Does your former employer pay unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Oh that makes more sense! So my boss isn't getting a bill because I filed for unemployment?

Exactly. Though your claim might affect their tax rate in the future if they have a lot of claims, but that's not your problem to worry about.

What's an experience rating? Never heard of that before.

It's how Washington ESD calculates an employer's tax rate. Companies with more unemployment claims pay higher rates than those with fewer claims. But this shouldn't stop you from filing - you earned these benefits.

Really? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for three days and keep getting busy signals. How does Claimyr work exactly?

They basically help you get through to actual Washington ESD agents instead of sitting on hold forever. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked - talked to someone within an hour instead of calling all day.

That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. The phone system is absolutely terrible.

So if I file unemployment my employer's taxes might go up next year?

Potentially, if they have multiple claims. But that's the cost of doing business and you shouldn't feel guilty about claiming benefits you've earned through your work.

Wow, that's really manipulative of your boss! I'm glad you filed anyway.

Unfortunately some employers do try to discourage filing, but it's illegal for them to retaliate against you for claiming unemployment benefits.

Yes, your employer does get notified when you file a claim. Washington ESD sends them a notice so they can respond if they want to contest the claim. But this is standard procedure, not because they're paying your benefits directly.

Great, so they'll know I filed. I hope they don't try to fight it since the layoff was due to budget cuts.

Thanks for the insider perspective! So I shouldn't feel guilty about filing?

Absolutely not. You paid into the system through your work, and unemployment insurance is there to help workers between jobs. That's exactly what it's for.

Yeah I mentioned it earlier - it really helped me. Check out claimyr.com, they make it way easier to actually reach Washington ESD agents.

I used them last month when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Worked exactly like they said it would - finally got to talk to someone at Washington ESD instead of listening to busy signals all day.

If they contest your claim, Washington ESD will investigate and possibly schedule a phone hearing. You'll get a chance to tell your side of the story. If it was truly a layoff due to budget issues, you should be fine.

That's somewhat reassuring. I have emails about the company's financial problems so hopefully that helps if they do contest it.

Six weeks?! I hope mine doesn't take that long. How did you finally get it resolved?

had to keep calling until i finally got through to someone. took like 50 tries over two weeks

Good point! I filed right away but I was worried about the employer thing. Thanks for the reminder about the waiting period.

That's really good to hear from an employer's perspective. Makes me feel less guilty about the whole thing.

You earned those benefits through your work. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for using a system that exists to help people like you.

That's reassuring! So my one claim probably won't make a huge difference to their taxes?

probably not unless theyre a really small company or already have a bad rating

That's exactly what happened to me! I ended up using Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD and they cleared up the adjudication issue in one call. Way better than trying to call yourself.

Really? I'm willing to try anything at this point. How quickly were you able to talk to someone?

Same day - way faster than the weeks I spent trying to call on my own. Check out their demo video if you want to see how it works first.

Good luck! This thread really helped me understand everything too.

That's great to hear. Remember to keep filing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still processing.

Oh wow, I didn't know that! I thought if they contested it I'd have to wait until it was resolved.

Nope, benefits usually continue during the investigation period. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims and respond to any requests for information from Washington ESD.

In my HR experience, most employers only contest claims if they believe the separation was due to misconduct or voluntary quit. Legitimate layoffs rarely get contested because there's no benefit to the employer.

That makes sense. I guess there's no point in fighting a legitimate claim since they're paying the taxes anyway.

Your benefit amount is calculated by Washington ESD based on your earnings history over the past year. Employers report your wages but don't determine your benefit amount.

Got it! So they can't try to lowball the amount or anything like that.

Agreed! I learned more from this discussion than from trying to navigate the official website.

The Washington ESD site has improved over the years but it's still pretty confusing for first-time filers. Glad this thread could help clarify things.

Exactly! That's the right attitude. Good luck with your job search!

Don't forget about the job search requirements once you start receiving benefits. Washington ESD requires you to make a certain number of job contacts each week.