Can you get Washington ESD unemployment if your business closes?

I was definitely paying myself through payroll with all the taxes including UI. Does that mean I should be eligible?

That's a good sign but Washington ESD will still need to verify your work history and the reason for separation. Business closure due to economic reasons is usually considered involuntary separation.

That's what I'm worried about! How did you finally get through to someone?

Eventually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual Washington ESD agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Basically they handle the calling and waiting for you.

Never heard of that before but honestly anything beats trying to call Washington ESD yourself these days

This is really helpful, thank you! I definitely have the wage credits since I've been paying in for 6 years. Do I need any special documentation when I file?

Keep your final payroll records, business closure documentation, and any lease termination notices. Washington ESD may request these during the adjudication process to verify the involuntary nature of your separation.

If you're currently taking owner draws instead of payroll, you'd need to start paying yourself as a W-2 employee with unemployment taxes to build up eligibility. But there are timing requirements for benefit qualification.

ugh this is so complicated. why can't they just make this stuff easier to understand

Did you end up qualifying for benefits?

Eventually yes, but only after multiple appeals and providing tons of documentation. The initial determination was wrong because they didn't understand my business structure.

How long did the adjudication take? I'm worried about how I'll pay bills while waiting.

About 6 weeks total. I couldn't get anyone at Washington ESD to explain what was happening until I used claimyr.com to get through to an actual adjudicator who walked me through what documentation they needed.

Claimyr really is a lifesaver for dealing with Washington ESD phone issues. Wish I'd known about it sooner.

Good point. I was paying myself a reasonable salary though, not trying to minimize payroll taxes.

That's smart. Washington ESD calculates benefits based on your highest quarter earnings in the base period, so paying yourself fairly helps maximize potential benefits.

Yes, you can look for work in your field including eventual self-employment. You just need to meet the weekly job search requirements and report any income from new business activities.

Thanks! The job search requirements are still 3 activities per week right?

Correct, 3 job search activities per week and you need to log them in your WorkSourceWA account.

That makes sense. I have all my documentation showing the rent increase notices and financial struggles, so hopefully that proves it wasn't voluntary.

Good tip! I'll look for that specific option when I file.

The exact wording matters for how they process your claim, so definitely choose the most accurate separation reason.

The appeals process isn't too bad if you have good documentation. Just takes time.

Yeah the hearing was actually pretty straightforward once he could explain the business structure to someone who understood corporate employment law.

That's a great suggestion. I hadn't thought about retraining programs.

I'll file this week then. Thanks for all the helpful advice everyone!

Good luck with your claim! The process can be frustrating but business owners do qualify when they've been paying in properly.

How did you get it resolved?

Had to use that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Worth every penny to actually talk to a real person who could fix the issue instead of waiting months for a callback.

My accountant has been handling all that so I think I'm good there.

It was just me, no other employees to worry about.

Thanks, I really appreciate all the help from everyone here. Makes the process seem less intimidating.