Can you receive unemployment if you receive severance - Washington ESD question

So I should file my initial claim right away even though I'm getting severance? I was worried they'd deny the whole claim.

Yes, file immediately. The sooner you file, the sooner your benefit year starts. You might not get paid during the severance weeks, but you'll still be in the system.

That's not correct. In Washington, severance doesn't disqualify you from unemployment benefits. It just affects the weekly benefit amount during the weeks you receive it. Your friend may have been misinformed or there might have been other factors.

How much did that cost? I'm already stressed about money with the layoff.

It was worth it for me to get accurate information instead of guessing. The peace of mind was huge, and I got my claim filed correctly the first time instead of making mistakes.

You mark yourself as unemployed since you're not working. The severance is just compensation, not wages from active employment. As for job search, yes, you still need to meet the requirements even during weeks you're receiving severance pay.

I agree the system needs work, but the information is actually there if you dig through their handbook. Most people just don't want to read 50 pages of policy details.

Good to know! Mine is definitely weekly payments, so sounds like I just report each week as I get it.

Exactly. And make sure to report the gross amount before taxes, not the net amount you actually receive.

Ugh, same situation here. Between severance and accrued PTO payout, I didn't see any unemployment money for almost 3 months. But at least I was in the system and ready to go when those ran out.

Did you still have to file weekly claims during all those weeks even though you weren't getting paid?

Yes! You have to keep filing weekly to maintain your claim. Miss too many weeks and they can close your claim entirely.

That's helpful! My severance does include COBRA premium payments for 2 months.

Perfect, so you only report the actual cash severance, not the value of the health insurance coverage.

Can you backdate unemployment claims to make up for those lost weeks?

Very limited backdating is allowed, and you need a really good reason. It's much better to just file on time. The Washington ESD doesn't make it easy to fix timing mistakes.

Is that legitimate? Seems too good to be true that someone else can call for you.

Yeah it's real. They basically automate the calling process and wait in the queue for you. When they get through, they transfer you to the agent. Saved me literally hours of redialing.

Non-compete payments are generally treated as wages for unemployment purposes in Washington, so they would likely reduce your benefits similar to severance. You should definitely report them on your weekly claims.

Good point. My severance started the week after my last day of work, so the timing should be straightforward.

That's ideal. Clean transitions make the reporting much easier for everyone involved.

No, the job search requirement continues throughout your entire claim period in Washington, regardless of whether you receive payment in specific weeks due to severance or other deductible income.

How long did it take them to get you connected to an agent?

About 45 minutes, but I wasn't sitting there the whole time. They called me back when they got through. Way better than the 3 hours I spent trying to call myself the day before.

Good luck! Remember to keep detailed records of all your severance payments in case Washington ESD has questions later.

Will do! This thread has been incredibly helpful.