Does unemployment affect retirement benefits in Washington state?

Unemployment benefits from Washington ESD won't affect your Social Security retirement benefits at all. They're completely separate systems. Your Social Security is based on your lifetime earnings record, not whether you collected unemployment.

Your 401k shouldn't be affected either unless you're taking distributions from it. If you're not touching your 401k yet, unemployment won't impact it. Just make sure you're meeting all the Washington ESD job search requirements.

One thing to watch out for - if you're planning to take Social Security early at 62, there might be earnings limits that could affect things. But regular unemployment benefits don't count as earnings for Social Security purposes.

I had a similar situation a few years ago when I was 60. Filed for Washington ESD benefits and it didn't affect my retirement plans at all. The only thing that was a pain was actually getting through to Washington ESD to get my claim processed. Took forever on the phone.

Just to add - if you do find work before you retire, make sure to report it properly on your weekly claims. Washington ESD is pretty strict about reporting requirements and you don't want any overpayment issues to deal with later.

Boeing layoffs are rough. At least you're close to retirement though. I got laid off from there when I was 45 and had to completely restart my career.

One more thing - make sure you understand the maximum benefit amount in Washington. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is around $999, but it depends on your previous earnings. Since you worked at Boeing, you probably had decent wages so you might qualify for close to the max.

Don't forget you might owe taxes on your unemployment benefits. It's not automatic withholding like a paycheck, so you might want to set aside some money or request withholding when you file your weekly claims.

Has anyone dealt with the job search requirements when you're close to retirement? Like, do you actually have to apply for jobs you don't really want since you're planning to retire soon anyway?

I was in a similar boat at 61. The hardest part was dealing with age discrimination in the job search. Employers see your age and experience level and assume you'll be expensive or leave soon for retirement.

One advantage of being close to retirement is that you might be eligible for extended benefits if regular unemployment runs out. Washington sometimes has extended programs during high unemployment periods.

Just want to emphasize again about Claimyr if you run into issues with Washington ESD. I used them twice - once to check on my claim status when it was stuck in adjudication, and once to resolve an issue with my weekly claims. Both times they got me through to someone who could actually help.

Make sure you file your claim as soon as possible. There's no waiting period in Washington, so you can start collecting benefits right away as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.

Don't let anyone tell you that collecting unemployment somehow hurts your work history or looks bad. You paid into the system through your payroll taxes, so you earned these benefits.

If your claim gets held up in adjudication for any reason, don't panic. Sometimes they need to verify your employment history or reason for separation, especially with larger employers like Boeing. Just respond to any requests for information quickly.

Just remember to keep doing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still being processed. You don't get paid for weeks you don't claim, so don't skip any.

The peace of mind is worth it. I was stressed about money after my layoff until I started getting my unemployment benefits. Gave me time to plan my next steps without panicking about bills.

One last thing - if you decide to take any freelance or consulting work while collecting unemployment, make sure you report it properly. Washington ESD has specific rules about self-employment income.

Best of luck with everything! Being laid off close to retirement is stressful, but at least you have options and some financial support while you figure things out.

I went through something similar when I was laid off from Microsoft at 63. One thing I discovered that might help is that Washington state also has the SharedWork program - it's basically partial unemployment if you find part-time work. This could be perfect for your situation since you're planning to retire in a few years anyway. You can work reduced hours and still collect partial unemployment benefits to make up some of the difference. Might be worth looking into as an option between full unemployment and full-time work.