Bottom line - budget around 2.7% of your first $71k per employee for Washington unemployment tax as a new business. It'll likely go down after a few years if you manage your workforce well and avoid frequent layoffs.

Just wanted to add that Washington ESD also offers online workshops for new employers that cover unemployment tax basics. I attended one last year when I was starting my business and it was really helpful for understanding the reporting requirements and deadlines. They usually have them monthly and they're free. You can find the schedule on their website under employer resources.

Final thought - bookmark the Washington ESD website and your SecureAccess Washington login page. You'll be checking them frequently over the coming weeks and it saves time to have quick access.

Another important thing to keep in mind - if you moved or changed jobs recently, double-check that Washington ESD has all your correct wage information from the past 18 months. Sometimes wages from other states or recent employers don't show up automatically in their system, which can affect your benefit calculation. You can request a wage review if something looks missing from your base period. Better to catch this early than have it delay your payments later!

Bottom line OP - if you made $85k, you'll likely get close to the $999 maximum. Just make sure you file as soon as possible after losing your job since there's a waiting week.

Just wanted to add that you should also be aware of the work search requirements. Washington requires you to make 3 job search activities per week to remain eligible for benefits. This includes applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, etc. They're pretty strict about documenting these activities, so keep good records of what you do each week.

Look, I've been through this process and here's the bottom line - if you were genuinely wronged and have evidence to prove it, appeal. If you're just hoping to get lucky without any real proof, probably not worth the time and stress. Washington ESD judges are pretty good at sorting out the real cases from the hopeful ones.

Based on my experience working with unemployment cases, Washington ESD appeals do have decent success rates when you have solid evidence. The key factors that seem to make the biggest difference are: 1) Clear documentation that contradicts your employer's version of events, 2) Evidence that proper procedures weren't followed before termination, and 3) Being well-organized for the hearing. Those emails showing targeting behavior and the contrast between your positive reviews and the sudden negative one could be really compelling evidence. I'd suggest creating a timeline of events and gathering any additional documentation like company policies on progressive discipline. Even if your employer has lawyers, administrative law judges focus on facts, not who has better legal representation.

Just following up - were you able to make any progress with your claim? The technical support line suggestion from @profile1 is excellent advice. Also, if you're still stuck, there's a lesser-known option: the ESD Office of Administrative Hearings can sometimes help with claims that have been pending for more than 30 days, even without a formal determination. You can request this by specifically mentioning "OAH assistance with delayed claim" in your eServices message.

That's such great news Derek! I'm going through the exact same thing right now - been stuck in ID verification limbo for 4 weeks. Your update gives me hope that there's actually a solution. I'm definitely going to try calling that technical support line first thing Monday morning. It's so frustrating that the system can get stuck like that even when everything is properly verified. Really appreciate you coming back to share what worked - posts like yours are what make this community so valuable for people dealing with ESD nightmares!