Does WARN Act pay affect unemployment benefits in Washington?

That's a relief! So I can file my claim right away even if I'm still receiving the WARN pay?

You should report it when you file, but it usually doesn't create a waiting period. The key is being honest about all income on your initial claim.

Good to know - did you report it as wages or other income on the weekly claim form?

i think it was under other income but honestly i called to make sure. the phone system is impossible though

Never heard of that service. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?

Yeah, it calls repeatedly until it gets through. I was skeptical but it connected me to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of the usual nightmare.

That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate. The regular phone number just hangs up on me.

This is confusing - if it's wages, wouldn't that make you ineligible during the weeks you receive it?

Not necessarily. WARN pay is retroactive pay for the notice period they should have given you. It's different from ongoing wages.

Definitely planning to report everything. Just want to make sure I understand the process correctly.

Smart approach. Washington ESD overpayment notices are a nightmare to deal with.

Yes, there's a big difference. Regular separation pay often creates a waiting period where you can't collect benefits until it's exhausted. WARN Act pay is specifically for lack of proper notice.

How do I know which one I'm getting? My HR department isn't being very clear about it.

Check if your company had 100+ employees and gave less than 60 days notice. That's when WARN Act applies.

tell me about it. ive been trying to get answers for weeks

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person who knows the system.

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear! Did you have to do anything special when reporting the WARN pay on your weekly claims?

Just reported it as other income on the weekly certification. My benefit amount wasn't affected since it was for the notice period I should have gotten.

WARN Act pay typically doesn't reduce your weekly benefit amount because it's retroactive pay for a notice period. It's not earnings during the benefit period.

ok that makes sense. so its different from like getting a part time job while on unemployment

Good to know! I was worried this would delay my claim for months.

Same experience here. WARN pay was straightforward compared to other issues I've had with my claim.

Is there a dropdown option for WARN Act pay specifically or do I need to explain it in the comments?

I think you select 'other' and then explain in the details section. Better to over-explain than leave them guessing.

Hopefully this info helps! Sounds like it's not as complicated as I thought it would be.

Yeah, this thread has been super helpful. At least one less thing to worry about during layoffs.

WARN Act pay shouldn't affect your base period calculation since it's not regular wages. Your weekly benefit amount is based on your actual work history, not separation pay.

That makes sense. So it's really just about proper reporting on the weekly claims then.

Seriously recommend it. I was skeptical but it actually worked. Much better than sitting on hold forever.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money from being laid off.

It's worth checking out their site for details. For me, getting accurate info quickly was worth it instead of stressing about doing something wrong.

Perfect! That's exactly what I needed to hear. Going to file my claim this week.

Good luck! Just remember to report it on your weekly claims and you should be fine.

Because then they'd actually have to help people instead of making it as difficult as possible.

At least forums like this exist where people can share real experiences.

This is such a great summary! I'm in a similar situation with my company doing layoffs next month, and this thread has been a lifesaver. The fact that multiple people have confirmed WARN Act pay doesn't delay claims is huge relief. I was panicking thinking I'd have to wait months to file. Thanks to everyone who shared their actual experiences - way more helpful than trying to decipher the confusing ESD website!