Can I get Washington ESD unemployment benefits if I receive severance pay?

Yes, you can still file for unemployment even with severance pay, but there are some rules about how it affects your benefits. Washington ESD treats severance differently depending on how it's paid out. If it's a lump sum, it might delay your benefits for a certain number of weeks. If it's paid out weekly like regular wages, it could reduce your weekly benefit amount.

I went through this exact situation last year. The key thing is to file your claim right away even if you're getting severance. Washington ESD needs to process everything and determine your waiting period. Don't wait to file because your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you actually start receiving payments.

You should also know that if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about your specific situation, there's a service called Claimyr that helps people connect with ESD agents. I used it when I had questions about my severance situation and it saved me hours of trying to call. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Yes, you can still collect unemployment benefits while receiving severance pay in Washington. The key thing is that severance doesn't count as wages for unemployment purposes, so it won't disqualify you. However, you need to report the severance on your weekly claim when you file.

I went through this exact situation last year. Severance pay is NOT considered wages by Washington ESD, so it doesn't affect your weekly benefit calculation. Just make sure you're honest about it on your weekly claims. The important thing is when you actually receive the severance - report it that week.

Make sure you understand the difference between severance pay and vacation payout too. Vacation pay is treated differently by Washington ESD than severance. If you're getting both, they might have different impacts on your benefits.

Actually, I'm dealing with something similar right now and I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to clarify this. The phone lines are impossible! Has anyone found a better way to reach them? I keep getting the busy signal or getting disconnected after waiting for hours.

this is so confusing why does washington esd make everything so complicated?? i got severance too and still dont understand if i can get benefits or not

wait so severance doesn't count as income?? that doesn't make sense to me. if i'm getting money from my employer why wouldn't that affect my unemployment?

One thing to keep in mind is that even if your severance delays your unemployment benefits, you still need to file your weekly claims during that waiting period. I made the mistake of not filing weekly claims thinking I didn't need to, and it caused issues later.

Does anyone know if the job search requirements still apply during the severance waiting period? Like do I need to be looking for work and documenting it even if I'm not getting benefits yet?

Just want to add that timing matters here. If you receive your severance as a lump sum, report it the week you actually receive it. If it's paid out over multiple weeks, report it each week you get a payment. Don't try to spread it out or anything - just report it as you receive it.

Can confirm what others are saying. I got 6 weeks severance when I was laid off and collected unemployment the whole time. Washington ESD didn't reduce my benefits at all. The only thing that would affect your weekly amount is if you work and earn wages.

I had a similar situation but my severance was spread out over 12 weeks instead of a lump sum. In that case, Washington ESD reduced my weekly benefit amount rather than creating a waiting period. Each week I had to report the severance payment and they calculated my reduced benefit.

Hold up, are we sure about this? I thought ANY income could affect your unemployment benefits. What if it's a really large severance package?

Just want to emphasize what others have said - file your claim immediately. Don't wait for the severance to run out. I waited 6 weeks thinking I should wait until my severance ended and it was a big mistake. You lose that time from your benefit year.

One thing to keep in mind is vacation pay vs severance pay. Vacation pay IS considered wages and will affect your benefits. Make sure you understand what type of payment you're receiving.

Does anyone know if there's a waiting period or anything? Like do I need to wait until my severance period is over before I can file for unemployment?

The Washington ESD website has some information about severance but it's not super clear. When I called to ask questions about my situation, I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. It was actually really helpful - they got me connected to an agent who could explain exactly how my severance would affect my benefits.

This thread is so helpful! I've been putting off filing because I was confused about my severance. Now I know I can file right away. Still going to be a pain trying to get through to Washington ESD if I have any other questions though...

Another thing to consider is whether your severance includes health insurance continuation. That's separate from the unemployment benefits but it's important to know what you're getting so you can plan accordingly.

ugh the whole unemployment system is such a mess. why cant they just make it simple - if you lose your job you get benefits. all these rules about severance and waiting periods just make it harder for people who are already stressed about losing their job

Make sure you keep good records of your severance payments and any other compensation you receive. Washington ESD might ask for documentation later, especially if there are any questions about your claim.

Does the severance waiting period count toward your total benefit weeks? Like if you're eligible for 26 weeks of benefits but have to wait 8 weeks due to severance, do you only get 18 weeks of actual payments?

I tried calling Washington ESD three times last week about my own severance situation and couldn't get through. Finally used Claimyr and got connected within an hour. The agent was really helpful and explained everything clearly. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone at ESD.

One more tip - if you're laid off and getting severance, see if your company offers any job placement services or career counseling. It's not related to unemployment benefits but it might help you find a new job faster.

The bottom line is file your claim now, report the severance honestly, and be prepared for either a waiting period or reduced benefits depending on how it's paid out. The Washington ESD system will figure out the details and let you know what to expect.

Just to be extra clear for anyone reading this: severance pay does NOT count toward the earnings limit for unemployment benefits. You can receive severance and still get your full weekly benefit amount from Washington ESD.

I used to work for an HR company and can confirm this is correct. Washington state treats severance pay as compensation for past work, not current income. It's reported for transparency but doesn't affect benefit calculations.

One more thing - make sure you understand what your severance agreement says about unemployment benefits. Some employers try to include language that affects your ability to collect, but in Washington they generally can't prevent you from filing.

This has been super helpful. I was in the same boat as OP and now I feel confident about filing my claim. Washington ESD's website doesn't make this stuff very clear.

Quick question - do I need to provide documentation about my severance to Washington ESD or do I just report it on my weekly claims?

Has anyone dealt with the situation where you get severance but then find a new job before the severance period ends? Does that change anything?

This thread convinced me to finally file my claim. I've been hesitating for weeks because of confusion about my severance package. Time to stop overthinking it!

For what it's worth, I tried that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier when I couldn't reach Washington ESD about my severance questions. It actually worked - got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours trying to call myself.

Thread summary for anyone just joining: Yes, you can collect unemployment while receiving severance pay in Washington. Severance doesn't count as wages, so it won't reduce your benefits. Just report it honestly on your weekly claims. File as soon as you're laid off - no need to wait.

One last thing I'll add - if you have any doubts or Washington ESD questions your claim for any reason, don't panic. Severance issues are usually easy to resolve if you've been honest about reporting everything.

Just wanted to add my experience here since I went through this exact situation recently. I received 10 weeks of severance pay when I was laid off in March, and I was able to collect unemployment benefits the entire time without any reduction in my weekly amount. The key is being completely transparent about the severance when you file your weekly claims. Washington ESD processed everything smoothly once I reported it correctly. Don't let the severance stop you from filing - you've earned those unemployment benefits and the severance is separate compensation for your past work. File your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work!