How to get unemployment tax number for Washington ESD business registration?

Thanks! Do I have to do this before hiring my first employee or can I wait a bit?

You must register within 30 days of becoming liable for unemployment insurance, which is basically when you first pay wages to an employee. Don't wait - it's easier to do it upfront.

I'm planning to open a small restaurant - any idea what the rate would be for food service?

Food service typically starts at the standard new employer rate but can vary. Washington ESD will assign your specific rate based on your industry classification when you register.

Never heard of that service before. Did they actually help you get registered or just connect you to someone?

They just help you get through to the right person at Washington ESD. Once connected, I talked directly to an ESD representative who walked me through the whole employer registration process.

No, in Washington you need UI coverage if you pay wages of $1,000 or more in any quarter, or if you have one or more employees for some portion of a day in each of 20 different weeks. It's not about the number of employees, it's about wage thresholds.

oh man i better tell him about this then, sounds like he might not be compliant

Yes, the online process is much faster than mailing in forms. Make sure you have all your business info ready before starting - it times out if you take too long.

Good to know! I'll gather everything first. Do you know how long it takes to get the tax account number after submitting?

Oh great, more registrations. Is L&I also through Washington ESD or a different agency?

L&I is separate - that's Washington State Department of Labor & Industries for workers compensation. Different agency, different registration process.

This is why starting a business is so complicated. Between federal taxes, state taxes, UI, workers comp, and everything else it's overwhelming.

Yes, there can be penalties and interest charges for late registration. You should contact Washington ESD immediately to get into compliance. The sooner you register, the better.

Ugh, this is exactly what I was worried about. I'll call them first thing Monday morning.

If you have trouble getting through to them, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier might help you reach someone faster to sort this out.

Good point. I was getting confused reading about claims and benefits when I just need the employer side.

Exactly. The employer side is about paying taxes and filing reports. The employee side is about collecting benefits when unemployed. Same agency, different processes.

You only need to register when you become liable, which is when you start paying wages to employees. As a sole proprietor with no employees, you don't need UI registration yet.

Perfect, that saves me some paperwork for now. I'll bookmark this thread for when I do start hiring.

I feel your pain. Government websites are notoriously hard to navigate. Try searching for 'employer services' specifically.

Thanks, I'll try that search term. Just frustrated because this should be straightforward.

Is that an option for new employers or do you need to be established for a while first?

I think you can set it up right away, but double-check with Washington ESD when you register. Saves a lot of headaches later.

Oof, how much do these additional fees typically add up to?

The administrative fee is pretty small - like 0.02% or something. Workforce training varies by industry but it's usually under 0.1%. Still adds up though when you're budgeting payroll costs.

Glad it helped! Food truck sounds awesome, good luck with that venture.

thanks! definitely learned i need to plan for more than just the obvious business costs

That's interesting, I didn't know about seasonal options. My landscaping business definitely has slow winter months.

Yeah, there are special provisions for businesses with seasonal employment patterns. Can help with cash flow during off months.

The Small Business Administration has local offices that can provide guidance, and I think the state has some business assistance programs. Worth checking with your local economic development office too.

Good idea, I'll look into those resources. This regulatory maze is intimidating for first-time business owners.

Great advice! I'm already planning to use accounting software to track everything properly from the start.

Smart move. Good record keeping isn't just for audits - it also helps you track your true labor costs and plan better for tax payments.

It's gotten better over the years but still has quirks. Sometimes it times out during filing, so save your work frequently. Overall though, it beats mailing paper forms.

Thanks for the heads up about timeouts. I'll make sure to prepare everything offline first before entering it online.

If you run into technical issues with their online system, that Claimyr service might be able to help you reach someone in their IT support too.

Agreed! I feel much more confident about moving forward with my business registration now. This community is awesome.

That's what these forums are for - helping each other navigate the bureaucracy. Good luck with your restaurant!

This is so helpful! I was definitely overthinking the process. Quick question - when you estimated your annual payroll, did you include things like benefits and payroll taxes in that number, or just the gross wages you'll pay employees?

That's great timing! I'm just getting ready to start the registration process myself. Did you run into any unexpected questions or requirements during the online application? I want to make sure I'm fully prepared before I begin.

Thanks for sharing your recent experience! That's really reassuring to hear it only took 30 minutes. I was expecting it to be much more complicated based on some of the earlier comments. Did you need to provide any documentation beyond your federal EIN, or was most of it just filling out forms with basic business information?

Really appreciate you sharing your recent experience! That 30-minute timeframe is encouraging - I was worried it would take hours. One thing I'm curious about: did they ask for specific details about the type of work your employees will be doing, or is it more general industry classification? I'm planning to hire both kitchen staff and servers for my restaurant, so I want to make sure I classify everything correctly from the start.

That's really encouraging to hear it was straightforward! I've been putting off starting my registration because I was worried about getting stuck in bureaucratic red tape. Did you encounter any hiccups with the SecureAccess Washington portal login, or did that part work smoothly too? I've heard mixed things about their authentication system.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been procrastinating on this registration for weeks thinking it would be a nightmare. Did you need to upload any business formation documents during the process, or was it mostly just entering information into forms? Also, when they assigned your UI tax rate, did they explain how it might change over time based on claims experience?

This is super helpful timing! I'm just about to start my own registration process. Quick question - did they give you any guidance on what to expect for your first quarterly report, or do they send separate instructions for that later? Also, when you estimated your annual payroll, did you have to break it down by employee type or just give one total number?

Thanks for sharing your experience! The NAICS code detail is really helpful - I hadn't thought about looking that up beforehand. Did they give you any trouble with the code you selected, or was it pretty straightforward once you had it ready? Also curious about that phone verification call - was it immediate or did they call back later in the day?

This is incredibly helpful! I'm just starting the process myself and the NAICS code tip is gold - I would have definitely been scrambling to figure that out mid-application. Quick question about the phone verification: did they call the number you provided for your business, or your personal contact number? I want to make sure I'm available when they call. Also, did they mention anything about when you'll receive your first quarterly filing instructions?