Do employees pay unemployment insurance - Washington ESD deduction confusion
I just started a new job here in Washington and I'm looking at my first paystub. I don't see any deductions for unemployment insurance but my coworker said something about employees having to pay into it. I'm getting mixed information online about whether workers in Washington pay into the unemployment system or if it's just employers. Can someone clarify if Washington ESD takes money from employee paychecks for unemployment insurance? I want to make sure my payroll department isn't missing something important.
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Cassandra Moon
In Washington state, employees DO pay into unemployment insurance through payroll deductions. It should show up on your paystub as 'UI' or 'Unemployment Insurance' deduction. The rate changes yearly but it's typically around 0.4% of your wages up to a certain wage cap.
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Eli Wang
•Thanks! I'll check my paystub again more carefully. Maybe it's listed under a different abbreviation than I was looking for.
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Zane Hernandez
•Yeah mine shows as 'WA UI' on my paystub. Very small amount but it's there every pay period.
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Genevieve Cavalier
You should definitely see a deduction for unemployment insurance on your Washington paystub. Both employees and employers pay into the system here. If you don't see it, your payroll department made an error and needs to fix it immediately. The Washington ESD requires these contributions to be eligible for benefits later.
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Eli Wang
•That's concerning. I'll bring this up with HR tomorrow. Do you know what happens if they haven't been taking the deduction?
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Genevieve Cavalier
•They'll need to make up the missed contributions and start deducting going forward. It could affect your benefit eligibility if it's not corrected.
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Ethan Scott
I had this exact problem last year! My employer wasn't taking out the UI deduction and I didn't notice for months. When I eventually needed to file for unemployment benefits, I had to deal with Washington ESD questioning my wage credits. It was a nightmare trying to get through to someone at ESD to explain the situation.
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Eli Wang
•Oh no, that sounds awful. How did you finally get it resolved?
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Ethan Scott
•I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual ESD agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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Lola Perez
•Never heard of that service but honestly anything is better than trying to call ESD directly. Those phone lines are impossible.
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Nathaniel Stewart
wait i thought only employers paid unemployment insurance?? i've been working for 3 years and never noticed it on my paystub
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Cassandra Moon
•That's a common misconception. In Washington, employees pay a small percentage while employers pay a much larger percentage. You should check your paystubs - it might be listed under 'UI' or 'State UI'.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•omg you're right, i just checked and it says 'WA UI' with like $12 taken out. i never paid attention to that line before
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Riya Sharma
The Washington Employment Security Department requires both employee and employer contributions to fund the unemployment insurance program. For 2025, the employee rate is 0.4% of wages up to the taxable wage base. This is mandatory for all covered employment in Washington state.
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Eli Wang
•What's the taxable wage base limit for this year?
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Riya Sharma
•For 2025, the taxable wage base is $68,500. So you stop paying the UI tax once your wages reach that amount for the year.
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Santiago Diaz
I'm an HR manager and I can confirm that Washington is one of the states where employees pay into unemployment insurance. It's a small deduction but it's required by law. If your employer isn't taking it out, that's a serious payroll compliance issue that needs immediate attention.
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Eli Wang
•Thank you for the professional perspective. I'll definitely address this with my employer right away.
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Millie Long
•What kind of penalties could the employer face for not taking out the deduction?
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Santiago Diaz
•The employer could face penalties and interest charges from Washington ESD. Plus they'd have to make up all the missed contributions retroactively.
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KaiEsmeralda
This is exactly why I keep detailed records of all my paystubs. You never know when there might be an error that affects your benefits later. The Washington ESD system is complicated enough without having wage credit issues on top of it.
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Eli Wang
•Good advice. I'll start keeping better track of my paystub details from now on.
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Debra Bai
•Smart thinking. I learned this the hard way when I filed for unemployment and had to prove my wages to ESD.
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Gabriel Freeman
UGH the Washington unemployment system is so confusing! Why can't they just make it simple like other states? Half the people don't even know they're paying into it and the other half can't figure out how to file claims when they need to.
