Does Washington ESD unemployment come from the employer or state funds?

Your unemployment benefits come from the state unemployment insurance fund, not directly from your employer. However, your employer does pay unemployment taxes (called SUTA taxes) into this fund based on their payroll. So technically your employer contributed to the fund that pays your benefits, but they're not writing you checks directly.

That makes sense! So when I file my weekly claims, the money comes from Washington ESD, not my old job?

Exactly right. Washington ESD manages the fund and sends you the benefit payments. Your employer just gets notified when you file a claim.

employers pay into the system but the benefits come from the state fund managed by washington esd. your employer's unemployment tax rate can go up if they have a lot of former employees collecting benefits though

Oh wow, so if I collect unemployment it could affect my employer's tax rate? Should I feel bad about filing?

Don't feel bad at all! You earned those benefits by working. Unemployment insurance is there specifically to help workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. That's exactly what it's designed for.

Thank you, that's reassuring to hear. I was worried about causing problems for my former coworkers.

I was confused about this too when I first filed. The benefits definitely come from Washington ESD, but I had trouble getting through to them on the phone to ask questions about my claim status. Kept getting busy signals for weeks.

I had the same problem! I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it so much easier to get my questions answered.

That sounds helpful! I'll definitely look into that if I have issues reaching them again.

washington esd manages the whole system. employers pay taxes quarterly based on their experience rating. if they lay off a lot of people their rate goes up

What's an experience rating? Is that like a score based on how many people they've laid off?

pretty much yeah. companies that have more unemployment claims filed against them pay higher tax rates. its how the system stays funded

To clarify the funding structure: Washington employers pay State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) taxes to fund the state unemployment insurance program. The tax rate varies by employer based on their claims history. Washington ESD administers the program and pays benefits from this pooled fund. You've earned these benefits through your work history, so don't hesitate to file your claim.

Thank you for the detailed explanation! So when I worked, part of what my employer was paying in taxes was going toward this unemployment fund?

Exactly. It's an insurance system - employers pay premiums (taxes) and employees who qualify can receive benefits when they become unemployed.

This is really helpful info. I always wondered how the whole system worked financially.

just to add - you as the employee don't pay into unemployment insurance in washington state. only employers pay the taxes. some states have employee contributions but not washington

Wait, so I never paid anything toward unemployment insurance from my paychecks?

nope! in washington only employers pay unemployment taxes. you paid into social security and medicare but not state unemployment insurance

The system is designed so that when you lose your job through no fault of your own, you have temporary income support while you look for new work. Your employer contributed to this fund throughout your employment, so you've essentially already 'paid for' these benefits through your work.

That's a good way to think about it. Makes me feel less guilty about needing to use the benefits.

Exactly! Don't feel guilty at all. This is what the system is for.

i was laid off last year and had to go through the whole washington esd process. the benefits come from the state fund but your employer gets notified when you file a claim. they can contest it if they think you were fired for misconduct but if it was a layoff they usually don't

My layoff was definitely due to slow business, not anything I did wrong. Should I be worried about them contesting it?

if it was a legitimate layoff due to business reasons you should be fine. employers usually only contest when someone was fired for cause

I got laid off too and my employer didn't contest. As long as you were a good employee and it was due to business reasons, you shouldn't have problems.

One thing to remember is that when you file your weekly claims, you're certifying that you're actively looking for work. Washington ESD has job search requirements that you need to meet to keep receiving benefits.

What are the job search requirements? Do I need to apply to a certain number of jobs each week?

You need to make at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a log of them. This can include applying for jobs, networking, attending job fairs, etc.

The unemployment system can be confusing but the key thing to understand is that it's insurance that your employer paid for. When I had questions about my claim, I used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD faster. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

I keep hearing about Claimyr. Is it expensive to use?

It's worth it when you need to reach an agent quickly. Much better than the frustration of calling over and over. They have all the details on their website.

washington esd has gotten better with their online systems but sometimes you still need to talk to a real person. the phone lines are usually swamped

So true! I spent days trying to get through when my claim went into adjudication. Finally used one of those callback services and got help right away.

What's adjudication? Is that something I should be worried about?

Adjudication just means they're reviewing your claim to make sure you qualify. It can happen for various reasons and sometimes takes a few weeks to resolve.

Bottom line - file your claim! You worked and your employer paid into the system. The benefits come from Washington ESD, not your employer's pocket. Don't let guilt stop you from getting support you've earned.

Thank you everyone! This has been really helpful. I'm going to file my claim this week.

Good luck with your claim! The process is pretty straightforward once you get started.

Just want to echo what others have said - don't feel bad about using unemployment benefits. It's literally what the system is designed for. Your employer paid taxes to fund this program specifically to help workers who lose their jobs.

I appreciate the encouragement. It's good to know this is normal and I shouldn't feel ashamed.

Absolutely normal! Millions of people use unemployment benefits every year. It's an important safety net.

if you need help navigating the washington esd system later on, claimyr is really useful for getting through to agents when you have specific questions about your claim. saved me a lot of headaches

I'll keep that in mind if I run into any issues. Thanks for the tip!

Yeah, sometimes you just need to talk to a human to get things sorted out. The automated system can only do so much.