Washington ESD unemployment eligibility with severance package - confused about timing

You can actually file for unemployment right away even with severance in Washington state. The key thing is HOW the severance is being paid out. If it's a lump sum, it doesn't affect your weekly benefits at all. If it's being paid as continuation of wages (like yours sounds like), then those weeks might be considered disqualifying because you're still technically receiving wages.

I went through this exact situation last year. Filed immediately and Washington ESD put my claim on hold during the severance period, then it kicked in automatically once the severance ended. Definitely file now though because there's usually a waiting period anyway.

The Washington ESD phone lines are absolutely impossible to get through to ask questions like this. I spent 3 hours trying to call them about my severance situation. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an agent in like 15 minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD directly about your specific severance package.

wait im confused, i thought any income disqualifies you from unemployment benefits? my severance was only $3000 lump sum and i waited 6 months to file because i thought i couldn't get benefits

The Washington ESD handbook specifically says severance payments are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If your former employer considers it 'wages in lieu of notice' then it might defer your benefits. If it's considered a gift or bonus, it won't affect anything. You really need to know how your company classified the payment.

File immediately!! I made the mistake of waiting and lost out on benefits I was entitled to. Even if some weeks aren't payable due to severance, you want your claim established. Plus you need to start your job search requirements anyway.

Been there! My severance was paid as 'continuation of salary' for 12 weeks. Washington ESD considered those weeks as still being employed, so no benefits during that time. But my claim was ready to go the day after severance ended. Definitely file now even if you can't collect right away.

The whole severance thing is such a mess with Washington ESD. I've seen people get different answers from different agents about the same situation. Really depends on who you talk to.

Just to add another data point - my severance was a lump sum of $8000 and it didn't affect my unemployment at all. Filed the day after I got laid off and started getting benefits after the normal waiting week. But I know people with ongoing severance payments who had to wait.

PRO TIP: When you file your claim, be very specific about how your severance is structured. Don't just say 'I'm getting severance' - explain if it's lump sum, ongoing payments, how many weeks, etc. The more detail you give Washington ESD upfront, the better they can process your claim correctly.

honestly the washington esd system is so broken, i filed 3 weeks ago and my claim is still in adjudication for no apparent reason. good luck getting any kind of timely response about severance questions

Update us when you file! I'm curious to see how they handle your specific situation since I might be in a similar boat soon.

One more thing - make sure you understand the difference between severance and vacation payout. Unused vacation/PTO is usually considered wages and will definitely defer benefits. True severance might not, depending on how it's structured.

Filed with severance about 6 months ago and used that Claimyr thing to get through to Washington ESD when I had questions. Honestly saved me so much frustration compared to trying to call the regular way. Worth every penny when you're dealing with uncertainty about benefits.

Bottom line: file now, report everything accurately, and let Washington ESD make the determination. Don't try to guess whether you're eligible or not - that's their job to figure out.