Can you collect unemployment if you get severance pay from Washington ESD?

Really? I thought you had to wait until all the severance was paid out. So I can file right away?

Yes, file right away! The severance will be deducted from your weekly benefits, but you'll still get partial payments and your claim will be established. Plus you'll meet the job search requirements during this time.

How much did they reduce it by? Was it dollar for dollar or some percentage?

It was dollar for dollar reduction. So if my weekly benefit was $400 and I got $300 in severance that week, I received $100 in unemployment. But once the severance ended, I got the full $400.

I tried looking on their website but couldn't find clear information about severance specifically. Do you remember where you saw that?

I had trouble finding clear info on the Washington ESD site too. Honestly, I used claimyr.com to get through to an actual agent who explained everything clearly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Your HR department is wrong. You CAN collect unemployment with severance pay - it just reduces the amount you get each week. This is a common misconception.

Ok now I'm really stressed. I got laid off 3 weeks ago and haven't filed yet because of what HR told me. Did I mess up by waiting?

File immediately! You can backdate your claim to your last day of work. The sooner you file, the better. Don't let any more time pass.

I know exactly what you mean about the phone system! That's why I ended up using Claimyr - they got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes. Worth every penny to get real answers instead of guessing.

Never heard of Claimyr. Is it legit? I'm desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD.

Yeah it's totally legit. They just help you get through the phone system faster. Check out their demo video to see how it works.

Vacation pay and sick leave are handled differently than severance. Vacation pay usually doesn't affect your benefits at all, while sick leave depends on how it's classified.

Wait, my company is also paying out my unused vacation time. Does that affect unemployment too?

Vacation payout usually doesn't count as wages for unemployment purposes, so it shouldn't reduce your benefits. But report it when you file just to be safe.

Lump sum severance is allocated over the period it's supposed to cover. So if you get $4000 for 8 weeks, Washington ESD treats it as $500 per week for benefit calculation purposes.

That makes sense. So they spread it out even if I got it all at once. Good to know!

Yes, you still need to complete your job search activities and file your weekly claims even during severance weeks. The requirements don't change.

Thanks for confirming. I'll make sure to keep track of my job search activities from day one.

Same here! I'm going to file right now. Thanks everyone for the clarification.

Good for both of you. Remember to report the severance pay accurately on your weekly claims and you'll be fine.

The name doesn't matter - what matters is the nature of the payment. If it's pay for the period after your employment ends, it's treated as severance regardless of what they call it.

Perfect, that's what I thought but wanted to make sure. Thanks!

Oh no! Can you backdate your claim to recover some of that?

I tried but Washington ESD said I waited too long. There's a limit on how far back you can backdate. File immediately, seriously.

This is exactly why it's so important to file right away. Even if you think you might not be eligible, it's better to file and let Washington ESD sort it out.

COBRA payments are separate from your severance calculation for unemployment purposes. The health insurance continuation doesn't count as wages.

Great, thanks for clarifying that!

That's exactly why I used Claimyr after getting frustrated with the phone system. They got me through in 20 minutes and I was able to get all my severance questions answered directly by a Washington ESD agent.

I'll have to check that out. This is so stressful trying to figure out on my own.

Nope, nothing special needed. Just continue filing your weekly claims as normal. Once there's no more severance to report, you'll automatically get your full weekly benefit amount.

Perfect, that's what I was hoping. Thanks!

Yes, this thread saved me from making a huge mistake. So glad I found it.

Happy to help! The key points are: file immediately, report severance accurately, and keep doing job search activities. You'll be fine.

How did you manage to get through to them? I've been trying for days.

I called first thing in the morning right when they opened. Took about 45 minutes of waiting but I got through.

Good point! If there are discrepancies between what you report and what your employer reports, it can trigger an adjudication review which delays your benefits.

Exactly. It took weeks to get sorted out. Communication with your former employer is important.

Same here! This saved me from a costly mistake.

Glad we could help. Remember to be honest and accurate in your reporting and you'll be fine. Good luck with your job search!