Can you collect unemployment while receiving severance in Washington ESD?

Do you know how much they reduce it by? Is it dollar for dollar or a percentage?

It's usually dollar for dollar reduction. If your weekly benefit amount is $400 and you get $300 in severance, you'd only get $100 in UI benefits that week.

Thanks for the warning! Did you have any issues with your claim being delayed because of the severance?

No delays on my end, but I was upfront about everything from the start. The key is being honest on your weekly claims.

Never heard of Claimyr before. Is it legit? I'm desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD about my severance situation too.

Yeah it's legitimate. They basically help you get through the phone queue so you can actually talk to a real person at Washington ESD instead of getting hung up on or waiting on hold for hours.

This might be exactly what I need. The Washington ESD website isn't super clear about severance reporting.

That makes sense. My severance is pretty substantial so I might not get much in benefits until it's done.

Oh no! How much did you have to pay back if you don't mind me asking?

About $2,800 plus interest. It was awful. I'm still paying it back through my current UI benefits.

This is exactly why I'm being so careful about reporting everything correctly. The penalties are no joke.

Good point. I should probably check with HR about how they're classifying my severance payments.

Yes, definitely get that clarification. Some companies pay severance as 'salary continuation' which can affect your UI eligibility differently than a straight severance payment.

Lump sum severance is usually allocated over the period it's meant to cover. So if you get $8,000 for 8 weeks, they'd treat it as $1,000 per week for 8 weeks.

That's helpful to know. I was worried they'd just deduct the entire amount from one week's benefits.

Good advice. I'd rather be safe than sorry with this stuff.

Oh wow, I hadn't thought about that. So even if I'm getting no money from UI because of the severance, I still need to do job searches?

Exactly. You're still filing weekly claims, so you still need to meet all the eligibility requirements including job search.

This is another area where talking to an actual Washington ESD agent helps. The online info doesn't always make this clear.

I'm definitely going to check out Claimyr. This severance situation is more complicated than I thought.

It really is. The Washington ESD website has basic info but every situation is a little different.

Vacation pay is usually treated differently than severance. It's often considered wages from your last week of work, but you should definitely report it on your claim.

thanks, i'll make sure to report it just to be safe

Good reminder. I'll make sure to save all my pay stubs and any documentation from my employer.

Definitely won't try to double-dip. The penalties seem way too harsh to risk it.

Smart thinking. Washington ESD crosschecks with employers and the IRS, so they'll catch any unreported income eventually.

That's great that you got clarity! I'm definitely going to use Claimyr too.

See? That's exactly why it's worth it to talk to an actual agent instead of trying to figure it out from the website alone.

Yeah, I'm definitely going to be completely transparent about my severance situation.

I hadn't thought about the quarterly aspect. My severance will run into the next quarter so I should probably ask about that too.

Good catch. The timing of when wages are reported can definitely affect your UI calculation.

I know exactly how you feel. That's why I made such a big mistake with my severance reporting. The system is confusing.

That's exactly why services like Claimyr exist. Sometimes you just need to talk to someone who knows the system to make sure you're doing everything right.

Thank you! I'll file this week and make sure to report my severance payments accurately. This thread has been incredibly helpful.

Good luck with your claim! The most important thing is being honest and consistent with your reporting.

Agreed. And don't hesitate to get professional help if you need clarification on anything. Better safe than sorry with Washington ESD.

You're welcome! Feel free to come back and ask if you run into any issues.

Good luck! And remember, if you need to talk to Washington ESD directly about anything, don't spend hours on hold - check out that Claimyr service.

Same here. It's nice to see people helping each other navigate this confusing system.

yeah these forums are way more helpful than trying to figure out the washington esd website alone