


Ask the community...
One last tip - after you submit your application, set up a secure messaging account with Washington ESD if you haven't already. It's often faster than calling when you need to communicate with them about your claim.
I always schedule my rent payment for Wednesday when I know my unemployment comes Tuesday. Gives me a buffer in case there are any delays. Might be worth adjusting your payment schedule once you get into the routine.
Bottom line - there are enough people on unemployment in Washington to overwhelm the current system capacity. Whether it's 150k or 300k doesn't change the fact that Washington ESD needs better infrastructure and more staff to handle the load.
just my 2 cents but i think we focus too much on the numbers and not enough on solutions. services like claimyr show there are ways to work around the broken phone system until washington esd fixes it
Thanks everyone for clarifying the federal vs state unemployment tax difference. I was confused about this too after my layoff last month.
Federal unemployment tax summary: 6% statutory rate minus 5.4% credit = 0.6% effective rate on first $7,000 of wages per employee per year. Maximum federal tax per employee is $42 annually. This is separate from and much smaller than Washington ESD state unemployment taxes.
Ava Williams
For anyone still confused about the 26 weeks - that's the maximum you can receive in a benefit year. Some people might not qualify for the full 26 weeks depending on their work history, but most people who qualify for regular UI get the full duration.
0 coins
CyberNinja
•How do they determine if you get less than 26 weeks? I worked full-time for three years before getting laid off.
0 coins
Ava Williams
•With three years of full-time work you should definitely qualify for the full 26 weeks. It's usually people with limited work history who might get fewer weeks.
0 coins
Miguel Castro
Just want to add that the 26 weeks is per benefit year, so if you use up all your weeks and then work again for a sufficient period, you could potentially qualify for a new claim later. But there are specific requirements about wages earned and time worked.
0 coins
Zainab Ibrahim
•Good point! I had to requalify after working for about 8 months. The process was much faster the second time since I already had an account set up.
0 coins
Miguel Castro
•Exactly, and if you do need to contact Washington ESD about requalifying or any other questions, that Claimyr service people mentioned really does work. Saved me hours of calling.
0 coins