Does my ex employer pay for unemployment benefits in Washington?

Your employer doesn't pay your unemployment benefits directly. They pay into the Washington State unemployment insurance system through payroll taxes while you're employed. When you file a claim, Washington ESD pays you from that fund, not from your specific employer's account.

employers do pay unemployment taxes but its not like they pay ur specific claim amount. its more complicated than that

Washington employers pay into the unemployment insurance fund through quarterly taxes based on their payroll and experience rating. The experience rating goes up if they have more former employees collecting benefits, but it's not a direct payment for your specific claim. You're entitled to benefits if you qualify - don't worry about your employer's costs.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about this same thing. Spent hours on hold trying to understand how the employer payment system works. Finally used claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent who explained everything clearly. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way easier than sitting on hold for hours!

File your claim! You paid into this system while you were working too. Your employer won't get a direct bill for your benefits. The whole point of unemployment insurance is to spread the risk across all employers, not make individual companies pay for each claim.

my last employer tried to tell me they would have to pay for my unemployment so i shouldnt file. complete BS!! they just didnt want their rates to go up. file your claim

The employer tax system is designed so that Washington ESD collects from all employers to fund the entire unemployment program. Your specific employer's contribution is based on their payroll size and claim history, but they're not paying your weekly benefit amount. Think of it like car insurance - everyone pays in, some people file claims, but the insurance company pays the claims from the pool of premiums.

Been through this process three times unfortunately. Your employer gets notified when you file a claim and they can contest it if they think you quit or were fired for misconduct. But they don't pay your benefits directly. Washington ESD handles all the payments from the state fund.

The Washington unemployment system is funded by employer taxes, but it's not a direct payment system. Employers pay quarterly based on their payroll and experience rating. When you collect benefits, it comes from the state fund, not your employer's bank account. File your claim - you earned this benefit by working and paying into the system.

i always wondered about this too. glad someone asked the question

One thing to remember is that Washington ESD requires you to file your weekly claims and do job searches while collecting benefits. The payment source doesn't change these requirements. Make sure you understand all the rules before you start collecting.

Had a similar situation last year when I got laid off. My employer tried to make me feel guilty about filing, saying it would cost them money. While technically their tax rate might increase slightly over time, they're not paying your benefits directly. Don't let employer guilt trips stop you from getting benefits you're entitled to.

When I had questions about the employer payment system, regular Washington ESD customer service was completely unhelpful. Kept getting transferred and hung up on. Used a service called Claimyr that actually got me through to someone who could explain how employer taxes work versus benefit payments. Worth checking out if you need to talk to Washington ESD about anything complex.

Bottom line: file your claim if you qualify. The employer payment system is designed to spread costs across all employers, not make individual companies pay for specific claims. You've earned this benefit through your work history and payroll deductions.

Just to add one more perspective - I work in HR and can confirm that employers pay into the unemployment system through quarterly taxes. The tax rate is based on the company's experience rating and payroll, but we don't get a bill for individual employee claims. File your claim without worrying about your former employer's costs.