Can you collect Washington ESD unemployment if you get a severance package?

Yes, you can still collect unemployment benefits even with severance pay, but Washington ESD will reduce your weekly benefit amount. They calculate it based on how much severance you receive each week. If your severance pushes you over your weekly benefit amount, you might not get any UI payment for that week.

I went through this same thing last year. Washington ESD definitely lets you file right away, you don't have to wait for severance to run out. Just make sure you report it accurately on your weekly claims or you'll have problems later.

Actually had this exact situation and couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to get clarification. Kept getting busy signals and dropped calls. Finally used claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. The agent explained everything about how severance affects weekly claims in like 10 minutes.

WASHINGTON ESD IS SO CONFUSING ABOUT THIS STUFF! I had severance too and they kept changing what they told me. First they said I couldn't file, then they said I could but had to wait, then they said I should have filed right away. The whole system is a mess.

The way it works is Washington ESD treats severance as wages for the period it covers. So if you got 3 months severance, they'll allocate it over those 12-13 weeks and reduce your UI benefits accordingly. You still need to file your weekly claims and do job searches though.

Just to add - make sure you understand whether your severance is considered 'wages in lieu of notice' or just a voluntary severance package. It can affect how Washington ESD processes your claim.

i got severance when i was laid off in 2023 and washington esd reduced my benefits to almost nothing for the first month. was super frustrating because i still had bills to pay

One thing to watch out for - if your severance includes health insurance continuation, that's not counted as wages by Washington ESD. Only the cash portion affects your unemployment benefits.

Does anyone know if vacation pay that gets paid out with severance is treated the same way? I'm getting both and not sure how to report it.

Another tip - if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD about severance questions, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does help. The agents know all the rules about how different types of severance payments affect your benefits.

This thread is super helpful. I'm in a similar situation and was totally confused about whether to file right away or wait. Sounds like I should file immediately?

Just remember that if you don't report your severance correctly, Washington ESD will find out eventually and you might have to pay back benefits. They cross-reference with employers.

My company is doing layoffs next month and I'm probably on the list. This whole thread has been really informative about what to expect with severance and unemployment.

One last thing - make sure you keep all your severance paperwork. Washington ESD might ask for documentation during the application process or later if there are any questions.

thanks for all the info everyone. this is way more helpful than the washington esd website which is confusing as hell

Update: I filed my initial claim today and made sure to report my severance package accurately. Thanks everyone for the advice! I feel much more confident about the process now.

This whole thread should be pinned somewhere. So much better information than what you get from Washington ESD directly.

Used that Claimyr service mentioned earlier and finally got answers about my severance situation. Worth every penny to avoid the endless phone runaround with Washington ESD.

Been reading through all these comments and feel like I finally understand how severance affects unemployment benefits. Time to file my claim!

This discussion convinced me I need to be more proactive about understanding my benefits. Never realized how complicated the severance rules could be.