Can you collect unemployment Washington ESD if you get severance pay - timing question

Really? I thought I had to wait until the severance ended. So I won't get any actual payments until it runs out though, right?

Exactly - you file now to protect your claim date, but benefit payments will likely be delayed until the severance period ends. It's better to have the claim processing during that time.

I had the same problem reaching them last month. Found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a real Washington ESD agent in like 20 minutes. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That sounds too good to be true... but I'm desperate at this point. Did it actually work for your severance question?

Yeah it did! The agent explained exactly how they handle severance in my specific situation. Way better than guessing from the website.

Mine is being paid out as regular biweekly paychecks for the 8 weeks, so I guess that means it's allocated weekly?

That sounds like allocated severance, which means Washington ESD will probably consider those weeks as employed weeks where you're not eligible for benefits.

You should still file! Even if you don't get payments immediately, you're establishing your claim and the job search requirements clock doesn't start until you're actually collecting benefits.

oh ok that makes sense i guess. will try to file online this weekend

That's really helpful! Did you have to do anything special during the standby period or just wait?

I still had to file my weekly claims but they showed $0 payable. Washington ESD told me to keep filing to maintain my claim. Also didn't have to do job search activities during severance period.

I totally get the frustration. That's actually why I ended up using Claimyr - got tired of the endless busy signals and automated messages. Being able to talk to an actual person made all the difference.

How much does that cost though? I'm already tight on money with the job loss.

It's worth checking out their site for details, but honestly getting my claim sorted out properly saved me way more in the long run than what I paid.

I didn't know that about the benefit year! So even though I'm getting severance for 8 weeks, my benefit year clock starts ticking now?

Exactly. Your benefit year is 52 weeks from when you file, so those 8 weeks of severance would be part of that year whether you're collecting or not.

Don't ever feel embarrassed about asking! This is one of the most common questions about unemployment benefits. Better to ask and get it right.

That's awesome! What did they tell you about the severance situation?

Basically same as what others said here - file immediately, severance delays payments but doesn't affect benefit year, keep filing weekly claims even at $0. Agent was super patient and explained everything clearly.

Glad it worked out! That's exactly the kind of clarity you need when dealing with this stuff.

Vacation payout is usually treated differently than severance. It's typically considered wages for the period you would have taken the vacation, so it could affect eligibility for those specific weeks.

Ugh, so both the vacation payout AND severance could delay my benefits? This is getting complicated.

Yes, but again - still file immediately. Washington ESD will sort out how all the different payments affect your specific claim. Don't let the complexity delay your filing.

Smart move! Remember to be completely honest about the severance when you file - they'll ask about any payments from your employer.

Good luck! The process is actually pretty straightforward once you get started. Just make sure to keep filing those weekly claims even if they show $0.

Non-competes don't typically affect Washington ESD eligibility directly, but they might impact your job search requirements depending on how restrictive they are. Definitely something to discuss with an agent.

Makes sense. Might have to try that Claimyr service too if I can't get through the regular way.

How long did they say it would take to process? I'm planning to file this weekend.

said 2-3 weeks for initial determination but could be longer if they need more info about the severance

How would I know if they reported it wrong?

You'll see it on your monetary determination when Washington ESD processes your claim. If the severance amount or dates look wrong, you can appeal or contact them to correct it.

Glad it's helpful! The key takeaway is always file immediately when you become unemployed, regardless of severance or other complications.

That's great news! Thanks for the update. Gives me confidence that filing early was the right call.

Perfect example of why timing matters with these claims. You're all set up now instead of scrambling later.