When can you file for unemployment if you get a severance package - Washington ESD timing rules?
My company laid me off last Friday and gave me a severance package worth 8 weeks of pay. I'm confused about when I can actually file for unemployment benefits with Washington ESD. Do I have to wait until my severance period ends, or can I file right away? The HR person wasn't sure and told me to check with Washington ESD directly, but I can't get through on the phone. Has anyone dealt with this situation before? I need to know if I should file now or wait because I don't want to mess up my claim.
57 comments
Join the conversation
Nia Williams
You can file your initial claim right away, but the severance will delay when your benefits actually start. Washington ESD treats severance as wages, so you'll have a waiting period before benefits kick in. The key is to file ASAP to get your claim date established.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•So I should file this week even though I'm getting severance? I was worried they'd reject my claim entirely.
0 coins
Nia Williams
•Yes, file now. The claim date is important for your benefit year. They'll just postpone payments until your severance period ends.
0 coins
Luca Ricci
I went through this exact situation last year. Filed immediately after my layoff even with 6 weeks severance. Washington ESD calculated when my benefits would start based on my weekly severance amount. It was worth filing early to lock in my claim date.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•How did they calculate it? Did they divide your total severance by your weekly pay?
0 coins
Luca Ricci
•Exactly. They took my total severance and divided by what my weekly pay was, then counted that as weeks I couldn't collect benefits.
0 coins
Aisha Mohammed
The Washington ESD adjudication process for severance can take a while if they need to verify the details with your employer. I'd recommend trying to reach them by phone to get clarity on your specific situation. I actually found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to a Washington ESD agent when I couldn't reach them myself. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•How much does something like that cost? I'm trying to be careful with money right now.
0 coins
Aisha Mohammed
•I can't remember the exact cost, but it was worth it to get my questions answered quickly instead of calling for weeks. The peace of mind was valuable.
0 coins
Ethan Campbell
•Never heard of that service but anything to avoid the Washington ESD phone maze sounds good to me!
0 coins
Yuki Watanabe
DEFINITELY file now. I made the mistake of waiting until my severance ended and lost weeks of benefit eligibility because my claim date was later. Washington ESD goes by when you file, not when you start collecting.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•Oh no, how many weeks did you lose?
0 coins
Yuki Watanabe
•About 6 weeks total. Could have been collecting benefits earlier if I'd filed right after my layoff date.
0 coins
Carmen Sanchez
wait im confused... if youre getting severance pay why would you need unemployment? isnt that double dipping?
0 coins
Nia Williams
•No, you can't collect both at the same time. The severance delays when unemployment benefits start, but you still need to file to establish your claim.
0 coins
Carmen Sanchez
•oh ok that makes more sense. i thought you could get both which seemed weird
0 coins
Andre Dupont
Check your severance agreement carefully too. Some companies have clauses about unemployment benefits that might affect your claim. Mine tried to say I couldn't file for unemployment while receiving severance, but Washington ESD said that wasn't enforceable.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•I'll double check my paperwork. I don't remember seeing anything like that but I was pretty overwhelmed when they gave it to me.
0 coins
Andre Dupont
•Yeah, companies sometimes put weird restrictions in there that aren't actually legal. Washington ESD knows the real rules.
0 coins
Zoe Papadakis
The Washington ESD website has a section about severance and unemployment but it's pretty confusing. Basically says severance is treated as wages for the period it covers. But definitely file your claim ASAP regardless.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•I tried looking at their website but got lost in all the technical language. Your explanation helps though.
0 coins
ThunderBolt7
•Their website is terrible for explaining this stuff in plain English. Half the time I can't find what I'm looking for.
0 coins
Jamal Edwards
Had a friend who got 12 weeks severance and thought she couldn't file until it ended. By the time she filed, she'd missed out on establishing her benefit year early. File now, worry about the payments later!
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•That's exactly what I was worried about. Sounds like everyone agrees I should file this week.
