Do employers get charged for unemployment in Washington - confused about how this works

Yes, employers do pay into the unemployment system, but it's not as direct as you might think. Washington employers pay unemployment insurance taxes quarterly based on their payroll and their experience rating. When you file a claim, it doesn't immediately come out of their pocket - it's paid from the unemployment insurance trust fund that all employers contribute to.

Don't worry about your employer - you paid into this system through your work too. Washington ESD uses something called the experience rating system. Employers with more claims against them pay higher tax rates, but that's spread out over time. File your claim if you're eligible!

I had the same concern when I got laid off last year. What happens is employers pay quarterly taxes to Washington ESD based on their payroll and their claims history. If they have a lot of unemployment claims, their tax rate goes up over time, but they're not paying your specific benefit amount directly.

I was stressed about calling Washington ESD to ask about this exact question. Kept getting disconnected or put on hold forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent who explained the whole employer tax thing. They have a video demo too: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

To add more detail - Washington uses what's called the 'benefit ratio method' to calculate employer tax rates. They look at the total benefits paid to your former employees over a 3-year period compared to your total taxable payroll. Higher ratio = higher tax rate, but it's capped and there are minimums too.

just to be clear - employers can contest your claim if they think you weren't eligible (like if they fired you for misconduct). That's when Washington ESD does an adjudication to decide if you qualify. But that's about eligibility, not about who pays.

I manage payroll and can confirm - we pay our Washington ESD unemployment taxes quarterly regardless of whether any of our former employees file claims. The money goes into the state trust fund first, then benefits are paid out of that fund.

Small employers (like under 4 employees) sometimes don't even have to pay into the system initially. There are different rules based on company size and industry.

ugh this whole system is so confusing!! I've been putting off filing because I was worried my old boss would hate me. Sounds like I was worried about nothing?

One thing to remember - even if your employer's taxes go up slightly because of claims, that's spread across all their employees' wages. It's not like they're paying thousands of dollars because you filed. The impact is usually pretty minimal for most businesses.

Does anyone know if the employer gets notified when you file a claim? I'm just curious about the process.

My brother owns a small business and he's always complaining about unemployment taxes, but he pays the same amount whether his former employees file claims or not - at least in the short term. The rate adjustments happen later during the annual review.

Another thing about using Claimyr - when I talked to the Washington ESD agent through their service, she explained that employers actually prefer when eligible employees file quickly rather than waiting. Something about it being better for the overall system timing.

The bottom line is you shouldn't feel guilty about filing. You and your employer both contributed to this system while you were working. It's insurance - you use it when you need it.

wait so if I worked for multiple employers last year, do they all get affected by my claim or just the most recent one?

I had to learn all this when I got laid off from my restaurant job. The manager was actually really supportive and told me to file right away. Turns out most employers in industries with seasonal layoffs are very familiar with the process.

One more thing - if you're worried about your employer, you can always ask Washington ESD directly about the charging process. But seriously, don't let this stop you from filing if you're eligible. The system exists to help people in your situation.

For anyone still reading this thread - I used that Claimyr service mentioned earlier when I had questions about my claim status. Really saved me a lot of time trying to get through to Washington ESD on my own. The phone system there is just brutal sometimes.

Just wanted to add - the Washington ESD website has a section for employers that explains all the tax stuff if anyone wants to read more about it. But the key point everyone made here is right: don't feel bad about filing for benefits you're entitled to.

I work in HR and deal with unemployment claims regularly. Just to put your mind completely at ease - when someone files for unemployment, we get a notice from Washington ESD asking us to confirm the separation details (dates, reason, wages, etc.). That's it. We don't get a bill, we don't write a check, and honestly most of the time it's just routine paperwork for us. The tax implications everyone mentioned are real but very gradual - we're talking about small rate adjustments that happen annually, not immediate financial hits. Please don't let concern for your former employer prevent you from accessing benefits you've earned. File your claim!