How long after severance can you apply for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Oh that makes sense! So I should file now even though I won't get paid yet?

Exactly! File as soon as possible after your last day of work. That way your claim is already in the system when your severance ends.

What kind of hoops? I'm already stressed about this whole process.

They wanted documentation of when my severance started and ended, had to provide my separation letter, took forever to get through to someone to explain.

I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.

Never heard of that but honestly anything is better than this phone nightmare. How does it work exactly?

You just tell them what you need to discuss with Washington ESD and they handle the calling and waiting. Then they conference you in when they get an agent on the line.

Severance doesn't disqualify you, it just delays when you can start collecting. You're still unemployed, the severance is just considered wages for those specific weeks.

Phew! That's a relief. So after my 3 months is up I can start getting UI benefits?

Right, as long as you file your initial claim within a reasonable time of your last work day. Don't wait until your severance ends to file.

Unfortunately HR departments often give incorrect information about unemployment. You absolutely should file your claim right away, even with active severance.

Yeah my HR person said the same thing! Good thing I asked here first.

Did you have to do anything special when filing to indicate you had severance?

Yeah, there's a specific question about severance pay in the initial application. Just answer honestly about the amount and timeframe.

This is exactly what I should have done. Would have saved me so much hassle later.

Washington ESD will ask you to specify how the severance is structured. Lump sum gets allocated across the weeks it's supposed to cover, so same end result.

Got it, so they'll figure out the weekly equivalent amount. Thanks!

I had a similar processing issue and ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone who could actually review my account. Much better than the endless phone loops.

Wish I had known about that service months ago! Could have saved myself a lot of stress.

Yes, you still need to file your weekly claims to keep your account active. You'll report your severance as wages for those weeks, which is why you get $0 in benefits.

Okay that makes sense. Better to stay in the system than have to reactivate later.

Good to know! I was wondering about that too.

Really? Even during the severance period when I'm not getting any benefits?

Yep, the job search requirement starts as soon as your claim is active, regardless of payment status. Keep track of your applications in WorkSourceWA.

Same here! Glad I found this discussion before making that error.

It's one of the most common mistakes people make. The key is getting your claim established as soon as possible after job loss.

Severance doesn't change the reason for separation. If you were laid off, you were laid off - the severance is just additional compensation. Your employer can't use severance to claim you quit.

That's what I thought but they're being weird about it. Guess I'll deal with that if they actually contest it.

Health insurance continuation is separate from wage replacement severance. It shouldn't affect your UI claim timing at all.

Perfect, thanks for clarifying that!

Tell me about it. I spent hours trying to figure this out on their site before giving up and calling.

And good luck actually getting through on the phone! Still haven't been able to talk to anyone there.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - their whole thing is getting you past Washington ESD's phone system to an actual person who can answer these questions.

Vacation payout is usually treated differently than severance. It's often considered wages for past work rather than future coverage. You'll need to report both accurately on your application.

This is getting complicated. Might be worth talking to someone at Washington ESD directly about my specific situation.

Same plan here! This thread definitely cleared up my confusion.

Smart move. Getting your claim established early is always the right choice, even if benefits are delayed.

Good point! I'll gather my separation paperwork before I start the application.

Yeah they asked me for pretty detailed info about my severance structure. Having the paperwork handy made it much easier.

Agreed! So glad I asked here instead of just guessing.

Happy to help! The severance/unemployment intersection confuses a lot of people, but it's really straightforward once you understand the timing.