Which do I pay unemployment taxes to - Washington ESD or federal?

Oh wow, so I don't have to worry about paying anything myself? That's a relief!

Exactly, it's all handled by your employer. You'll see other deductions on your paystub but not unemployment taxes.

How much do employers typically pay? Just curious since I might start my own business soon.

In Washington, SUTA rates range from about 0.23% to 6.02% of wages up to the taxable wage base. New employers usually start around 2.7%. FUTA is 6% but most employers get a credit bringing it down to 0.6%.

Never heard of that service. Does it actually work to get through to Washington ESD?

Yeah it worked for me! Way better than sitting on hold for hours. The agent was able to answer all my questions about tax withholdings and benefit eligibility.

Interesting, might have to check that out. I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my claim status.

Good question! When people say they 'paid into' unemployment, they mean their employer was paying those taxes on their behalf while they worked. So technically your work did contribute to the system, just not directly from your paycheck.

ohh that makes sense, so its like my employer was putting money into my unemployment account for me

That's actually pretty smart. So Washington ESD already knows how much I made and where I worked?

Exactly! That's why when you file a claim, they can usually verify your wages automatically. Makes the process much smoother.

Unless there's an issue with the wage reporting, then you get stuck in adjudication forever...

Which states make employees pay? Just so I know if I ever move.

Alaska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have employee contributions. But again, Washington doesn't - it's all on the employers here.

How hard is it to set up as a new employer? I'm thinking of hiring my first employee next year.

Not too bad. You register with Washington ESD when you hire your first employee. They'll assign you an account number and send you the quarterly reporting forms. The hardest part is keeping track of all the wage details.

Do you have to pay taxes even if your employee never files for unemployment?

Yes, you pay regardless. The taxes fund the entire system, not just individual accounts. That's how Washington ESD can pay benefits to anyone who qualifies.

Good to know! I was worried I was missing something on my paystub.

Nope, you're good! The only time employees might see anything unemployment-related is if they're in one of those three states I mentioned earlier, or if there are special circumstances like certain government workers.

No such thing as a stupid question! It's actually pretty common for people to be confused about this.

Same here! I was worried I wasn't contributing enough or something.

Ugh tell me about it. I've been trying to reach them about my pending claim for weeks. Phone just rings busy or disconnects.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - got tired of the runaround. Their callback system actually got me through to a real person who could help with my adjudication issue.

Might have to try that. This is ridiculous how hard it is to get help.

That makes sense. Gives employers incentive to keep workers employed and treat them well.

Exactly! Though some employers try to fight unemployment claims just to keep their rates low, which isn't cool.

My old boss tried to say I quit when I was actually laid off. Had to appeal and everything. Took months to get it sorted out with Washington ESD.

Thanks everyone for explaining this! I feel much more confident about starting my new job now.

No problem! This forum is great for getting real answers about Washington ESD stuff.

What are the main requirements? Just in case I ever need to file.

You need sufficient wages in your base period, be unemployed through no fault of your own, be able and available for work, and actively search for jobs. Washington ESD has all the details on their website.

Don't forget the weekly claim filing requirement! Even if you qualify, you have to keep filing those weekly claims to get paid.

Perfect, that's exactly what I needed to confirm. Thanks!

Wish all states were like this. Having to pay employee unemployment taxes on top of everything else would be rough.

True that. The money is there, it's just getting access to it that's the challenge sometimes.

That's when services like Claimyr come in handy. Sometimes you just need to actually talk to a human being at Washington ESD to sort things out.

Definitely helps! This whole thread has been super informative.

Agreed! Love when forums actually provide useful info instead of just complaints.