Does your previous employer pay your Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Your employer doesn't pay your benefits directly. They pay unemployment insurance taxes throughout the year based on their payroll, and Washington ESD uses that pooled money to fund everyone's claims. Your specific claim doesn't come out of your employer's pocket right when you file.

Actually your employer's tax rate can go up if they have too many claims against them. So while they don't pay your specific claim directly, having employees file for UI can cost them more in the long run through higher tax rates.

I had such a hard time getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about this exact thing last year. Spent hours on hold trying to get someone to explain the employer tax situation. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me actually reach an agent - you can check it out at claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

The whole system is set up to screw over workers anyway. Employers lobby to keep benefit amounts low and qualification requirements high, then act like they're doing us a favor when we need help after THEY laid us off.

Here's the technical breakdown: Employers pay State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) taxes quarterly based on their payroll. The tax rate varies by employer depending on their history of layoffs and claims. Washington ESD uses this money to fund the UI trust fund that pays all claims.

My employer tried to tell me they couldn't afford to have me file for unemployment because it would cost them too much. Turns out they were just trying to scare me into not filing. The taxes are based on their overall payroll and claim history, not individual claims.

just filed my claim yesterday and was wondering the same thing lol

The experience rating system is actually pretty complex. Employers get charged back for claims, but it's not dollar-for-dollar. Washington ESD calculates their tax rate based on the ratio of benefits charged to their account versus their total payroll over a specific period.

I remember being so stressed about this when I first filed. Thought my boss was going to be furious with me personally. Then I realized it's just part of doing business - employers are required to carry unemployment insurance just like workers comp.

Does anyone know if temp agencies pay the same unemployment taxes as regular employers? I worked through a staffing company before my direct hire job.

The system makes more sense when you think about it as insurance rather than welfare. Employers pay premiums (taxes) and workers receive benefits when they meet the qualifying conditions (involuntary job loss, etc.).

I tried calling Washington ESD about employer tax questions but gave up after being on hold for 2 hours. Ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and actually got through to talk to someone. Way less frustrating than the regular phone system.

One thing to keep in mind - if your employer contests your claim saying you were fired for misconduct instead of laid off, they're trying to avoid having the claim charged to their account. That's when the employer connection becomes more obvious.

Thanks for asking this question! I've been wondering the same thing since I got my separation notice last week. This thread cleared up a lot of confusion.

My friend works in HR and she explained it like this: unemployment taxes are just a cost of doing business. Companies budget for them annually just like any other expense. Individual claims don't create surprise bills.

Bottom line: file your claim if you're eligible. Don't worry about your employer having to pay - they're already paying into the system whether you file or not. You earned those benefits through your work.