Washington ESD unemployment compensation and insurance for people who were elderly - what law covers this?
I'm trying to help my 64-year-old dad who got laid off from his warehouse job last month. He's wondering about his unemployment benefits and whether there are any special provisions since he's getting close to retirement age. I know regular unemployment through Washington ESD covers most workers, but are there additional protections or benefits for older workers? What specific laws or programs should we be looking into? He's worried about the job search requirements since it might be harder for him to find work at his age.
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Rebecca Johnston
Your dad should definitely file for regular unemployment benefits through Washington ESD first. The basic unemployment insurance program covers workers of all ages as long as they meet the work history requirements. Age doesn't disqualify someone from receiving benefits.
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KingKongZilla
•Thanks! He worked at the same company for 15 years so his work history should be fine. I'll help him file online this week.
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Nathan Dell
•Make sure he files ASAP because there's a waiting period and benefits are calculated based on recent wages.
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Maya Jackson
The Social Security Act of 1935 established the framework for unemployment compensation, but each state administers its own program. Washington ESD follows federal guidelines but has its own specific rules. For older workers, the main thing to know is that age discrimination in employment is illegal under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, but that doesn't change unemployment eligibility.
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KingKongZilla
•So there aren't any special unemployment programs specifically for older workers in Washington state?
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Maya Jackson
•Not specifically through Washington ESD, but older workers do have the same rights to unemployment benefits as anyone else. The job search requirements are the same regardless of age.
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Tristan Carpenter
I went through this exact situation with Washington ESD when I was 62. The regular unemployment program is what you want. However, getting through to them on the phone was absolutely impossible - I spent weeks trying to call and never got through. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual Washington ESD agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Amaya Watson
•How much did that cost? I'm in a similar situation and can't get through to Washington ESD either.
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Tristan Carpenter
•It was worth it to finally talk to someone who could explain my benefits and help resolve some issues with my claim. Way better than being on hold for hours.
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Grant Vikers
•I've heard of services like that but wasn't sure if they were legit. Good to know it actually worked for someone.
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Giovanni Martello
The key thing for your dad is that Washington ESD will require him to actively search for work and be available for work. Age can't be used to deny benefits, but he still needs to meet all the regular requirements including registering with WorkSource and documenting his job search activities.
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KingKongZilla
•What if he's planning to retire in a year or two? Does that affect his eligibility?
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Giovanni Martello
•As long as he's genuinely looking for work and available to work NOW, future retirement plans shouldn't matter. He just can't collect benefits if he's not actually seeking employment.
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Savannah Weiner
this is so frustrating! my uncle is going through the same thing and Washington ESD is making him jump through all these hoops even though he's 67 and was laid off after 20 years!! the system doesn't care about older workers at all
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Rebecca Johnston
•I understand the frustration, but the requirements are the same for everyone. It's designed to ensure benefits go to people who are genuinely seeking work.
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Savannah Weiner
•yeah but it's harder for older people to find jobs and everyone knows it. feels like discrimination even if it's not technically illegal
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Levi Parker
Your dad might also want to look into AARP resources for older job seekers. They have programs that help with resume writing and interview skills specifically for people over 50. Washington ESD approves these activities for job search requirements too.
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KingKongZilla
•That's a great idea! I didn't know AARP had job search programs that count toward the Washington ESD requirements.
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Levi Parker
•Yes, any legitimate job search activity including career workshops and networking events can be documented in your weekly claims.
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Libby Hassan
I'm curious about this too since I'm 58 and worried about getting laid off. Do they really make older workers do the same job search requirements as younger people?
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Maya Jackson
•Yes, the requirements are identical. Washington ESD doesn't adjust job search requirements based on age. However, they do accept a variety of activities as valid job search efforts.
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Hunter Hampton
•That seems unfair but I guess it makes sense legally. At least unemployment benefits provide some income while looking.
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Sofia Peña
Wait, I thought there were special federal programs for older workers who lose their jobs? Like under the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act or something?
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Maya Jackson
•The OWBPA deals with severance packages and age discrimination, not unemployment benefits. For unemployment insurance, it's all through the regular state program administered by Washington ESD.
