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Bottom line - the UI fund is designed to handle periods of high unemployment. That's literally its purpose. Yes it gets strained, yes processing gets backed up, but the money is there. Been through this cycle before and it always works out.
Just to add one more data point - I work in payroll and can confirm our company's UI tax rate did go up this year after we had layoffs in 2023. But it's still a relatively small percentage of overall payroll costs. The system spreads the burden around pretty effectively.
I was in a similar situation - whole department got eliminated due to company restructuring. Answered RIF on my application and got approved without any issues. The key is that it wasn't your fault you lost the job, which is exactly what unemployment insurance is for.
Just went through this myself and used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD when my claim was taking forever. Totally worth it instead of wasting days trying to call. The agents were able to explain exactly what was holding up my claim and when to expect resolution.
I used Claimyr when I had questions about my contractor situation last month. Got through to an Washington ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending all day calling. They were able to explain exactly what documentation I needed for my case.
The key thing is just don't panic if things seem slow at first. The system handles thousands of claims and sometimes there are delays, but you'll get your benefits if you're eligible.
oh and one more thing - if you have any 1099 work or side gigs you need to report that income too when you file your weekly claims. dont try to hide it because they will find out eventually
Isabella Oliveira
Thanks everyone for all the info! I feel much better prepared now. Going to calculate what I probably owe and start setting money aside just in case.
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AstroAce
•Glad this thread helped you too! It's definitely made me feel less panicked about the whole situation.
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Ravi Kapoor
Final tip: if you use tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block, they'll walk you through everything and calculate what you owe automatically. Just make sure you have your 1099-G form when you file.
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AstroAce
•Perfect! I always use TurboTax anyway, so that should make things easier. Thanks for all the help everyone!
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