Can I collect severance and unemployment benefits at the same time in Washington?

It's being paid out weekly over 12 weeks, so that sounds like it might count as wages then?

Yes, if it's weekly payments that represent wages for those specific weeks, Washington ESD will likely consider those weeks as employment periods where you're not eligible for benefits.

Did your severance completely disqualify you for those weeks or did they just reduce the benefit amount?

For me it was complete disqualification during the severance period since the weekly amount was more than my weekly benefit amount would have been.

Never heard of Claimyr before, is it legit? I'm getting desperate trying to reach someone at Washington ESD.

Yeah it's real, they basically help you get through the phone queue. Saved me probably 10+ hours of calling and getting hung up on.

Mine is definitely designated for specific weeks unfortunately. Sounds like I'll need to wait until it's done to start collecting unemployment.

Not necessarily! You should still file your initial claim right away even if you won't be eligible for benefits during the severance period. This protects your claim date.

Definitely planning to be completely honest. Better safe than sorry with these things.

This is excellent advice. Washington ESD has access to wage records and will catch unreported income during their routine audits.

That's exactly the kind of situation where you need to speak with Washington ESD directly. The designation matters more than the payment method.

Ugh, I've been trying to call for weeks. Maybe I'll check out that Claimyr thing someone mentioned.

Good point, I should read through all the paperwork more carefully.

Same here - my severance was called a 'separation payment' and didn't affect my UI at all.

Tell me about it. I've been hung up on 6 times this week trying to get through.

That's exactly why I started using Claimyr. The calling system is just broken otherwise.

Good advice, I'll make sure to keep everything organized from the start.

Appeals take forever though. Better to get it right the first time if possible.

Yeah mine is definitely regular severance pay, not vacation or sick time.

Vacation payout usually doesn't count as wages for unemployment purposes since you already earned those days.

That makes sense. I'll file as soon as I'm laid off and let them sort it out.

Smart move. You can always stop certifying for weeks where you're not eligible but you can't go back and establish an earlier claim date.

How much does it cost? I'm already tight on money with the layoff coming.

It's worth it for the time you save. Check out their demo video to see if it's right for your situation.

Exactly what I plan to do. Thanks everyone for the advice!

Good luck with everything. Layoffs are stressful enough without worrying about the unemployment system too.

Severance typically doesn't affect your weekly benefit amount calculation since that's based on your base period wages. It just affects eligibility during the period it covers.

Right, your weekly benefit amount is locked in when you file your initial claim based on your work history.

Good point, I need to check on the benefits continuation part of the package.

COBRA is so expensive. Hopefully your severance includes health coverage for a while.