Can a small business owner file for unemployment in Washington state?

I think my accountant has been doing payroll for me, but I'm not 100% sure. Would that show up somewhere on my tax documents?

Yes, look for Form 940 or quarterly 941 forms. If you've been paying FUTA and SUTA taxes, you should be covered.

That makes sense. My income is basically zero right now since I lost that big contract. Should I document everything?

Absolutely. Keep records of contract terminations, your attempts to find new clients, and any business expenses you're still paying.

Did you end up qualifying for benefits? I'm in the same boat with my photography business.

Yes, but it took weeks to sort out because my payroll setup was weird. The Claimyr service helped me get through to someone who could actually look at my account properly.

It's not widely known, but if you've been paying unemployment taxes on your own wages, you can qualify. The business has to be set up properly though.

wow had no idea. gonna look into this for my side business

Make sure you list yourself as both the employer and employee. The system might flag this as unusual, so be prepared to explain your business structure.

Also be ready for potential adjudication. Business owner claims often get reviewed more carefully.

Thanks! I'll check that out. The website is pretty confusing to navigate.

If you've been paying yourself through payroll and paying unemployment taxes, yes. But you'd need to actually cease business operations or at least demonstrate that you're no longer receiving income from the business.

That's exactly my situation. I might have to close by the end of the month.

Independent contractors typically don't pay into unemployment, so they wouldn't qualify under regular UI. There were special programs during COVID but those ended.

Darn, that's what I figured. Guess I need to look into other options.

Good point. I've been keeping records but probably need to organize them better before I apply.

Oh wow, I hadn't thought about that. So I'd need to document my efforts to find new clients?

Exactly. He had to log all his networking, proposals sent, meetings, everything.

Makes sense. Better to be upfront about everything from the start.

Yeah that's exactly why I ended up using that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. Saved me so much frustration trying to get through on my own.

might have to check that out. this is too stressful to figure out alone

I'm set up as an LLC. Does that count as being an employee of my own business?

LLCs can elect different tax treatments. You'd need to check with your accountant about whether you've been treating yourself as an employee for payroll tax purposes.

Right? I wish I had known about this option sooner. Could have saved me some sleepless nights worrying about money.

Good to know. I was paying myself a pretty modest salary to keep taxes low, so that makes sense.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm feeling more confident about moving forward with my application now.

This gives me hope too. Going to gather my documents and give it a shot.

Happy to help. Small business owners face unique challenges and often don't know about all the resources available to them.

Good luck! Feel free to reach out if you need help navigating any part of the process.

Please do keep us posted. I'm planning to file mine next week.

Food service businesses often have seasonal fluctuations too, so this could be especially relevant for catering. Just make sure your payroll setup is compliant.

Absolutely. I'm prepared for that ongoing responsibility. Better than having no income at all while I rebuild my client base.

This is incredibly helpful advice! I've been hesitant to apply because I wasn't sure if my situation would qualify, but hearing from someone who went through the same process with a similar business setup gives me confidence. I'll definitely start keeping better records of my networking and proposal activities - I've been doing the work but not documenting it properly. Quick question though - when you say the adjudication process can be lengthy, are we talking weeks or months? I'm trying to plan my finances accordingly while I wait for a decision.

In my experience, the adjudication took about 4-6 weeks, but I've heard it can vary depending on how complex your business structure is and how busy they are. Since you're an LLC, they'll likely need to verify your employee status and review your payroll records more carefully than a typical W-2 employee claim. I'd budget for at least 6-8 weeks to be safe, especially if they need additional documentation. The good news is that if you're approved, you'll get back-paid to your filing date. One tip - if you haven't heard anything after 3-4 weeks, that's when using something like the Claimyr service others mentioned can really help you get an actual person on the phone to check your status.

In my experience, the adjudication process typically took about 4-6 weeks, but it can vary depending on how complex your business structure is and how busy Washington ESD is at the time. The good news is that if you're approved, you'll get back pay from when you first filed, so you won't lose those weeks of benefits. I'd recommend applying sooner rather than later if you think you qualify - the clock doesn't start ticking until you actually file your claim. Also, make sure you have all your business financial records readily available because they may ask for additional documentation during the review process.

In my experience, the adjudication process took about 4-6 weeks, but I've heard it can vary depending on how busy Washington ESD is and how complex your business structure is. The good news is that if you're approved, you'll get back-paid to when you first filed, so the wait time doesn't mean lost benefits. I'd recommend having at least 6-8 weeks of expenses covered if possible, just to be safe. The uncertainty is definitely stressful, but documenting everything thoroughly upfront can help prevent additional delays from them requesting more information later.

