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

You can potentially get unemployment benefits even with severance, but it depends on how Washington ESD classifies your severance payments. If it's considered wages for a specific period, it might delay your benefits. If it's considered a lump sum payment for past services, it typically won't affect your weekly benefits. The key is how your employer reports it to Washington ESD.

I went through this exact situation last year. Had 6 weeks severance and was worried about the same thing. Filed immediately and Washington ESD approved my claim but I had a waiting period that matched my severance period. The important thing is to file ASAP because there's usually a one-week waiting period anyway.

Here's what I learned when I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD about this exact question - I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually helped me reach an agent. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. The agent was able to explain exactly how my severance would affect my benefits timeline. Way better than sitting on hold for hours!

The whole severance thing is so confusing!! I got a lump sum payment when I was laid off and Washington ESD said it didn't affect my weekly benefits at all. But my friend got weekly severance payments and had to wait before getting UI. It really seems to depend on the specific details of how your company structures it.

honestly the whole system is designed to confuse you and make you give up. file anyway and let them figure it out. worst case they say no, best case you get benefits while you're looking for work. don't overthink it.

File your claim NOW. I made the mistake of waiting until my severance ended and missed out on several weeks of potential benefits. Even if Washington ESD determines you're not eligible during the severance period, your claim date still matters for benefit calculations.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now. Got laid off with 4 weeks severance and filed immediately. My claim is still in adjudication after 2 weeks. Anyone know how long Washington ESD typically takes to make decisions on severance cases?

Check your severance agreement carefully! Mine had a clause about unemployment benefits that I almost missed. Some companies try to structure severance in ways that delay your UI eligibility, but Washington ESD makes the final determination regardless of what your agreement says.

My experience was different from others here. I got 12 weeks severance paid weekly and Washington ESD said I couldn't collect UI until it ended. But I still had to file weekly claims and report the severance each week. Super annoying process.

The amount of your severance might matter too. If it's a really large amount, Washington ESD might spread it over more weeks than your employer intended. I've heard of cases where this happened but not sure of the details.

Just want to add that you should keep ALL documentation about your severance - the agreement, pay stubs, any emails from HR. Washington ESD might request proof of how much you received and when. Better to have everything ready.

Same boat here - got severance and filed for UI immediately. One thing I learned is that even if you can't collect benefits during severance, you still need to do the job search requirements if Washington ESD approves your claim. Don't skip that part!

The phone system at Washington ESD is absolutely terrible for getting answers about this stuff. I called probably 50 times before getting through to someone. When I finally did, they cleared everything up in 5 minutes. Definitely try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned if you need to actually talk to them.

Quick question - if my severance is being paid through my company's normal payroll, does that make it different than if they cut me a separate check? Wondering if the payment method affects how Washington ESD treats it.

I was in this exact situation 6 months ago. Filed immediately, reported severance on weekly claims, and Washington ESD determined I couldn't collect UI until severance ended. But here's the key - they backdated my benefits to cover the waiting week once I became eligible. So I didn't lose any money in the end.

Does anyone know if vacation pay affects this differently than severance? I got both when I was laid off and I'm not sure how to handle the vacation pay part.

The whole process seems super bureaucratic but it's actually not that bad once you get started. Filed online, uploaded my layoff documentation, and heard back within a week about my severance situation. Just be thorough with your initial application.

One last tip - screenshot everything when you file online. The Washington ESD website can be glitchy and you want proof of what you submitted and when. Also helps if you need to reference your application later.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel much more confident about filing now. Going to submit my application this week and include all the severance details upfront. Really appreciate this community!