What is unemployment insurance for employers in Washington - confused about my responsibilities

Yes, as a Washington employer you're required to pay unemployment insurance taxes to fund the system that provides benefits to unemployed workers. You need to register with Washington ESD once you have employees and pay quarterly taxes based on your payroll. The rate varies depending on your industry and experience rating.

the employer unemployment tax is separate from what employees pay. you pay based on your total wages paid and your tax rate. new employers get a standard rate until they build up experience.

I went through this same confusion when I started my business 2 years ago! The Washington ESD employer portal is actually pretty helpful once you get registered. You'll need to file quarterly reports and pay taxes even if none of your employees file for unemployment. It's basically insurance - you're paying into the fund that pays out benefits.

Your tax rate will change over time based on how many of your former employees file for unemployment benefits. If you have a lot of claims against your account, your rate goes up. If you have few claims, it goes down. This is called experience rating.

wait i thought unemployment was just for people who lost their jobs? employers have to pay too??

Been running my business for 15 years and can tell you the unemployment tax is just part of doing business. Budget for it like you would workers comp or any other required insurance. Washington ESD has resources for new employers - don't try to figure it out alone.

also remember you might need to respond to unemployment claims from former employees. washington esd will send you notices asking about why someone left your company and you need to respond quickly

The employer side of unemployment is so much more complicated than people realize. I spent hours trying to get through to Washington ESD when I had questions about my account status and tax calculations. Finally discovered Claimyr which actually got me connected to a real person who could walk me through everything.

Don't forget about the Social Security number verification requirements! You have to verify all your employees' SSNs with Social Security Administration before you can file your unemployment tax reports.

THE WASHINGTON ESD EMPLOYER SYSTEM IS A NIGHTMARE! I've been trying to resolve a discrepancy in my account for 6 months and keep getting different answers from different agents. The whole thing is designed to extract money from small businesses.

Pro tip: keep detailed records of everything. When employees leave, document the reason and circumstances. If there's ever a dispute about an unemployment claim, you'll need that documentation.

i hired my first employee last month and totally forgot about unemployment insurance until i got a notice from washington esd. had to scramble to get registered and pay back taxes with penalties. dont make my mistake!

If you're doing your own payroll, make sure you understand the wage base limits. You only pay unemployment tax on the first $62,500 of each employee's wages per year (for 2025). Anything above that is exempt.

My accountant handles all this stuff for me. Worth every penny to not have to deal with Washington ESD directly.

The thing that surprised me was having to pay unemployment taxes even during quarters when I had no employees. If you're registered, you have to file reports even if they're all zeros.

Had a major issue with my employer account showing incorrect wage information that was messing up my tax calculations. Spent weeks trying to get someone at Washington ESD who could actually fix it. Claimyr finally got me to the right department and they corrected everything in one call.

Another thing - if you have employees in multiple states, you'll need to register and pay unemployment taxes in each state. It can get complicated fast.

The positive spin is that this system provides a safety net for your employees if something happens to your business. It's not just a tax, it's social insurance that benefits everyone.

Make sure you understand the difference between employees and independent contractors for unemployment purposes. Misclassifying workers can lead to big problems with Washington ESD.