How to find unemployment insurance employer account number Washington ESD

That makes sense. I'll let them know to check their recent mail from ESD. They're a small business so they might not have kept everything organized.

Small businesses definitely struggle with this stuff. The account number is also on the employer's UI tax returns if they have copies of those.

Do you know if that's the same number as the regular UI claimant line? I've had trouble getting through to ESD for my own claim issues.

No, employers have a separate line. It's usually less busy than the claimant line but still can have wait times.

Actually, if you're having trouble reaching ESD for your own claim, you might want to try Claimyr. It's a service that helps people get through to unemployment offices. I used it when I was stuck in adjudication and it worked great. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

It's a family business and they're not very tech-savvy. The owner's daughter usually handles this stuff but she's out of town. I offered to help since I've been dealing with the ESD website for my own claim.

That's actually pretty nice of you to help them out even though you got laid off. Not everyone would do that.

That's helpful info about the format. I'll pass that along so they know what to look for.

Yeah the format helps identify it among all the other business numbers they probably have floating around.

Good point! I think they do use a payroll service. That might be the easiest route.

Definitely easier than trying to navigate the ESD phone system if they don't have to.

Interesting, I've been having trouble getting through too. My claim has been pending for over a week with no explanation. How does that service work exactly?

It basically automates the calling process and gets you in the queue without you having to sit there hitting redial constantly. Worth checking out their demo video to see how it works.

I've heard of services like that but wasn't sure if they were legit. Good to know someone has actually used it successfully.

That's another good place to check. They probably have a file with all their business setup paperwork.

They're applying for some kind of business grant and the application asks for their unemployment insurance account number. So yeah, they definitely need the specific ESD employer account number.

Ah okay, that makes sense. Grant applications do ask for all kinds of specific registration numbers.

Good tip, I'm sure they have their EIN number handy since they need it for taxes and everything.

Yeah EIN is definitely something any business owner should have memorized or easily accessible.

Exactly! It's not like their tax ID that they use all the time. This is more of a specialized number that only comes up in certain situations.

Right, and small businesses especially don't have dedicated HR people who deal with this stuff regularly, so it's easy for these numbers to get lost in the shuffle.

Oh that's smart! Since I filed a claim after leaving, they probably got a notice about my claim that would have their account number on it.

Exactly! If they kept that paperwork, it should be right there. Much easier than calling ESD.

Yeah that's the problem they're running into. They need the account number to set up online access, but they need online access to see the account number.

In that case, calling ESD is really their only option, or finding it on old paperwork as others have suggested.

Not yet, still showing as pending with no explanation. I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned if it doesn't resolve soon.

A week isn't too bad honestly. Mine was pending for almost three weeks before it got approved. ESD is just slow with everything.

True, but it's still nerve-wracking when you're waiting for money you need for bills and stuff.

I think they handle it themselves since it's such a small operation. I'll suggest they check their quarterly reports.

Yeah, even small businesses have to file those quarterly reports, so they should have copies somewhere.

Good point about checking spam. Small business owners get so much junk email that important stuff sometimes gets filtered out.

I've definitely found important government correspondence in my spam folder before. Worth checking for sure.

That's a great idea! I think they do have someone who does their taxes. That person would definitely have all their government account numbers organized.

Yeah, accountants are usually the best resource for this kind of thing. They deal with all the different agencies and keep everything straight.

Definitely easier than trying to navigate government websites and phone systems when you're not familiar with them.

Interesting possibility. They definitely have state tax accounts so maybe there's some connection there.

It's worth a shot if other methods don't work. Government agencies are getting better at linking their systems together.

Thanks for the reminder. I have been so focused on helping them that I've been putting off dealing with my own claim. I think I will check out that service if my claim doesn't move forward by next week.

Yeah, don't let helping others prevent you from getting the help you need too. Your unemployment benefits are important for your own financial situation.

Yeah, I think we have a good plan now. I'll pass along all these suggestions and hopefully they can find it without too much hassle. Thanks everyone for the help!

Good luck to both you and your former employer. Hope you get your own claim resolved soon too.

That's exactly the kind of situation where this information is super valuable! Nonprofits often have even fewer resources than small businesses when it comes to administrative stuff like this. The quarterly UI tax reports are definitely a good starting point since they're required filings that every employer has to keep. If that doesn't work out, the suggestion about contacting their accountant or tax preparer is probably the next best bet - most nonprofits use professional services for their financial reporting, and those folks would have all the government account numbers organized. Good luck with helping them get that grant!