


Ask the community...
For anyone else reading this thread later: the key takeaway is that unemployment compensation is taxable income that should be included in gross income calculations for most purposes. Just remember to set aside money for taxes or have Washington ESD withhold federal taxes from your payments.
One final reminder - keep good records of all your unemployment payments and any taxes withheld. Makes filing your tax return much easier when you have everything organized.
If you end up needing to contact Washington ESD directly for specific data requests and can't get through their main lines, there's a service that helps with that. I used Claimyr recently when I needed to speak to someone about my account and it worked great. They have info at claimyr.com and you can see how it works in their demo video.
Your research sounds really interesting! Will you be publishing the results anywhere? I'd love to see how Washington compared to other states during that transition period.
Update us when you hear back! I'm sure other contractors in similar situations would love to know how it works out for you.
One last tip - if you're still employed but worried about a potential layoff, you can always call Washington ESD ahead of time to get your eligibility verified. Though good luck getting through on the phone without help...
This is exactly when something like Claimyr comes in handy. Getting proactive answers before you actually need to file can save a lot of stress later.
Morita Montoya
For anyone following this thread - I'd recommend checking ESD's website monthly for EB status updates. Economic conditions can change and EB could get triggered if unemployment rates rise significantly.
0 coins
Beth Ford
•Good advice. Is there a specific page on their site that shows EB status?
0 coins
Morita Montoya
•Yes, look for 'Extended Benefits' or 'EB' in their unemployment insurance section. They're required to post current status there.
0 coins
Atticus Domingo
Final thought - make sure you're documenting all your job search activities thoroughly. Even if extensions aren't available, you want to be in compliance if anything changes or if you need to file a new claim later.
0 coins
Elin Robinson
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. This thread has been really informative.
0 coins
Evelyn Kelly
•agreed, learned a lot here that i couldn't find anywhere else
0 coins