In our case, WorkShare paid about 62% of our lost wages (we had a 25% hour reduction). So if someone normally made $1000/week and was reduced to $750, the $250 loss would get about $155 from WorkShare. Not perfect but WAY better than nothing, and we kept our health insurance. The exact percentage depends on your regular wages since there are minimum and maximum benefit amounts.

Just went through this exact situation 6 months ago! My employer reduced hours by 30% and put us on WorkShare. I had 4 weeks of vacation saved up and was worried I'd lose it all. Good news - you absolutely do NOT need to burn through your vacation time first with WorkShare. That's only a requirement for regular unemployment benefits. One tip though: when you do use vacation time later, make sure your payroll department understands how to report it properly to ESD. My company initially reported my vacation pay wrong during a week I took off in July, which caused a temporary hold on my benefits. Had to get HR and ESD on a three-way call to sort it out. But once they understood the process, everything went smoothly. The WorkShare program is honestly pretty great compared to regular UI - you keep your job, benefits, and can plan your time off normally. Just document everything and keep good records of your hours worked vs. paid vacation days.

Good luck with your appeal! Most of these employer misreporting cases get resolved in favor of the claimant once all the facts come out in the hearing. Just be honest and thorough in presenting your case.

I went through almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago! My employer somehow reported that I resigned when I was clearly laid off due to restructuring. The key thing that helped me win my appeal was getting a written statement from my former supervisor confirming the layoff details. If you can reach out to your supervisor or any HR contacts who were involved in the layoff decision, ask them to provide a brief written statement explaining what really happened. Even a simple email from them stating you were laid off due to downsizing can be powerful evidence for your hearing. Also, don't stress too much - these cases usually get resolved pretty quickly once the hearing officer sees the real facts.

Update us on how it goes! I'm curious to hear if you're able to get any backdating approved. Good luck with everything, and remember to file that current claim today if you haven't already.

I went through something similar a few years back when I was laid off and waited about 6 weeks to file because I was also confident I'd land something quickly. Unfortunately, Washington ESD denied my backdating request because "thinking you'd find work soon" isn't considered good cause under their rules. However, I'd still encourage you to try - gather any documentation you might have (even if it seems minor) and definitely call them to explain your situation. The worst they can do is say no, but you might get lucky if you can frame it as circumstances beyond your control. And absolutely file your current claim TODAY - don't lose another week of potential benefits while you're dealing with the backdating request.

Also worth mentioning - even if your employer contests your claim based on their separation notice, you can appeal any negative decisions. Don't give up if you get denied initially.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - when you file your claim online, there's a section where you can explain your side of the story about why your employment ended. Don't skip this part! Even though your employer will send their separation notice, Washington ESD wants to hear from you too. Be honest and detailed about the circumstances, especially if there were any issues like attendance problems due to legitimate reasons (childcare, medical issues, etc.). This information gets reviewed alongside whatever your employer reports.

Bottom line - be honest about all final payments from your employer, keep good records, and don't be discouraged if you have a waiting period. Your benefits will start eventually and you can usually get through the process if you stay on top of your weekly filings.

This is such valuable information! I'm in a similar situation where I received 3 weeks of pay in lieu of notice and was completely confused about how to report it. Reading through everyone's experiences really helps clarify that I need to be upfront about it even though it might delay my benefits. It's frustrating that the system works this way, but at least now I understand the logic behind it. Going to make sure I have all my documentation ready before I complete my application. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!