Yeah what everyone else said is correct. Salaried, hourly, doesn't matter to Washington ESD. I was making $70k salary when I got laid off and had no problems getting approved. The weekly benefit calculation is actually pretty generous for higher earners.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact situation recently. I was a salaried project manager making $62k and got laid off during restructuring. Filed for unemployment immediately and had zero issues - Washington ESD processed my claim just like any other employee. The key is not to overthink it - if you paid into the system through payroll taxes and were laid off through no fault of your own, you qualify regardless of salary vs hourly status. The online application took me about 15 minutes and I got my first payment within 3 weeks. Don't let anyone tell you differently about salaried employees not being eligible - that's completely false information.

The bottom line is communication with Washington ESD is key. Report everything, ask questions when you're unsure, and keep good records of your work hours and pay. Better to over-communicate than get caught in a problem later.

Just to add one more practical tip - when you start your part-time job, make sure to keep detailed records of your work schedule and hours each week. I use a simple notebook to track my daily hours, and it makes filing the weekly claims much easier. Also, if your hours vary week to week, you might have weeks where you qualify for full benefits and others where you get partial or no benefits - that's totally normal with part-time work while on unemployment.

Thanks everyone for the responses! This has been really helpful. I'm going to keep focusing on my regular job search activities while ignoring these irrelevant job fair emails. I'll make sure to document everything carefully in my job search log and keep an eye out for any personalized communications that might actually be mandatory. It's a relief to know this seems to be a normal seasonal pattern and not something specifically targeting my claim.

I'm experiencing the exact same thing! Started getting bombarded with WorkSource emails about 3 weeks ago - went from maybe one or two a month to getting them almost daily. Like you, most of them are completely irrelevant to my field (I'm in graphic design). I was starting to worry that maybe I was missing something important or that my claim was being reviewed more closely. It's reassuring to see from the other comments that this seems to be a normal seasonal thing tied to their quarterly reporting. I'm going to keep doing my regular 3 job search activities per week and just ignore the irrelevant job fair emails unless I get something specifically assigned to me. Thanks for posting this - was starting to stress about it!

This is such a stressful situation but you're definitely on the right track asking these questions early! I went through something similar when my previous employer was acquired by a larger company about 2 years ago. A few additional tips based on my experience: 1. Keep detailed records of ALL communications about the sale/transition - emails, meeting notes, any documentation they give you about your position being eliminated 2. If they ask you to help train your replacement or transition your duties, do it professionally but make sure it's clear this isn't you quitting - you're fulfilling your job duties until your position is eliminated 3. Consider asking HR for a letter stating your position elimination date and reason while you still have a good relationship with them - it's easier to get this now than after you've left The 5 weeks notice you got is actually pretty generous compared to what some companies do. Use that time wisely to get all your documentation in order and start networking (even though you can't officially job search for UI purposes until you file). Also, don't stress too much about the application process - yes it's long and detailed, but Washington's system is pretty user-friendly once you get started. You've got this!

I'm really sorry you're going through this - it's such an unsettling situation even when you know it's coming! I was in a similar position about a year ago when my company was acquired and they eliminated my entire department. Just want to echo what others have said about documentation being crucial. Beyond the separation letter, I'd also recommend taking screenshots of any job postings the new company might put up that look suspiciously similar to your current role (like what Sophia mentioned happened to her). One thing I wish someone had told me: if you have any unused PTO or vacation days, find out how those will be handled. Some companies pay them out immediately, others include them in your final paycheck, and this can affect the timing of when you should file your claim. Also, the ESD website has a really helpful "Am I Eligible" questionnaire that can give you peace of mind about your situation before you actually file. It walks through different scenarios including business sales and position eliminations. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, but it sounds like you're being very proactive about understanding the process. That's going to serve you well when it comes time to actually file!

One other thing nobody has mentioned - make sure your husband checks his spam folder regularly. Sometimes ESD sends emails requesting additional information, and if he doesn't respond within their timeframe (usually 5 business days), it can keep his claim stuck in pending status. They're terrible about communicating this clearly.

I feel your pain! I went through this exact nightmare about 6 months ago. One trick that finally worked for me was calling the TeleCert line at 800-477-2500 first thing in the morning, then when prompted, I'd press 0 repeatedly until it transferred me to a live agent. Sometimes they can look up your claim status even though it's technically a different department. Also, if your husband's claim has been pending for 4 weeks, that's definitely grounds for escalation - make sure to mention that timeline specifically when you do get through to someone. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with ESD unfortunately. Hang in there, you'll get through this!