Does vacation pay affect unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

Thanks! So I should report it for the weeks I actually worked, not when I receive the lump sum payment?

Exactly. Report it for the pay periods when you actually worked and earned that vacation time, not when you receive the payout.

Did you report it on your initial claim or just on your weekly claims?

I mentioned it on my initial claim and then reported the wages for the correct weeks. Washington ESD was totally fine with it.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already stressed about money.

It's worth checking out their site for details. For me, the time saved was huge compared to spending entire days trying to call Washington ESD myself.

I've heard about services like this but never tried one. Did they actually get you connected to a real person?

Yes, they got me through to an actual Washington ESD rep who could answer my specific questions about vacation pay and severance.

Severance pay is different from vacation pay. Severance can affect benefits depending on how it's structured, but vacation pay for time already worked usually doesn't.

Oh that makes sense. So it depends on what type of payment it is?

Exactly. Washington ESD treats different types of payments differently. Vacation pay = wages already earned. Severance = payment in lieu of notice or compensation for future periods.

You can usually correct this information. Try logging into your eServices account and see if there's an option to update your claim information.

I tried but it just says 'adjudication in progress' and won't let me change anything. I've been calling for days but keep getting busy signals.

This is exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr helped me. When your claim is stuck in adjudication, you really need to talk to someone who can look at your specific case.

That makes sense. So it's about when the work was performed, not when the payment was made.

Right. It's considered deferred compensation for work already completed.

But what if you can't remember exactly which weeks you earned each vacation day? My company just gave me a lump sum.

I know right? And when you try to call for clarification you just get endless busy signals or get hung up on.

Exactly! I've wasted so many hours trying to get through to someone who can actually help.

That's really helpful coming from someone in HR. Do you see a lot of people get confused about this?

Yes, it's one of the most common questions. People worry unnecessarily about vacation pay affecting their unemployment when it usually doesn't.

What about sick pay? I had some unused sick time paid out too.

Sick pay payout is typically treated the same way as vacation pay - it's for time you already earned while employed.

Holiday pay for holidays you would have received while employed is usually treated similarly to vacation pay. It's compensation you earned through your employment.

Good to know. I was worried it might count as wages during my unemployment period.

What kind of problems did it cause the first time?

They found out about it later through wage matching and I had to go through an overpayment investigation. Was a huge hassle that could have been avoided by just being upfront initially.

Yikes, that sounds stressful. How long did the investigation take?

About 6 weeks. They put a hold on my benefits during that time too, so definitely not worth trying to hide anything.

Since you're reporting the vacation pay for weeks when you were still employed, it shouldn't affect your unemployment benefits. Those weeks wouldn't be weeks you're claiming unemployment for anyway.

Ah right, because I'm reporting it for weeks I was still working, not weeks I'm collecting unemployment. Got it.

I had technical issues with the eServices website too. Try using a different browser or clearing your cache. Sometimes their system is just glitchy.

I'll try that. So frustrating when you're trying to do everything right and the system won't cooperate.

If the technical issues persist, that's another reason you might need to actually speak with a Washington ESD representative. Sometimes they can input information on their end that won't go through online.

Good point. I'll make sure to keep all my paperwork organized.

Yes, documentation is key. I learned that the hard way when they asked for proof of something I didn't keep records of.

Exactly. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, especially with Washington ESD's verification requirements.

Agreed! I feel much more confident about filing my claim now. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences.

This is what I love about this community. Real people sharing real experiences instead of just bureaucratic jargon.

How quickly were you able to get connected?

Much faster than doing it myself. They handle all the calling and waiting, then connect you when they get through to someone.

I might have to try this. I'm still stuck in adjudication and really need to talk to someone about my vacation pay reporting issue.

Perfect summary! Thanks again everyone for making this so much clearer.

Wish I had found this thread months ago when I was panicking about the same thing!

That's really reassuring to hear from someone who actually went through it! I was definitely overthinking this whole thing. It makes sense that vacation pay is just deferred compensation for work already done. Thanks for sharing your experience - it helps calm my nerves about filing the claim. Did you have any other issues with Washington ESD during your unemployment period?

Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who went through the same thing. I was getting pretty anxious about this whole situation, but your story and everyone else's responses have put my mind at ease. Sounds like as long as I'm honest and report everything correctly, I should be good to go. Really appreciate this community for being so supportive!

This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been losing sleep over this vacation pay thing, but hearing from people who actually went through it successfully makes such a difference. It sounds like the key is just treating it like any other wages from when I was employed, not as income during unemployment. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain how it worked out for you - this community has been incredibly helpful compared to trying to decode Washington ESD's confusing website!

Glad this thread helped you too! It's amazing how much clearer everything becomes when you hear from people who've actually been through the process. I was in the same situation a few weeks ago and was totally panicking about the vacation pay. Now I realize it's really not a big deal at all - just another line item to report accurately. The hardest part is probably just keeping track of which weeks the vacation time actually corresponds to, but even if you're not 100% precise, being honest and doing your best is what matters. Hope your claim goes smoothly!

I'm so glad this thread has been helpful for you too! It's been really eye-opening to see how common this situation is and how many people have successfully navigated it. I was initially panicking about my vacation payout, but all the shared experiences here have made it clear that it's really straightforward - just report it honestly for the correct time periods and you'll be fine. The fact that so many people have gone through this without any issues with their unemployment benefits is really reassuring. Best of luck with your claim! Sounds like you've got a good handle on how to approach it now.

Welcome to the club! It's crazy how common this situation is - seems like everyone who gets laid off has to deal with the vacation pay confusion. I'm glad this thread helped put your mind at ease too. I was in the same boat just a few weeks ago and was convinced I was going to mess something up with my claim. But honestly, once you understand that vacation pay is just deferred wages for work you already did, it becomes so much clearer. The hardest part for me was actually figuring out which specific weeks to assign the vacation days to, but I just did my best estimate based on when I earned them throughout the year. Washington ESD seemed totally fine with it. You're definitely on the right track - being accurate and honest from the start is key. Good luck with your claim this weekend!

I'm in almost the exact same boat - just got laid off earlier this week and have about 2 weeks of vacation pay coming too! This whole thread has been such a relief to read. I was really anxious that the vacation payout might somehow disqualify me from unemployment benefits or create delays. But seeing so many people successfully navigate this exact situation has really put my mind at ease. The distinction between vacation pay (wages already earned) versus other types of payments like severance makes total sense now. I'm planning to file my claim this weekend and will make sure to report the vacation pay for the actual weeks I earned it throughout the year. Thanks for adding your voice to this - it's comforting to know so many of us are going through the same thing and that it's really not as complicated as I initially thought!

I'm so glad this thread has been helpful for you too! It's incredible how many of us are dealing with the exact same vacation pay situation right now. I was also really anxious about this when I first got laid off, but reading everyone's experiences here has made it so much clearer. The fact that vacation pay is just deferred compensation for work we already performed really simplifies things. I think the most important thing I learned from this thread is just to be completely honest and accurate from the start - don't try to overcomplicate it or second-guess yourself. Washington ESD deals with this situation all the time, so as long as we report it correctly for the weeks we earned it, we should be good to go. Best of luck with your claim this weekend! Sounds like you've got a solid understanding of how to handle it now.