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I work in payroll and can confirm the 2025 FUTA rate is still 6% on first $7,000 of wages, with the 5.4% credit available for most employers. Nothing new there.
If you're really concerned about benefit changes, the best thing is to call Washington ESD directly. Though like others said, that's easier said than done with their phone system...
I finally got through using Claimyr after weeks of failed attempts. They have this whole system for getting past the busy signals - check out their video demo if you're curious.
For what it's worth, I think the term 'frictional unemployment' actually makes it sound worse than it is. It's really just the normal time it takes to find a good job match. When I was between positions last year, I used that time to be more selective about my next role rather than just taking the first thing available.
Bottom line: Washington ESD doesn't care what type of unemployment you have as long as you meet their requirements. File your weekly claims, do your job search activities, and be available for work. The economic terminology is just for understanding labor market trends, not for individual claim processing.
One thing to remember is that even though there's no waiting week, it can still take time for your claim to be processed initially. Don't panic if you don't see payment immediately - it might just be taking time to verify your information.
It varies, but usually within a week or two if there are no issues with your claim. If it's taking longer, there might be something that needs to be resolved.
And if you need to talk to someone about delays, that's where services like Claimyr can help you actually get through to an agent instead of being stuck on hold forever.
Thanks everyone for the info! I was really confused about this waiting week thing. Sounds like I just need to keep filing my weekly claims and be patient while they process my initial claim.
The most important thing is to start preparing now rather than waiting until your last payment. Line up other resources, apply for assistance programs, intensify your job search, maybe consider taking something temporary even if it's not ideal.
I actually used Claimyr recently when I needed to talk to someone at ESD about my claim status. It really does work - got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of calling all day. Might be worth trying to see if there are any options you haven't considered.
Brian Downey
One more thing about the calculation - if you worked in multiple states, you might be able to combine wages from different states to get a higher benefit. It's called an interstate claim.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•I only worked in Washington so that doesn't apply to me, but good to know for others.
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Jacinda Yu
•Yeah I had to do this when I moved here from Oregon. Made a big difference in my benefit amount.
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Landon Flounder
Bottom line - if you think your calculation is wrong, don't just accept it. Get your wage records, double-check everything, and request a redetermination if needed. The worst they can say is no, but you might get hundreds more per week if there was an error.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. I'm going to check my wage records and see if that part-time job is included in the calculation.
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Jean Claude
•Good luck! And remember that Claimyr option if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation.
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