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Cassandra Moon
•It's really not that complicated once you understand the basics. Most people just don't pay attention to their paystub deductions.
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Gabriel Freeman
•Maybe, but when you actually need to use the benefits the whole process is a nightmare. I spent weeks trying to get my claim approved.
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Laura Lopez
Just to add - the employee contribution rate can change from year to year based on the trust fund balance. It's been pretty stable around 0.4% but it's not necessarily fixed at that rate forever.
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Eli Wang
•That's good to know. Do they announce rate changes in advance?
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Laura Lopez
•Yes, Washington ESD publishes the rates for the following year usually in late fall. Employers are required to update their payroll systems accordingly.
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Victoria Brown
I remember when I first started working and was confused about all the deductions on my paystub. UI was one of the smallest ones so I barely noticed it. Now I realize how important it is to have that safety net.
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Samuel Robinson
•Same here. You don't think about unemployment insurance until you actually need it. Then you're grateful you've been paying into the system.
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Eli Wang
•That's a good point. I guess it's worth the small deduction for the peace of mind.
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Camila Castillo
If you're not seeing the deduction, another possibility is that you're classified as an independent contractor instead of an employee. Contractors don't pay into unemployment insurance and aren't eligible for benefits.
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Eli Wang
•No, I'm definitely a W-2 employee. I think it's just a payroll error that needs to be corrected.
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Camila Castillo
•Good, then you should definitely see that deduction. Make sure they fix it retroactively too.
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Brianna Muhammad
Quick question - do part-time employees also pay into unemployment insurance? I'm only working 20 hours a week at my new job.
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Cassandra Moon
•Yes, part-time employees pay the same rate as full-time employees. It's based on a percentage of your wages, not your hours worked.
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Brianna Muhammad
•Thanks for clarifying! I wasn't sure if there was a minimum hours requirement.
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JaylinCharles
I had to deal with Washington ESD when my previous employer wasn't properly reporting my wages. It took forever to get someone on the phone to help sort it out. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got through to an agent the same day. Definitely worth it when you're dealing with wage credit issues.
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Eli Wang
•Good to know there are options if I run into problems getting this fixed. Hopefully my employer will handle it properly.
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Eloise Kendrick
•Claimyr really does work. I was skeptical at first but they got me connected to ESD when I needed to verify my benefit eligibility. Much better than spending hours on hold.
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Lucas Schmidt
For what it's worth, the Washington unemployment system is actually pretty generous compared to other states. The benefits are decent and the eligibility requirements aren't too strict. So even though the payroll deductions might seem annoying, it's worth it.
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Eli Wang
•That's reassuring. I've heard horror stories about unemployment systems in other states.
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Freya Collins
•Washington definitely has one of the better unemployment programs. The online system isn't perfect but it's functional.
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LongPeri
Make sure you keep track of when your employer starts taking the deduction. If you ever file for unemployment, Washington ESD will look at your wage credits from the past year and you want to make sure everything is properly documented.
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Eli Wang
•Good advice. I'll make a note of when the deduction starts and keep all my paystubs organized.
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Oscar O'Neil
•Smart move. I've seen people get denied benefits because of wage reporting errors that could have been caught early.
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Sara Hellquiem
This whole thread is making me want to double-check my own paystub! I just assumed everything was correct but now I'm second-guessing myself.
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Cassandra Moon
•It's always good to review your paystub regularly. Most people just look at the net pay and ignore the deductions.
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Sara Hellquiem
•Guilty as charged! I'm going to start paying more attention to all the line items.
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Charlee Coleman
Update for anyone following this thread - I talked to my HR department and they confirmed it was a payroll setup error. They're fixing it starting with my next paycheck and will make the retroactive contributions to Washington ESD. Thanks everyone for the help!
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Cassandra Moon
•Great news! Glad they're handling it properly and making the retroactive payments.
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Genevieve Cavalier
•Perfect outcome. Now you'll have proper wage credits if you ever need to file for unemployment benefits.
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Eli Wang
•Thanks again to everyone who helped clarify this. This forum is so helpful for navigating these confusing employment issues.
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