Washington ESD unemployment is paid by who - confused about funding source

So my employer has been paying into this system the whole time I worked there? That makes sense.

yeah its like workers comp, employer pays the premiums

Interesting that companies with more layoffs have to pay more. Makes sense as an incentive system.

I had no idea about the experience rating thing. Learn something new every day about how this system works.

Have you tried calling right at 8am when they open? That's usually the best time to get through.

I actually found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really helped me when I was stuck in phone hell.

Thanks! I'll definitely check that out. Getting so frustrated with the busy signals.

Good to know! I was worried there might be something I missed on my paystubs.

Correct. Washington is one of the states where it's entirely employer-funded. Some states do deduct small amounts from employee paychecks but not here.

That's reassuring. I was laid off due to company restructuring so I think I should be okay.

Yeah layoffs are usually straightforward for approval. Just make sure you have all your employment dates ready when you file.

Exactly! It changes how I think about it completely. It's literally insurance I earned through working.

wish more people understood this instead of acting like its charity

The whole system is designed to provide temporary support while you look for new work. It's a safety net that employers fund as part of doing business.

I'll check out their website for more details. Thanks everyone for clearing this up!

The Washington ESD site has a whole section explaining the trust fund and how rates are calculated. Pretty interesting if you're into that sort of thing.

Got it. So it's a state program funded by employer taxes. Makes perfect sense now.

And if you're wondering about federal benefits like extended unemployment during recessions, that's different funding - that comes from federal taxes.

Thank you! Feeling much more confident about filing now that I understand how it works.

If you run into any issues reaching Washington ESD during the filing process, definitely check out that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. Saved me hours of frustration.

Good to know the technical term. I'll probably see that somewhere on forms or documents.

SUTA is the federal framework but each state administers their own version. Washington's version is what funds your benefits here.

my employer always complained about suta taxes going up after layoffs. now i understand why - they were paying more because of their layoff history

Right, I still need to follow all the regular requirements. This was just my curiosity about how it all works financially.

Yeah the funding is interesting but the day-to-day stuff is what matters for keeping your benefits coming.

Interesting. So the system can get strained during tough economic times.

Exactly. During the 2008 recession and COVID pandemic, many states had to take federal loans to keep paying benefits. It's a balancing act.

washington actually managed pretty well during covid compared to some other states from what i remember reading

Perfect summary! Thank you everyone for the education. Really appreciate this community.

And remember if you need to talk to Washington ESD directly about anything, Claimyr can help cut through the phone wait times. The demo video explains it better than I can: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

Good luck with your claim filing! The hardest part is usually just getting started.

That's a really good point. It's literally insurance I earned through working, not a handout.

exactly! its no different than using any other insurance when you need it

Wish more people understood this. There's too much stigma around unemployment when it's just using insurance you earned.