@TommyKapitz In my case, the adjudication took about 4-5 weeks, but I've heard it can vary quite a bit depending on how complex your business setup is and how busy ESD is at the time. The good news is that if you're approved, you'll get back pay from when you first filed. I'd definitely recommend having at least 6-8 weeks of expenses covered if possible, just to be safe. One thing that helped speed up my process was having all my documentation ready upfront - payroll records, tax forms showing unemployment contributions, and detailed records of my business income drop. The more organized you are from the start, the smoother it tends to go.

In my experience, it took about 4-6 weeks from application to decision. The adjudication timeline really depends on how clear-cut your case is and how busy Washington ESD is at the time. Since you're an S-Corp paying yourself through payroll, your case should be more straightforward than some other business structures. The waiting period can definitely be stressful financially, so I'd recommend applying sooner rather than later if you meet the eligibility requirements. During the adjudication, they might ask for additional documentation like your corporate records, payroll records, and proof that your business income has significantly decreased. Having all that ready to go can help speed up the process. Also, don't be discouraged if your initial claim gets flagged for review - that's pretty standard for business owner claims, even legitimate ones.

In my experience, it was about 4-6 weeks from application to decision. The initial claim gets processed pretty quickly (usually within a week), but then it goes into adjudication review specifically because you're a business owner. They need to verify your employment status, confirm you've been paying into the system, and review your business income documentation. During this time, you won't receive payments, so definitely plan for that gap. I'd recommend applying sooner rather than later since the clock doesn't start ticking until you actually file. Also, if you can get through to someone at ESD to explain your situation upfront, it might help speed things along - though as others mentioned, their phone system is pretty challenging to navigate.

In my experience, the adjudication process took about 4-6 weeks from start to finish. However, I've heard of cases taking up to 8 weeks, especially if they need additional documentation or if there are questions about your business structure. The good news is that if you're approved, you'll receive back pay from when you first filed. I'd recommend having at least 2-3 months of expenses saved if possible, just to be safe. Also, keep calling or checking your claim status online regularly - sometimes they need additional info and the notification process isn't always reliable. @TommyKapitz, feel free to reach out if you run into any specific roadblocks during the process!

In my experience, the adjudication process took about 4-6 weeks from the time I submitted my initial application. However, I've heard it can vary quite a bit depending on how complex your business setup is and how backlogged they are. The good news is that if you're approved, benefits are typically backdated to when you first became eligible, so you won't lose out on payments during the review period. I'd recommend having at least 6-8 weeks of expenses covered if possible while you wait for the decision. Also, make sure to respond quickly to any requests for additional documentation - delays in providing info can really extend the timeline.

In my experience, the adjudication process took about 4-6 weeks from the time they flagged my claim for review. It can vary depending on how complex your business setup is and how backed up Washington ESD is at the time. The key is having all your documentation ready upfront - payroll records, tax forms showing unemployment contributions, and proof that your business income has genuinely ceased or significantly decreased. I'd recommend applying sooner rather than later since the clock doesn't start ticking until you file. Even if it takes a few weeks to process, you'll get backpay from your filing date if approved. Just make sure you're prepared for potential follow-up questions about your business structure and be honest about everything!

In my experience, the adjudication process took about 4-6 weeks from start to finish. However, I know some people who had it resolved in as little as 2 weeks, while others waited closer to 8-10 weeks depending on how complex their business structure was. The good news is that if you're approved, you'll get back-pay for the weeks you were waiting, so you won't lose out on benefits during the review period. I'd recommend having at least 2-3 months of expenses saved if possible, just to be safe. Also, make sure to continue filing your weekly claims even while it's under review - that's crucial for getting your back-pay if approved.

In my experience, it took about 4-6 weeks for the adjudication process to complete. The timeline can vary depending on how complex your business structure is and how quickly you respond to any requests for additional documentation. Washington ESD typically sends you a letter outlining exactly what they need, and being prompt with your responses really helps speed things up. I'd budget for at least 6-8 weeks from application to first payment just to be safe. One tip - if you get approved but then land a new contract while receiving benefits, make sure you report that income immediately. The earnings deduction calculations can be tricky for business owners, but it's better to overcommunicate than risk any issues later.