0 coins
Jamal Edwards
•Yes! The worst thing that happens is they tell you when benefits will start. The best thing is you lock in your claim date.
0 coins
Mei Chen
One thing to remember is you'll still need to do your weekly claims even during the severance period. You just won't get paid until the severance runs out. It's annoying but keeps your claim active.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•So I have to file weekly claims even though I won't get benefits? That seems pointless.
0 coins
Mei Chen
•I know it seems dumb, but if you don't file weekly claims, they'll close your claim and you'll have to restart the whole process.
0 coins
Liam O'Sullivan
The severance calculation can get complicated if you got a lump sum vs. if they're paying it out over time. Washington ESD treats them differently for benefit timing purposes.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•Mine is a lump sum payment. Does that change when I can start collecting benefits?
0 coins
Liam O'Sullivan
•With a lump sum, they calculate how many weeks it represents based on your regular weekly pay. That's your waiting period before benefits start.
0 coins
Amara Okonkwo
ugh the whole system is so confusing. why cant they just have clear rules about this stuff posted somewhere easy to find??
0 coins
Giovanni Marino
•Right? Everything with Washington ESD feels like you need a law degree to understand.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•At least this thread is helping me understand what I need to do. Thanks everyone!
0 coins
Fatima Al-Sayed
Pro tip: when you file your claim, make sure to mention the severance upfront. Don't let them find out later or it can cause problems with your claim. Be transparent from the start.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•Good point. I'll make sure to include all the severance details when I file online.
0 coins
Fatima Al-Sayed
•Exactly. It's better to have too much information than not enough when dealing with Washington ESD.
0 coins
Dylan Hughes
I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it really did help me get through to Washington ESD quickly. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your specific severance situation.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•How long did it take them to get you connected to an agent?
0 coins
Dylan Hughes
•They called me back within a few hours and got me connected pretty quickly. Way better than trying to call myself.
0 coins
NightOwl42
Make sure you keep all your severance paperwork too. Washington ESD might ask for documentation during the adjudication process to verify the amount and payment schedule.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•I have everything from HR. Should I upload it when I file or wait until they ask?
0 coins
NightOwl42
•I'd wait until they ask. They'll let you know if they need additional documentation during the review process.
0 coins
Sofia Rodriguez
Been through this twice with different companies. Both times I filed immediately after layoff and it worked out fine. The severance just delayed when I actually started receiving benefits.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•That's reassuring to hear from someone who's done it multiple times. I'll file this week.
0 coins
Sofia Rodriguez
•Yeah, don't overthink it. File early, be honest about the severance, and let Washington ESD sort out the timing.
0 coins
Dmitry Ivanov
Just remember that your job search requirements might still apply even during the severance waiting period, depending on how Washington ESD handles your specific case. Check with them about that.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•Oh I hadn't thought about job search requirements during severance. I'll ask about that when I file.
0 coins
Ava Thompson
•Usually you don't have to do job searches until benefits actually start, but it's worth confirming.
0 coins
Miguel Herrera
Thanks for posting this question! I'm in a similar situation and this thread answered all my concerns. Filing my claim tomorrow.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•Glad it helped you too! Sounds like we both learned the same thing - file early and let Washington ESD figure out the rest.
0 coins
Miguel Herrera
•Exactly. Better to have the claim established and wait for benefits than miss out on the early filing date.
0 coins
Zainab Ali
One more thing - if your employer contests your unemployment claim because of the severance, don't panic. That's what the appeals process is for and you have rights as a laid-off employee.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•Why would they contest it if they laid me off and gave me severance?
0 coins
Zainab Ali
•Some companies try to argue that severance disqualifies you from benefits entirely, but that's not how Washington law works. You just have to wait for the severance period to end.
0 coins
Connor Murphy
Bottom line from everything I've read here: File your claim immediately, report the severance honestly, and expect to wait for benefits until the severance period ends. Seems pretty straightforward once you know the rules.
0 coins
Mateo Gonzalez
•That's exactly the summary I needed. Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm filing tomorrow morning.
0 coins