Just to add onto what others have said - the tax withholding is typically 10% for federal taxes. There's no state income tax in Washington, so that's all they take for taxes. The healthcare premium will vary based on your previous plan. Do double-check that the base amount before deductions matches your monetary determination letter. If that number is wrong, then there's a different issue that would require contacting ESD. But if it's just the deductions causing the difference, then everything is probably working as intended.

Glad you got it figured out! This is such a common confusion - I wish ESD would make the deductions more clear upfront. For future reference, you can also adjust your tax withholding by filling out form ESD 1042 if you want to change the amount they take out (or stop it entirely). Just keep in mind you'll owe taxes on the full amount when you file your return if you reduce/eliminate the withholding.

To wrap up the data discussion, Washington ESD's labor market economists generally point to cyclical factors (normal business cycles), structural changes (industry shifts), and external shocks (like supply chain issues) as the main categories of unemployment causes. Most individual cases involve multiple factors rather than a single cause.

Based on my experience filing a claim last year, I think what we're seeing is a perfect storm of multiple factors hitting at once. In my case, the company cited "restructuring" but it was really about cutting costs ahead of an expected downturn. What struck me when talking to other people at the Washington ESD office was how many different stories there were - tech layoffs, retail hour cuts, manufacturing slowdowns, seasonal work ending early. It seems like the traditional boundaries between different types of unemployment are getting blurred. Companies are being more strategic about timing layoffs and how they classify them, which makes it harder to pin down one main cause.

For anyone reading this who gets denied - don't give up! The appeal process exists for a reason and many denials get overturned. You just need to present your case properly with the right documentation.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is interstate claims - if you worked in multiple states or moved from another state, there can be complications with which state handles your claim and how they calculate your benefits. Washington has agreements with other states but the process can get confusing and cause delays or denials if not handled properly. Also, if you're receiving pension payments from a previous employer, that can reduce your weekly benefit amount even if you qualify for UI.

This thread should be pinned somewhere. The phone number struggle is real and affects so many people trying to navigate Washington ESD.

I've been dealing with Washington ESD phone issues for months now and wanted to share what finally worked for me. After reading through this thread and seeing multiple people mention Claimyr, I decided to try it despite being skeptical. I watched that YouTube demo video and it actually explains exactly how their system works - they basically automate the calling process and connect you when an agent becomes available instead of you having to sit there hitting redial hundreds of times. Used it last week and got connected to a real ESD representative in under 30 minutes. They were able to explain my adjudication hold (needed additional wage verification from my previous employer) and told me exactly what documents to submit. My claim was released two days later. Cost me $20 but honestly worth every penny considering I was going on week 4 of failed calling attempts. Sometimes you just have to accept that the regular system is broken and find an alternative that actually works.

So, If I am a contractor with a company from a different state do they pay into SUTA?

No, contractors typically don't have unemployment taxes paid on their behalf. SUTA (State Unemployment Tax Act) is only paid by employers for their W-2 employees. As a contractor, you're considered self-employed, so the company you work for doesn't pay unemployment taxes to any state for your services - whether they're in Washington or another state. This means you generally wouldn't be eligible for traditional unemployment benefits. However, during the pandemic there was PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance) for contractors and gig workers, but that program ended in 2021.