Is unemployment a social security benefit in Washington ESD system?

No, unemployment insurance (UI) and Social Security are completely separate programs. Washington ESD handles unemployment benefits, which come from employer taxes, while Social Security is federal and comes from payroll taxes. Your grandmother might be thinking of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) which is different from regular unemployment.

I was confused about this too when I first filed. The key difference is that unemployment is temporary income replacement when you lose your job through no fault of your own, while Social Security is retirement/disability benefits. Washington ESD manages the unemployment system using funds from employer contributions, not from Social Security taxes.

The confusion probably comes from the fact that both are government benefit programs, but they serve totally different purposes. If you're having trouble understanding how Washington ESD works or need to speak with someone about your claim, I'd recommend checking out Claimyr at claimyr.com - they help people get through to ESD agents when the phone lines are jammed. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Think of it this way - Social Security Administration handles retirement, disability, and survivor benefits funded by FICA taxes. Washington ESD handles unemployment insurance funded by state unemployment taxes that employers pay. Two totally different funding sources, two different agencies, two different purposes.

I made the same mistake when I first lost my job. Went to the Social Security office thinking that's where I needed to file for unemployment! The clerk there had to redirect me to the Washington ESD website. Felt pretty silly but apparently it happens a lot.

The only time these programs might intersect is if you're collecting Social Security Disability and want to work part-time, but that's a whole different situation with different rules. For regular unemployment after losing a job, it's purely a Washington ESD matter.

I think older generations get confused because they remember when more government programs were centralized. My dad thought Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and unemployment were all the same department until I explained it to him.

Just to be super clear - when you file your weekly claims with Washington ESD, you're claiming unemployment insurance benefits. When you eventually retire and file for Social Security, those are retirement benefits. Totally different pots of money, totally different eligibility rules.

One more thing - if you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone to ask questions about your claim, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me hours of redialing when I needed to fix an issue with my weekly claim.

The Washington ESD system is confusing enough without mixing it up with Social Security! At least now you know you're dealing with the right agency. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on time - that's the most important thing.

FWIW the IRS treats unemployment benefits differently than Social Security too. UI benefits are fully taxable income while some Social Security benefits might not be taxable depending on your total income. Just another way they're different programs.

Your grandmother probably also remembers when unemployment lasted longer and had different rules. The programs have changed a lot over the decades, but they've always been separate from Social Security.

Bottom line: Washington ESD = unemployment benefits when you lose your job. Social Security Administration = retirement/disability benefits. Two different agencies, two different funding sources, two different purposes. Hope that helps!

I had this same confusion when I was laid off last year. Spent way too much time on the wrong websites before figuring out I needed to go through Washington ESD. At least the SecureAccess Washington login works for both unemployment and a bunch of other state services once you get it set up.

If you're still having trouble navigating the Washington ESD system or need to speak with someone about your specific claim situation, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier has been a lifesaver for a lot of people. Check out the demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ to see if it might help you too.

This thread perfectly explains why so many people get confused about government benefits. There are just so many different programs with similar-sounding names. At least unemployment through Washington ESD is pretty straightforward once you understand it's separate from everything else.