What type of unemployment is being laid off - Washington ESD classification question

That's a relief! Do I need any special documentation from my employer or just the standard separation paperwork?

Just the standard separation notice should be fine. Washington ESD will contact your employer directly to verify the reason for separation.

How do I know if I worked enough hours? I've been at this job for about 18 months.

18 months should be plenty. Washington ESD looks at your earnings in the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. You can check your wage history online once you create your account.

That's encouraging! Did you have any trouble reaching Washington ESD if you had questions?

Oh man, yes. The phone lines are absolutely impossible. I found this service called Claimyr that actually helped me get through to a real person at Washington ESD when I needed to check on something. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. It was worth it just to avoid the stress of calling over and over.

I might have to look into that. This is driving me crazy.

Good to know the official terminology. Will that show up somewhere on my claim?

It might show up in your claim details, but mostly it's just how they categorize it internally for processing.

What are the job search requirements like? I haven't looked into that part yet.

you have to do 3 job search activities per week and log them. its not too bad but you have to keep track of everything

If there's no definite recall date, you should still file for regular UI benefits. If they do call you back, you can always close your claim at that time.

Ok that makes sense. I was worried I might be in some kind of limbo category.

How long do employers have to respond? I don't want to get stuck waiting if my old company drags their feet.

I think they have about 10 days to respond, but Washington ESD can still process your claim if the employer doesn't respond in time.

The categories matter because they determine eligibility and benefit amounts. Someone who quits without good cause might not qualify at all.

I guess that makes sense, but it's still unnecessarily complicated for people who are already stressed about losing their job.

Yeah, definitely try Claimyr. It saved me so much frustration. The phone system at Washington ESD is just broken honestly.

Alright, I'm going to check it out. Can't be worse than what I'm dealing with now.

Good luck! File as soon as possible since benefits start from the week you file, not when you were laid off.

Good point, I'll do it today actually. Don't want to lose any potential benefits.

Yeah, I'm grateful it's straightforward even though losing the job sucks.

exactly. at least the unemployment process won't add extra stress to an already difficult situation

For Washington ESD purposes, it doesn't really matter unless you have a specific recall date within a few weeks. If it's indefinite, treat it as a regular layoff and file for benefits.

That's helpful, thanks. I'll go ahead and file since there's no timeline for recall.

Right, and my termination letter clearly states it was due to company restructuring, so that should help.

Perfect, that documentation will make the process even smoother.

You can appeal that determination. Washington ESD will investigate and you can provide evidence that it was actually a layoff, not a voluntary quit.

Good to know there's an appeal process. I have emails showing it was definitely a layoff.

Thanks for the tip! I want to make sure I word everything correctly.

yeah being specific helps avoid any back and forth with Washington ESD later

I didn't get severance, but good to know for anyone else reading this who might have.

Yeah, it can delay benefits depending on how much severance you received and how it's structured.

Agreed, it's overwhelming when you're already dealing with job loss.

exactly. like we need more stress when we're already unemployed!

That's reassuring! Hopefully mine goes just as smoothly.

I'm sure it will. Layoffs are usually the easiest claims for them to process.

Good reminder! I'll make sure to stay on top of the weekly filings.

Yeah, it's easy to forget about but those weekly claims are what actually trigger your payments.