Can you file unemployment if you get a severance package - Washington ESD rules?

So I should still file even though I'm getting the severance? I don't want to mess anything up with Washington ESD.

Yes, definitely file. The waiting week and all that starts counting down. Just report the severance accurately when you do your weekly claims.

What kind of documentation did they want? I have the severance agreement but not sure what else.

They wanted the actual severance agreement, pay stubs showing the payments, and a letter from HR explaining the payment schedule. It took weeks to get it all sorted out.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to get through to an actual Washington ESD agent. Trying to figure out severance rules through their website was impossible, and I couldn't get anyone on the phone. The agent explained everything clearly and helped me understand what would happen to my benefits. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ - it really works.

Your friend is wrong. Severance doesn't disqualify you from unemployment entirely, it just affects the timing of when you can collect benefits. Washington ESD treats it as deductible income during the weeks it covers.

Oh okay that makes more sense. So I could still file but might not get paid right away?

Exactly. If your weekly severance amount is more than your unemployment benefit amount, you won't get UI that week. If it's less, you'll get a reduced benefit.

Have you tried calling right at 8am when they open? That's the only time I've ever gotten through to Washington ESD without waiting hours.

I've tried that but my work schedule makes it really hard to call that early. Plus even when I do get in the queue, I get disconnected.

I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents automatically. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked - got connected to someone within 30 minutes instead of spending hours trying to call. The website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.

Report it in the wages section since Washington ESD considers severance as wages for the period it covers. Make sure you include the gross amount before taxes.

I made the mistake of reporting my severance as 'other income' and it caused all sorts of problems with my claim. Had to call Washington ESD multiple times to get it straightened out.

Good to know! I'll make sure to put it in the wages section when I file my weekly claim this Sunday.

Washington ESD still allocates lump sum severance over the weeks it's supposed to cover based on your normal weekly wages. So if you got 6 weeks of severance as a lump sum, they'll treat it as if you received it over 6 weeks.

That's actually helpful because it means I might qualify for partial benefits sooner than I thought.

That's exactly what I was worried about! Glad I decided to file right away instead of waiting.

How did you finally get through to a Washington ESD rep? I've been trying for weeks with no luck.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. It was actually worth it because the agent explained everything about how severance affects benefits and helped me understand what I qualified for.

3 weeks?! That's going to be tough financially. Did they eventually backpay you for the weeks you qualified for?

Yes, they backpaid everything I was eligible for once they finished the review. Just be patient and keep filing your weekly claims even if you're not getting paid yet.

This happened to my neighbor - she didn't report her severance thinking it wouldn't matter and ended up owing Washington ESD like $4000. Such a mess to deal with.

Wow, definitely don't want that to happen. I'll make sure to report everything accurately.

My severance does include vacation payout. Should I report that separately or as part of the total severance?

Vacation payout is usually considered wages for the last week you worked, not spread out like severance. You might want to call Washington ESD to clarify how to report it properly.

That's exactly right. The vacation pay goes with your final paycheck, but the actual severance gets allocated over the covered period.

Two weeks isn't that unusual unfortunately. With severance cases they have to do additional review. Have you been filing your weekly claims even though you haven't been paid yet?

Yes, filing every week like they told me to. Just worried something went wrong with my application.

If you're really concerned, you could try reaching out through Claimyr to talk to an agent about your claim status. That's how I found out my severance case was just in normal processing and nothing was wrong. Sometimes it just takes time but at least you'll know for sure.

Glad it helped! This whole situation is stressful enough without being confused about the rules.

Good luck with your claim! Remember to keep all your severance paperwork organized - you'll probably need to submit it at some point.