Does military retirement pay affect Washington ESD unemployment benefits eligibility?

That's a relief to hear! So I should be able to file my initial claim without any issues then?

Yes, but make sure to report it accurately on your application. They'll ask about other income sources during the filing process.

Did you have any trouble getting through to talk to someone at Washington ESD? I'm trying to call but keep getting busy signals.

Oh man, calling Washington ESD is a nightmare. I must have tried 200+ times before getting through. Took me weeks to get answers.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I found it through this video demo https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and it actually got me connected to a Washington ESD agent in under 10 minutes. Way better than spending hours redialing.

Not all income is the same. Work wages get deducted from your weekly benefit amount, but pensions and retirement pay don't. There's a big difference between earned income and pension income.

Oh okay that makes sense. So it's only if you're working part-time or something that they reduce your benefits?

Exactly. If you work and earn wages while collecting unemployment, those wages can reduce your weekly benefit. But military retirement, social security, or other pensions don't count the same way.

The confusion comes from people mixing up different types of income. Military retirement pay is specifically excluded from the calculation of unemployment benefits in Washington state.

Where can I find that in writing? I want to make sure I'm giving my brother correct information.

I totally agree! The website has so much information but it's hard to find specific answers to these kinds of questions.

exactly! and good luck calling them to ask... I've tried like 50 times this week

Thank you for the clarification! Do you know if there's a specific RCW section that covers this?

It's covered under RCW 50.20.050 which deals with disqualifying income. Military retirement pensions are specifically excluded from the definition of disqualifying income.

This is exactly what the Washington ESD agent told me when I finally got through to them. Wish I had found this information sooner!

Is it expensive? I'm already stressed about money since I lost my job.

It's totally reasonable for what you get. Way better than losing days of work trying to call on your own. The peace of mind is worth it.

I might try this too. I've been trying to call about my adjudication for weeks with no luck.

You report it on your initial application and then it's in your file. You don't need to report it again on weekly claims since it's not changing and it's not earned income from work.

Got it, thanks! That makes the weekly filing process easier.

Correct. The amount doesn't matter - whether it's $500/month or $5000/month, military retirement pay is treated the same way under Washington unemployment law.

Awesome, that's really good to know. I was worried I might not qualify because my retirement pay is pretty decent.

Good point! So it's really about whether the income is from current work vs. past service.

Exactly! Current work earnings get deducted, but past service pensions don't.

Yeah, this thread has been really reassuring. I'm going to file my claim this weekend now that I know it won't be an issue.

Same here. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Perfect summary! This should be pinned somewhere for other veterans to find.

Seriously, this thread answered more questions than the entire Washington ESD website!

VA disability is also generally not counted as disqualifying income, but that's a separate category from military retirement pay. Both are usually fine but always good to double-check.

Thanks! I get both so wanted to make sure I understood correctly.

Glad it worked for you too! It's been a game-changer for actually getting through to Washington ESD when you need real answers.

Okay you guys have convinced me. Going to try Claimyr tomorrow for my adjudication question.

Great to hear! The hardest part is usually just getting accurate information upfront.

Awesome! I'm filing mine this weekend. Thanks for the update.

Good reminder! I've been tracking my applications in a spreadsheet since I started my job search.

Smart approach. Washington ESD can ask for proof of your job search activities so it's good to stay organized.

Thank you for serving! I completely understand that anxiety - I went through the exact same worry when I first got laid off. This community has been amazing for getting real answers that you just can't find on the official websites. The tech sector has been brutal lately, but having that military retirement as a safety net definitely helps with peace of mind during the job search. Make sure when you file your claim to be thorough about reporting your retirement pay upfront - it shows transparency and there won't be any surprises later. Also, if you need to actually speak with someone at Washington ESD (which you probably will at some point), definitely check out that Claimyr service others mentioned - it's been a real game changer for getting through their phone system. Keep us posted on how your filing goes!