Washington ESD unemployment federal funded - confused about who pays benefits

So the employers in Washington are basically paying for my benefits through their taxes? That makes more sense than what I was thinking.

Yes exactly, and the federal government also has an unemployment tax (FUTA) that funds the administrative costs and some emergency extensions when needed.

Oh man I feel you on trying to call Washington ESD. I was on hold for literally 3 hours yesterday trying to check on my adjudication status. Have you tried using Claimyr? I found it on claimyr.com and they actually got me through to an agent in like 20 minutes. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

This is really helpful! So when I see politicians talking about cutting federal unemployment funding, they're not talking about our regular weekly benefits?

Correct! Your regular UI benefits come from the state trust fund. Federal cuts would affect things like extended benefits or special programs, but not your basic 26 weeks of benefits.

Wait so if Washington state runs out of money in their trust fund what happens? Do they just stop paying claims?

If a state's trust fund gets depleted, they can borrow from the federal government to continue paying benefits. Several states had to do this during the Great Recession.

What's your claim status showing? Mine has been stuck on adjudication for two weeks now.

Same thing! Adjudication pending and no way to find out what's going on. I've called Washington ESD like 50 times.

I remember those pandemic benefits! Those were so much easier to get than regular UI. Why can't they just keep it simple like that?

Those were emergency programs designed to get money out quickly. The regular UI system has more requirements because it's designed to be sustainable long-term.

Did you log your job search activities in the system? You need to document 3 job search activities per week and they have to be valid types.

I thought I did everything right but maybe I messed something up. This system is so complicated.

That happened to me too! I used Claimyr again to get through to Washington ESD and they were able to explain exactly what was wrong with my job search log. Saved me a lot of time compared to trying to figure it out myself.

Exactly! The UI system is designed to be self-sustaining through employer contributions. It's separate from general tax revenue.

But what if there's a big recession and lots of people file claims? Can the system handle that?

That's when the federal borrowing system kicks in. States can borrow from the federal unemployment account to keep paying benefits, then pay it back when their economy recovers.

You're welcome! The regular UI system is pretty stable. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims and meeting the job search requirements.

Yeah and if you have problems with Washington ESD just be persistent. The system works but it can be frustrating to navigate.

Yes, employer tax rates are partially based on their claim history. Companies with more former employees who collect benefits pay higher rates. That's why some employers contest claims.

That explains why my old boss was such a jerk about my claim! He kept saying I quit when I was actually laid off.

If an employer contests your claim incorrectly, you can appeal. Washington ESD will investigate and make a determination based on the facts.

I'm definitely going to check that out. I've wasted too much time trying to call Washington ESD the regular way.

Is there a cost for using that service?

They have different options but honestly it was worth it just to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD. Check out their website for details.

Exactly! UI benefits continue during federal shutdowns because they're not funded through annual congressional appropriations like many other programs.

Adjudication can take time depending on the complexity of your case. If it's taking longer than 4-6 weeks, definitely try to contact them.

That's exactly when I used Claimyr - when my adjudication was taking forever. They helped me get through to find out what was holding it up.

Alright I'm convinced, I'll give it a try. This waiting around is killing me financially.