Just wanted to add that the unemployment insurance requirements apply even if you're a sole proprietorship or LLC. The business structure doesn't matter - if you have employees, you need to register with Washington ESD.

Thanks everyone for all the detailed information! This has been incredibly helpful. It sounds like I definitely need to register with Washington ESD once I hit those wage thresholds. I'm planning to start with just 2-3 employees, so I'll likely cross the $1,000 quarterly wage threshold pretty quickly. The experience rating system is really interesting - gives me extra motivation to be a good employer and retain workers. I'll probably go with a payroll service to handle the registration and quarterly reporting since there seem to be so many details to track. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences, especially about the phone system issues and workarounds!

I just wanted to follow up on my earlier comment. If your husband's employer is contesting the separation reason (layoff vs. quit), that is almost certainly the cause of the delay. This type of dispute requires an adjudicator to review documents from both sides and potentially conduct fact-finding interviews. However, 15 weeks is still far too long. The challenge right now is that you need to: 1) Get someone at ESD to confirm this is the actual issue, and 2) Get an adjudicator assigned to make a determination. Did you submit a copy of any layoff notice, separation letter, or email communication about the project ending? These documents are critical in these types of disputes. Also, if other employees were laid off at the same time, statements from them can be helpful evidence. One other thought: Is your husband continuing to file weekly claims during this wait? This is absolutely crucial. Even with the adjudication pending, he needs to file every week without fail to receive backpay once the issue is resolved.

This is absolutely ridiculous and I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare. 15 weeks with that level of documentation is completely unacceptable. I went through something similar last year (though only 8 weeks) and what finally broke it loose was filing a complaint with the Washington State Auditor's office in addition to everything else people have mentioned here. They have a whistleblower/complaint portal specifically for government agency failures, and ESD apparently takes those very seriously because it affects their federal funding compliance. You can file online at sao.wa.gov. Also, if you haven't already, document EVERYTHING - every phone call, every time you were disconnected, every document you submitted. Screenshot your eServices account showing the weeks of "adjudication in progress" with dates. This will be important if you end up needing to escalate further or file any kind of formal complaint. The fact that you have clear documentation of a layoff and they're still dragging this out suggests either gross incompetence or a system malfunction. Either way, someone needs to be held accountable. Hang in there!

This whole thread has been really helpful. I had no idea there were so many options for dealing with overpayments. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. Washington ESD sent me an overpayment notice for $3,200 because I miscalculated my part-time earnings during several weeks. The notice was pretty scary at first, but I called them right away and was able to set up a $200/month payment plan. The key things I learned: 1) Don't ignore the notice - you have 30 days to respond, 2) Be honest about your financial situation when you call, 3) Keep all documentation from your conversations with them. It took about 3 months to get through on the phone (their system is terrible), but once I talked to someone they were actually reasonable to work with. The monthly payments are manageable and I should have it paid off by next year. The stress was way worse than the actual process.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel like I have a much better understanding of how pensions affect unemployment benefits. I'll definitely report my pension but I'm optimistic it won't reduce my benefits since it's from an old employer.

I went through this exact same situation when I got laid off from Microsoft last year. Since your pension is from 5 years ago, it's almost certainly outside your base period and won't reduce your unemployment benefits. Washington ESD uses the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters to determine your base period, so a pension from 5 years ago definitely wouldn't fall within that timeframe. You'll still need to report it every week on your claims (I report mine as "other income"), but it shouldn't affect your benefit amount at all. The key is just being honest and reporting everything - Washington ESD will verify your income sources anyway, so transparency is always the best approach.

One last tip - if you end up needing to call Washington ESD directly about this, try using Claimyr to get through. I spent hours on hold trying to reach someone about my separation date issue before finding that service. Saved me so much time and frustration.

I'm dealing with a similar separation date confusion right now! My employer paid out my accrued PTO two weeks after my last day of work, and Washington ESD keeps asking for clarification. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - it sounds like I need to get a letter from my former employer confirming my actual last day worked, not the final payment date. The consistency point about making sure all my documentation shows the same date is something I hadn't considered. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!