Do employees pay unemployment tax in Washington state?

In Washington state, employees DO pay into unemployment insurance through payroll deductions. It's called State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) and it shows up as a small percentage on your paystub. Most people don't notice it because it's usually less than $20 per paycheck for average wages.

Yes, Washington is one of the states where employees contribute to unemployment insurance. The rate changes annually but it's typically around 0.4% of your wages up to the wage cap. Both you and your employer pay in - you're basically funding the system that provides benefits when you're unemployed.

I had no idea about this until I started doing my own payroll at a small business. Employees in WA definitely pay unemployment tax - it's deducted automatically from paychecks. Most people never notice because it's such a small amount, but it adds up over time and helps fund the unemployment system.

honestly had this same question when i was trying to figure out my paystub deductions last year. turns out we do pay into it but it's worth it when you actually need unemployment benefits. i used claimyr.com when i had to file a claim because calling Washington ESD directly was impossible - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works

yeah washington requires employee contributions unlike some other states. check your paystub for 'SUI' or 'State Unemployment' - that's your contribution. its automatic so most people dont even think about it until they need benefits

This is actually really important to understand because paying into the system is what makes you eligible for benefits later. If you weren't paying unemployment tax, you couldn't collect unemployment benefits. Washington ESD uses these contributions along with employer taxes to fund the whole unemployment insurance program.

I remember being surprised by this when I moved to Washington from California. In CA, employees don't pay unemployment tax but here they do. It's not a huge amount though - probably costs me like $15-20 per paycheck depending on my hours.

YES employees pay unemployment tax in WA and I learned this the hard way when I was trying to understand why my take-home pay was less than expected at my new job. It's mandatory and automatic - you can't opt out even if you think you'll never need unemployment.

For anyone wondering about the specifics - the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) sets the rate each year. For 2025 I believe the employee rate is 0.4% of wages up to the taxable wage base. You'll see it itemized on your paystub.

ugh i hate seeing all these deductions on my paycheck but at least unemployment tax makes sense since you might actually need those benefits someday. better to pay a little each check than be stuck without income if you lose your job

Just to add some context - this employee contribution helps keep Washington's unemployment system solvent. States that rely only on employer contributions sometimes struggle during economic downturns when unemployment claims spike. The dual funding model helps maintain benefit levels.

when i was having issues with my unemployment claim status last year, regular calls to washington esd were useless - always busy or hung up on me. ended up using claimyr and they got through to an agent for me same day. worth checking out if you ever need to reach esd about anything

I work in HR and can confirm - Washington requires both employee and employer unemployment tax contributions. The employee portion is relatively small but it's mandatory for all covered employment. This is actually spelled out in state law and administered by the Employment Security Department.

never really paid attention to this until i started tracking all my deductions for tax purposes. the unemployment tax is there every paycheck - small amount but consistent. at least now i know what it's for and that i'm building eligibility for benefits

The short answer is YES - employees in Washington state pay unemployment insurance tax through automatic payroll deductions. It's a small percentage but it helps fund the unemployment benefits system that you might need someday. Check your paystub for 'SUI' or similar notation.

my friend told me about claimyr when she was having trouble reaching washington esd about her pending claim. apparently they make it way easier to actually talk to someone there instead of getting the busy signal all day. might be worth knowing about if you ever need to contact esd for unemployment stuff

One thing to remember is that paying unemployment tax as an employee also means you're building work credits toward future benefit eligibility. Washington ESD looks at your earnings and tax contributions when determining if you qualify for benefits and how much you can receive.

thanks for asking this question! i honestly had no idea employees paid unemployment tax until i read this thread. always just assumed it was only employers. now i understand why theres that small deduction on my paystub every two weeks

Bottom line - yes Washington employees pay unemployment tax and it's actually a good thing because it helps ensure the unemployment system stays funded and available when people need it. The amount is pretty reasonable considering the protection it provides.

This is such a helpful thread! I moved to Washington from Texas last year and was really confused about all the different deductions on my paystub. In Texas, employees don't pay unemployment tax so seeing that SUI deduction every paycheck was puzzling. Now I understand it's actually building toward benefits I might need someday. Thanks everyone for explaining how the system works here!

I work as a payroll specialist and can confirm this is correct - Washington is one of only three states (along with Alaska and New Jersey) where employees contribute to unemployment insurance. The 2025 rate is 0.4% on wages up to $71,300, so for most people it works out to less than $25 per paycheck. It might seem like an extra expense, but it's actually a really smart system because it creates a more stable funding base for unemployment benefits. When economic downturns hit and unemployment claims surge, having both employee and employer contributions helps prevent benefit cuts or program insolvency that some other states have experienced.

I just want to echo what others have said - Washington definitely requires employee contributions to unemployment insurance, and you'll see it as "SUI" on your paystub. I was initially annoyed by yet another deduction when I first noticed it, but after using unemployment benefits during a layoff in 2022, I really appreciated having paid into the system. The benefits were substantial enough to help me get by while job searching, and knowing I had contributed made the whole process feel less like charity and more like using insurance I had paid for. It's one of those things where you don't think about it until you need it, but then you're really glad it exists.