Are churches exempt from unemployment taxes in Washington state?

That makes sense. I'll try calling Washington ESD but their phone lines are always busy. Any tips for getting through?

Yeah the wait times are brutal. I usually try calling right when they open at 8am or during lunch hours when it's slightly less busy.

Wait, that doesn't sound right. I worked for a church that definitely paid unemployment taxes. It depends on the individual church's choice.

Maybe some do, but in my experience most churches choose the exemption to save money on payroll taxes.

What other programs did they mention? I'm really stressing about paying my bills while I look for work.

They mentioned some federal programs and maybe state assistance, but honestly the details were confusing. That's why you need to actually speak with an agent to understand your options.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me connect with an agent. They handle the calling for you - check out claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of busy signals.

I understand the frustration but there are legitimate reasons for religious exemptions in employment law. Churches have different operational structures than typical businesses.

But it hurts the workers who get left without benefits when they lose their jobs through no fault of their own!

That's exactly why many churches do choose to participate in unemployment insurance - to protect their employees.

Good point! I should dig up my old paystubs and look for those deductions. That would be the easiest way to know for sure.

Yeah look for 'SUI' or 'SUTA' deductions on your paystub - that's State Unemployment Insurance tax.

Honestly I don't remember them specifically mentioning unemployment benefits. There was a lot of paperwork and information during orientation.

Understandable! It's not usually something people think about until they need it unfortunately.

Really? What kind of compensation would that be? This is all so confusing.

It's complicated and depends on various factors. You definitely need to speak with Washington ESD directly to understand what applies to your specific situation.

I second the recommendation for Claimyr if you're struggling to reach Washington ESD. I used them when I had questions about my claim status and it was so much easier than trying to call myself.

Thanks for sharing! What kind of assistance did you get through DSHS? Is that different from unemployment benefits?

yeah its different - more like temporary assistance while you look for work. not as much as unemployment but something to help with basics

This is why talking to Washington ESD directly is so important. They can look up the specific employer and tell you exactly what the situation is.

I'm definitely going to keep trying to reach them. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information!

Size definitely matters for some exemptions. Larger religious organizations often operate more like traditional employers.

Our church is pretty small - maybe 15-20 employees total. That might make a difference.

Agreed. And if you're still having trouble getting through, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier might be worth trying. I've heard good things about it from other people dealing with Washington ESD issues.

I think I'll give Claimyr a try. At this point I just need to talk to someone who can give me real answers about my situation.

Will do! Hopefully I can get some answers soon and share what I learn.

This is really helpful information! I never realized there was a distinction between paying regular UI taxes and being a "reimbursing employer." That might explain why Washington ESD is still asking about my church employer even though they might not pay regular unemployment taxes. I'll definitely ask the church's finance person about their status when I contact Washington ESD. Thanks for the detailed explanation!

This is super helpful! The distinction between paying regular UI taxes versus being a reimbursing employer makes so much sense now. I had no idea churches could still be on the hook for benefits even if they don't pay the regular taxes. I'm going to contact our church's finance director first to find out their exact status before calling Washington ESD - that should make the conversation much more productive. Really appreciate you breaking this down!

Wow, this is exactly the kind of detailed info I needed! I had no clue about the reimbursing employer option - that could totally change my situation. I'm going to dig through my paperwork and see if I can find anything about the church's unemployment status, and definitely reach out to their finance person like you suggested. This gives me so much more hope that I might still be eligible for something even if they don't pay regular UI taxes. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all this!

This is incredibly helpful! I had no idea about the reimbursing employer distinction - that completely changes how I should approach this. I'm going to contact my former church's finance office first to find out their exact unemployment status before calling Washington ESD. Having that information upfront should make the conversation much more productive. The fact that they might still be liable for benefits even without paying regular UI taxes gives me hope that I might still have options. Thanks so much for breaking this down in such detail!