Can child support take my Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Yes, unfortunately child support can be deducted from unemployment benefits in Washington state. The Division of Child Support (DCS) can garnish up to 50% of your UI payments if you're behind on support.

this happened to me last year, they took about $180 per week from my $360 weekly benefit amount. really sucked but there wasnt much i could do about it

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD or DCS about this, I recently discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help people get through to government agencies when the phone lines are constantly busy. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone urgently about your situation.

The garnishment usually starts automatically once DCS processes your UI claim information. Washington ESD reports benefit payments to various agencies including child support enforcement. You should receive notice before they start taking money, but sometimes the timing is tight.

ugh the system is so messed up. they expect you to survive on unemployment then take half of it away for child support. how are we supposed to pay rent and buy food?

Check if you qualify for any other assistance programs while your unemployment is being garnished. DSHS might have programs that can help with housing or food assistance.

i went through this exact situation 2 years ago. the garnishment notice came about a week after i started getting UI payments. they took exactly 50% which was like $175 out of my $350 weekly benefit

One important thing to remember is that you still need to file your weekly claims on time even with the garnishment. Some people think they should stop claiming benefits to avoid the garnishment, but that just makes everything worse.

Contact a family law attorney if possible. Some offer free consultations and might be able to help you request an emergency modification of your support order based on the job loss.

The garnishment will show up as a deduction on your UI payment notice, similar to how taxes are withheld. It's usually listed as 'Child Support' or 'DCS Garnishment' on the payment breakdown.

If you have other kids living with you that you support, the garnishment percentage might be lower. I think it drops to like 25% if you're supporting other children in your household.

try to get caught up on your child support payments as soon as you find new work. the longer you're behind the harder it gets to catch up because of interest and penalties

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr suggestion from earlier. I used them when I needed to reach someone at Washington ESD about my adjudication issues and it really helped. If you need to speak with DCS or Washington ESD about your garnishment situation, it might save you hours of trying to get through on your own.

Make sure you understand exactly how much you owe in back support versus current support. Sometimes the garnishment amount includes both past due amounts and current monthly support, which can make it higher than expected.

the worst part is they dont even ask if you can afford it they just start taking the money. like hello im on unemployment because i lost my job obviously money is tight

At least unemployment benefits are better than no income at all. When I was between jobs without filing for UI, I still owed the same amount in child support but had zero coming in.

Keep all your documentation about the job loss and unemployment filing. If you do end up needing to go to court for a modification, you'll need proof of when your income changed and why.

Don't forget that if you find part-time work while on UI, that income might also be subject to garnishment. DCS gets information about all your income sources, not just unemployment benefits.

Just want to say hang in there. I know the financial stress is overwhelming but this situation is temporary. Focus on finding new employment and things will get better.

One final note - if you do use Claimyr to connect with Washington ESD or DCS, make sure to have all your questions written down beforehand. When you finally get through to a real person, you want to make the most of that conversation.

I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I learned from my case worker is that Washington state also has an Income Withholding Order (IWO) process that automatically kicks in when you start receiving any type of income replacement benefits like UI. The good news is that if you can demonstrate extreme financial hardship, there's sometimes room for temporary relief while you get back on your feet. You might also want to look into whether your county has a self-help family law center - they often provide free assistance with modification paperwork and can walk you through the process without needing to hire an attorney right away.