation with immediate release" - I had no idea that was a thing. It makes me feel a lot better knowing that HR professionals see this as a discharge rather than a voluntary quit. I'm definitely going to use that exact phrasing when I file my claim this weekend. Having the proper terminology might help Washington ESD understand the situation more clearly. Thanks for the professional insight!
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