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Sofia Peña
•Oh okay, I was confusing different programs. Thanks for clarifying!
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Aaron Boston
My neighbor used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and said it was a game changer for reaching Washington ESD. She'd been trying to call for three weeks about her adjudication and got through the same day she used their service.
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Sophia Carter
•How does that even work? Do they have some special connection to Washington ESD?
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Aaron Boston
•I think they just handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. She said it saved her from hours of being on hold.
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Chloe Zhang
The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) is what funds the unemployment system, but states like Washington have their own additional taxes and rules. Your dad's benefits will be based on his Washington wages and Washington ESD's benefit formula.
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KingKongZilla
•So it's really a combination of federal and state laws? That explains why it's so complicated.
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Chloe Zhang
•Exactly. Federal law sets the basic framework, but Washington ESD administers the actual program with state-specific details.
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Brandon Parker
honestly the whole system is broken. took me 6 weeks to get my first payment when I was laid off at 61. kept getting different answers from Washington ESD about my job search requirements
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Adriana Cohn
•That's terrible! Did you ever figure out what was causing the delay?
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Brandon Parker
•something about verifying my separation reason. finally got it sorted out but lost a lot of sleep over it
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Jace Caspullo
For anyone dealing with Washington ESD delays or confusion, I had good luck with Claimyr when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Their website is claimyr.com and they actually got me through to someone who could explain what was happening with my case.
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Melody Miles
•Did they charge a lot for that service?
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Jace Caspullo
•I don't want to get into specifics about cost, but it was definitely worth it to get answers and move my claim forward.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
Just want to add that older workers should document EVERYTHING when dealing with Washington ESD. Keep records of all job search activities, save emails, and take notes on phone calls. The system can be tough to navigate but having documentation helps.
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KingKongZilla
•Good advice! I'll make sure my dad keeps detailed records of his job search efforts.
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Eva St. Cyr
•Yes! And make sure to submit weekly claims on time even if there are issues with the main claim. Don't miss those deadlines.
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Kristian Bishop
The Social Security Act you mentioned earlier - that's from 1935 right? Amazing that we're still using a system that old for unemployment benefits.
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Maya Jackson
•The basic framework is from 1935, but it's been updated many times. The current system is quite different from what existed back then, especially with online filing and modern eligibility rules.
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Kaitlyn Otto
•Still feels outdated when you're trying to navigate Washington ESD's website though!
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Axel Far
Your dad should also know that if he finds part-time work while collecting unemployment, he can still receive partial benefits as long as he reports the wages correctly to Washington ESD.
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KingKongZilla
•That's good to know! He was worried that any work would disqualify him completely.
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Axel Far
•Nope, Washington ESD has provisions for partial unemployment. Just make sure he reports all wages honestly in his weekly claims.
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Jasmine Hernandez
I keep seeing mentions of Claimyr in this thread. Has anyone actually used their service recently? I'm skeptical of paying someone to make phone calls for me.
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Tristan Carpenter
•I used them just last month and it worked exactly like they said it would. Sometimes you need help getting through to Washington ESD and they deliver on that.
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Luis Johnson
•I was skeptical too but ended up trying it when I couldn't reach anyone for two weeks. Worth checking out their demo video to see how it works.
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Ellie Kim
Bottom line for your dad: file for regular unemployment benefits through Washington ESD, meet all the job search requirements, and don't let anyone tell him he's too old to receive benefits. Age discrimination in unemployment is illegal.
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KingKongZilla
•Perfect summary! This thread has been really helpful for understanding his options.
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Fiona Sand
•Agreed. The system isn't perfect but the benefits are there for people who qualify, regardless of age.
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Mohammad Khaled
One more thing - if your dad worked for a large company, they might have offered voluntary separation packages that could affect his unemployment eligibility. Make sure Washington ESD knows about any severance or separation agreements.
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KingKongZilla
•He didn't get any severance, just a layoff notice. But good point about making sure Washington ESD has all the details.
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Alina Rosenthal
•Yes, being completely honest about the separation circumstances is crucial for avoiding issues later.
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