How is unemployment funded in Washington - confused about where the money comes from

Washington unemployment is funded through employer payroll taxes, not general taxpayer funds. Employers pay into the unemployment insurance trust fund based on their payroll and their experience rating (how many former employees have filed claims). The rate varies by employer but it's typically around 0.2% to 6% of wages up to a certain wage base.

The Washington State Employment Security Department manages the unemployment insurance trust fund. It's entirely funded by employer contributions - no money comes from income taxes or general state revenue. Each employer's tax rate is based on their 'experience rating' which reflects their history of layoffs and unemployment claims.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about this same question last month. Spent hours on hold trying to understand how the system works. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. The agent was able to explain the funding structure in detail.

wait so if I never worked anywhere that laid people off, am I still eligible for unemployment if I get fired?

This is really helpful everyone. I was feeling guilty about collecting benefits but knowing it's funded by employers makes it feel more legitimate somehow.

For more detail: Washington's unemployment insurance tax is paid on wages up to $68,500 per employee in 2025. The tax rate ranges from 0.17% to 6.02% depending on the employer's experience rating. New employers typically start at around 2.7%. The money goes into the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund managed by Washington ESD.

I work in HR and can confirm this is accurate. We pay unemployment insurance tax quarterly to Washington ESD. It's completely separate from other taxes like workers comp or state income tax. The rate we pay depends on how many former employees have filed unemployment claims.

THIS IS SO CONFUSING why can't Washington ESD just explain this stuff clearly on their website??? I've been trying to understand how unemployment works for months

If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about funding or any other questions, I'd definitely recommend trying Claimyr. They helped me get through when I was stuck in phone tree hell for weeks. Much easier than the regular calling process.

So basically unemployment is like insurance that employers pay for? That's actually pretty smart - it protects workers without costing taxpayers anything directly.

does this mean seasonal workers get the same benefits even though their employers know they'll be laid off regularly?

I'm a small business owner and our unemployment insurance rate went up last year after we had to lay off two employees. It's expensive but I understand it's necessary to support workers between jobs.

Can I just say how refreshing it is to have an actual explanation of how this works? I've been on unemployment twice and never understood the funding until now.

So when politicians talk about cutting unemployment benefits, they're not actually saving taxpayer money?

I tried calling Washington ESD to ask about this and got transferred 5 times before getting disconnected. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and actually got to talk to someone who explained it all clearly.

This thread has been super educational. I had no idea unemployment was funded this way. Thanks everyone for explaining it so clearly!

One more thing - the federal government also provides extended benefits during high unemployment periods, but those come from federal funds, not the state unemployment insurance trust fund.

Thanks for this thread! I feel much more informed about how unemployment insurance works in Washington. It's actually a pretty well-designed system.

This is exactly the kind of information that should be more widely known! I've been working for 15 years and never really understood that my employers were paying unemployment insurance premiums on my behalf. It makes the whole system feel more legitimate - like we've actually "earned" these benefits through our work history. I wish Washington ESD would create a simple infographic or FAQ explaining this funding structure because I bet a lot of people assume it comes from general taxes like I did.

This whole thread has been eye-opening! I'm currently on unemployment myself and had been feeling pretty guilty about it, especially with family members making comments about "living off the government." Now I realize it's actually funded by employer contributions - essentially insurance that was paid for on my behalf while I was working. It's wild that this basic information isn't more clearly communicated. I've been on the Washington ESD website dozens of times and never saw a clear explanation of the funding structure. Makes me wonder how many other people are collecting benefits without understanding that it's not taxpayer money but rather an insurance system. Thanks everyone for breaking this down so clearly!