Who pays unemployment when a business closes in Washington state?

That makes sense! So even though they're closing, they've already paid into the system that will cover my benefits?

Exactly. The money comes from the pooled fund that all Washington employers contribute to, not from your specific employer's account.

Did you have any issues with the job search requirements since you knew the business was closing ahead of time?

nope, still had to do the job search activities but they were understanding about the situation

Good to know it's straightforward! I was worried there might be complications since the whole company is going under.

Actually, if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helps people reach agents. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling when I needed to check on my claim status.

No, your benefits aren't affected by your employer's financial situation. The UI trust fund is separate from your employer's assets or debts.

That's correct. Even if they haven't paid their recent unemployment taxes, it doesn't impact your claim. Washington ESD will pursue collection separately.

That actually makes a lot of sense when you explain it like insurance. I feel better about filing now.

yeah its basically insurance that your employer pays for on your behalf, you dont pay into it yourself

Interesting, so companies that lay people off more often have to pay more? That seems fair.

Yes, it's called experience rating. Encourages employers to maintain stable employment when possible.

Does that mean my company's closure will make their rate go up? Not that it matters since they're closing anyway lol

Good point about filing right away. I was thinking about waiting to see if I could find another job first.

Definitely don't wait. You can always cancel the claim if you find work quickly, but you can't get those first weeks back if you delay filing.

That sounds unusual. Business closures are typically well-documented and easy to verify. Your friend might want to appeal if she has documentation.

If she's having trouble reaching Washington ESD, she could try Claimyr to get through to an agent. Sometimes these issues are just communication problems that can be resolved with the right person.

Maybe I'll tell her about that. She's been trying to call for weeks with no luck.

They did give us 60 days notice, so good to know I have to wait until my actual last day.

You can use that advance notice time to start gathering your employment documentation though. Makes the filing process smoother.

That's what I'm worried about. Did you eventually get through?

Eventually yeah, but it took forever. Wish I had known about services like Claimyr back then - would have saved me so much frustration.

What's Claimyr? Never heard of it.

It's a service that helps you get through to unemployment offices. Has a good demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

You still need to meet the job search requirements, but Washington ESD is usually reasonable about the timeline. You're expected to start looking for work but they understand these situations take time to process.

I had to do 3 job search activities per week just like everyone else when my company closed. No special treatment unfortunately.

Good idea! Our HR department sent out an official notice so I'll definitely save that.

Also save any final paystubs and your W2 when you get it. Never know what documentation they might need.

It's calculated the same way regardless of the reason for unemployment. Based on your wages during the base period, usually the first 4 quarters of the last 5 completed quarters.

That's what I thought but wanted to make sure. Thanks for confirming!

That's reassuring! I was worried about getting stuck in some long review process.

Yeah, adjudication is usually for cases where they need to determine if you quit or were fired for misconduct. Business closures are pretty cut and dry.

That's a good way to think about it. Makes me feel less weird about filing for benefits.

Exactly! You earned this coverage through your work. No shame in using insurance when you need it.