Who has to pay unemployment insurance in Washington - confused about employer vs employee contributions

That's a relief! So nothing comes out of my paycheck for unemployment insurance? What about if I become unemployed later - do I still qualify for benefits?

Correct, nothing comes out of your check. As long as your employer pays the premiums and you meet the work/wage requirements, you'd be eligible for Washington ESD benefits if you become unemployed through no fault of your own.

Makes sense why some employers are so picky about firing people vs laying them off then. Higher claims = higher premiums for them.

Exactly. That's why you sometimes see companies fighting unemployment claims - it directly affects their future premium costs.

How much does that cost for self-employed people? I do gig work on the side and never knew this was an option.

The rate changes yearly but it's based on your reported income. You'd need to check with Washington ESD for current rates. Keep in mind there's usually a waiting period before you can collect benefits.

Good to know for future reference! Hopefully I won't need to deal with Washington ESD anytime soon but their phone system sounds frustrating.

I've heard about services like that. Do they actually work or is it just another way to spend money when you're already struggling?

It worked for me when I was stuck in adjudication for weeks. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person to get things moving, and their regular phone lines are impossible.

Oh right, I did see that deduction on my last job's paystub. So that's different from unemployment insurance?

Yes, completely different programs. PFML is for when you need time off for family reasons or medical issues. UI is for when you lose your job.

The acronyms get confusing - UI, PFML, SDI in some states. At least Washington keeps unemployment insurance employer-funded.

Had a boss once who told me not to file because it would 'hurt the company.' Wish I had known better at the time.

That's unfortunately common. Employers might prefer you don't file but they can't legally stop you. Always file if you're eligible.

What's your claim stuck on? Adjudication issues are really common right now.

Yeah, it's in adjudication and I can't get through to anyone to find out why. The online system just says 'in progress' with no timeline.

That's exactly the situation where Claimyr helped me. When you're stuck in adjudication, sometimes you just need to speak with someone to get it resolved.

Yes, as long as your employer is paying unemployment insurance premiums and you meet the wage/work requirements, temporary and seasonal work counts toward your eligibility.

Good to know. I always wondered if the short-term nature of construction work would disqualify me somehow.

What's the base period? And how much do you need to have earned?

Base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. Wage requirements change annually but you need earnings in at least two quarters and meet minimum thresholds.

Like during COVID when they had all those extra programs? Those were different from regular unemployment insurance, right?

Exactly. Programs like PUA and PEUC were federal emergency programs. Regular state UI that employers pay into is the standard program.

Wait, so unemployment benefits are taxable income? I never thought about that.

Yes, you'll get a 1099-G form and need to report it on your tax return. You can have taxes withheld from your weekly benefits or pay when you file.

True, though it's frustrating when you can't get through to Washington ESD to actually access the benefits your former employer paid into.

Yeah the phone system is definitely the weak point. I've heard of people using services like Claimyr to get through when they really need to speak with someone.

Thanks for confirming! That makes budgeting easier knowing exactly what will come out of my paycheck.

Yeah, it's nice that Washington doesn't burden employees with UI premiums like some other programs do.

What counts as misconduct for Washington ESD purposes? Is it pretty strict?

It has to be work-related misconduct that violates reasonable employer expectations. Simple poor performance usually doesn't disqualify you, but things like theft or willful policy violations can.

Absolutely. The funding mechanism works fine but the delivery system needs work. I've been on hold for literally hours before.

That's why I used Claimyr when I needed to get through. Sometimes you just can't wait weeks for a callback that might never come.

I'm just starting to learn about all this before my new job starts, but it does seem backwards that employers fund the system but then people can't access it when they need it. Is there any push to improve the phone system or are we stuck with services like Claimyr as workarounds?