Should I wait until my severance pay ends to file unemployment benefits claim with Washington ESD?

You should file your claim right away! Don't wait. Washington ESD allows you to file immediately after job separation even if you're receiving severance. The key is that you report the severance payments on your weekly claims when you do them. Each week you receive severance, report that amount and Washington ESD will calculate if you're eligible for any partial benefits or if benefits are completely offset for that week.

Filing sooner is definitely better than later. I made the mistake of waiting 2 months after my layoff and it just delayed everything. Plus there's a one week waiting period anyway so you might as well get that clock started.

I had this exact situation last year. Filed immediately and just reported my severance each week. Some weeks I got partial unemployment, other weeks I got nothing because the severance was too high. But once the severance ended, my full benefits kicked in automatically. Much better than waiting and then having to deal with Washington ESD processing delays.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about this, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you connected to ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. It was a lifesaver when I needed to talk to someone about my claim complications.

wait i thought you couldn't get unemployment if you were getting paid by your old job still?? this is confusing

The Washington ESD website has specific information about severance pay reporting. Make sure you understand whether your severance is lump sum or periodic payments because they handle them differently for benefit calculations.

I'm dealing with something similar but my company gave me a lump sum severance. Anyone know how Washington ESD handles that differently?

Whatever you do, don't try to hide the severance payments thinking you'll avoid complications. Washington ESD will find out eventually and then you'll have overpayment issues and possible fraud accusations. Always better to be upfront from the beginning.

The job search requirements still apply even during weeks when your benefits are offset by severance, right? I want to make sure I understand all the obligations.

File now! I waited 6 weeks thinking I had to and it was a mistake. The adjudication process alone took 3 weeks, so I lost time I could have been in the system. Even if you don't get payments right away due to severance, at least your claim is established and processing.

Make sure you have your severance agreement handy when you file. Washington ESD might ask for documentation during the initial claim review or later if there are any questions about the payments.

This thread is super helpful! I'm in a similar boat but with only 4 weeks severance. Sounds like the same rules apply regardless of severance length?

Does anyone know if vacation payout gets treated the same as severance? I'm getting both and want to make sure I report everything correctly.

The key thing is just being consistent with your reporting. I reported my severance every week and never had any issues. Washington ESD's system is pretty good at calculating the offsets automatically once you input the amounts correctly.

I used Claimyr when I had questions about my severance situation and they got me through to an agent who explained everything clearly. Really worth it if you want to talk to someone at Washington ESD directly rather than guessing.

Bottom line - file now, report honestly, keep good records. The worst thing you can do is delay filing and then rush through the process later when you're more desperate for benefits.

Remember that even during severance weeks, you're still building toward your benefit year and getting closer to the end of any waiting periods. Every week counts in the unemployment system timeline.

If your claim gets flagged for adjudication because of the severance reporting, don't panic. It's pretty routine for them to review claims involving severance payments. Just be patient and respond to any requests for information promptly.

One more thing - make sure you're clear on when your severance actually ends so you know when to expect full benefits to kick in. Mark it on your calendar so you're not surprised by the timing.

Just wanted to add that when you're reporting your severance payments each week, make sure you're reporting the gross amount (before taxes) not the net amount you actually receive. Washington ESD bases their calculations on the gross severance amount. I made this mistake initially and had to correct it later, which caused some confusion in my claim. The weekly claim form should be pretty clear about this, but it's worth mentioning since tax withholdings can make the amounts look quite different.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation but with a twist - my company is paying my severance through their regular payroll system over 8 weeks, but they're also continuing my health insurance during that time. Does anyone know if the continued health insurance coverage affects how Washington ESD views the severance payments? I want to make sure I understand the full picture before I file my claim. From everything I've read here, it sounds like I should still file immediately and report the weekly severance amounts, but I'm wondering if the insurance continuation adds any complications to the process.