Washington ESD unemployment timing with severance pay - when should I apply?

So I won't get paid unemployment while getting severance, but I should still file the paperwork now?

Exactly. Washington ESD considers severance as wages, so you won't be eligible for benefits during that period. But filing early means your claim will be ready to activate once the severance ends.

How long did it take once you finally filed?

like 3 weeks because they had to verify everything and then it went into adjudication for some reason

What's a benefit year? And what kind of adjudication issues should I expect?

Your benefit year is the 52-week period during which you can collect up to 26 weeks of benefits. Adjudication happens when Washington ESD needs to verify your separation reason or work history. Better to deal with delays while you have severance than when you're broke.

This is so confusing. Why does Washington ESD make everything so complicated? I've been trying to call them for two weeks about my claim and can never get through.

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true.

Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They call Washington ESD repeatedly until they get through, then conference you in with the agent.

How much does it cost?

It's worth it considering how impossible it is to reach Washington ESD otherwise. The service pays for itself if it saves you from missing payments or deadlines.

Wait, I have to file weekly claims even during the severance period when I'm not getting paid?

Yes! You have to file every week and report your severance as wages. If you don't file weekly claims, Washington ESD considers your claim abandoned.

that seems like busywork for no reason

This is really helpful. Do I need to provide documentation about the severance amount?

Washington ESD might request your severance agreement during the initial claim process. Have it ready along with your termination letter.

Really? Even when I'm not receiving benefits?

yep its stupid but if you dont do job searches they can disqualify your whole claim

Actually, you only need to do job search activities during weeks when you're eligible for benefits. During severance weeks when your benefit amount is $0, job search isn't required.

are you sure? i thought you always had to do them

Lump sum severance is different. Washington ESD will divide it by your weekly wage to determine how many weeks it covers. So if you get $8000 lump sum and your weekly wage was $1000, it covers 8 weeks.

That makes sense. So I'd still report it all in the first week I receive it?

Report it the week you receive it, but Washington ESD will spread the disqualification period over multiple weeks based on the calculation.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr. They deal with all the busy signals and disconnects for you. Worth every penny when you're dealing with Washington ESD's terrible phone system.

I tried calling at 7:59 AM right before they open and got through on the second try. Sometimes timing is everything.

Vacation payout is treated the same as severance by Washington ESD. It's considered wages and will delay your benefits for the equivalent period.

Ugh, so my 3 weeks of vacation payout means 3 more weeks before I can collect?

Correct. But again, file your claim immediately so you're not waiting for processing time on top of the vacation delay.

That would actually be worse for unemployment. You'd be ineligible for benefits for the entire 6 months instead of just the equivalent weeks upfront.

Wow, I almost chose the 6-month option thinking it would be better. Thanks for the warning!

You can work part-time, but you'll need to report those wages along with your severance. Working might actually help establish recent work history for your claim.

ok good because i might do some freelance stuff during the severance period

How much did the delay cost you?

About $1,800 because I couldn't backdate the claim. That's why everyone here is saying file immediately.

What kind of problems?

They could accuse you of fraud and make you pay back any benefits you received. Plus it would delay your claim even longer while they investigate.

This happened to my coworker. She got an overpayment notice for $3,000 and had to appeal it. Took months to resolve.

Did you have any issues with them sharing your personal information?

No, they just facilitate the call. You're talking directly to the Washington ESD agent, Claimyr just gets you connected.

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful. I'm definitely filing my claim right after my last day of work.

Good luck! The Washington ESD system is confusing but once you understand the timing it makes more sense.

Thanks for the tip! I'll gather all that before I start the application.

Also have your bank account info ready if you want direct deposit. Much faster than waiting for a debit card to arrive.

Perfect summary. I feel much more confident about handling this now.

Exactly. And if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, services like Claimyr can save you the headache of trying to get through on your own.