Just wanted to add another perspective here - I work in HR and deal with this situation regularly. You're absolutely correct to file your claim this Sunday since you haven't actually started work yet. The distinction ESD cares about is when you START earning wages, not when you accept an offer. I've seen employees worry about this exact scenario countless times. As long as you're truthful about accepting the job offer and provide the start date when filing, you're completely in the clear. ESD would rather you be honest and claim legitimately than stress yourself out over doing the right thing. Enjoy your last weekend of unemployment and congratulations on the new position!

Congrats on the new job! I actually went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. You're totally fine to file your weekly claim this Sunday since you haven't actually worked any hours yet this week. The key thing is to answer truthfully when the system asks if you've accepted employment with a future start date - just put in your Tuesday start date. I was super paranoid about it too, but ESD actually expects this scenario and handles it routinely. One thing that tripped me up though - don't forget you still need to complete your work search activities for this week even though you got the job! I almost skipped that part thinking I didn't need to anymore. Once you start working Tuesday, you'll be earning too much to qualify anyway, so this will naturally be your last claim. You're being smart by asking questions rather than just guessing!

One important thing nobody has mentioned - make sure you know the EXACT DATE you'll receive each payment. ESD will want to know this, and it matters for how they allocate the payments. If your HR department hasn't given you specific payment dates for each type of payment, ask them now before you file. Also, if your stock bonus is actually RSUs (restricted stock units) vesting, that's treated differently from a cash bonus. The timing of when RSUs vest vs when they're converted to cash can impact how ESD views them. Definitely apply on August 27th, not before. And set a reminder to complete your first weekly claim the following week - many people forget this step and it delays their benefits.

Just went through a similar situation last month! One thing that really helped me was getting everything in writing from HR before my last day. I asked them to provide a written breakdown of each payment type, the amounts, and the exact dates I'd receive them. This made filing my claim so much smoother because I could reference the official documents when answering ESD's questions. Also, when you file your claim, there's a section specifically for "separation payments" - don't just lump everything together. List each payment separately with its own description. The ESD adjudicator who reviews your claim will appreciate the clarity and it reduces the chance of delays or mistakes. Good luck with everything! The waiting period for those additional payments is frustrating, but at least you'll know exactly when your benefits should start flowing.

what about ur coworkers? are they filing for unemployment 2? might help if all of u are showing the same pattern from this company

This is a classic case of retaliation and you have a strong case for unemployment benefits. I went through something similar when my employer fired me after I filed a workers' comp claim. The key is that Washington state is very employee-friendly when it comes to wrongful termination. Document everything - save that sick leave request email, any responses from HR, and especially the timeline showing termination within 24 hours. When ESD does their fact-finding interview (and they probably will given the employer will likely contest), be clear about the sequence of events. The fact that multiple employees were terminated around the same time with questionable reasons will actually help your case if it comes to light during the investigation. Don't let them intimidate you - using your legally protected sick leave is absolutely NOT misconduct that would disqualify you from benefits.

Wow, what a journey! Thanks for sharing all the updates throughout your process - this is exactly the kind of real-world info that helps others going through the same nightmare. It's infuriating that employers can just falsely claim misconduct to avoid paying into the UI system, but I'm so glad you had the documentation to fight back. Your persistence really paid off! For anyone else reading this thread who's stuck in pending status, Sara's experience shows that getting actual human help and having proper documentation are the keys to getting unstuck.

This thread is incredibly valuable for anyone dealing with ESD issues! Sara, I'm so glad you got your back pay - 9 weeks must have felt like forever. What really stands out to me is how your employer falsely claimed misconduct when it was clearly a layoff. This seems to be a common tactic to avoid higher UI taxes. For future reference for anyone reading this: if you're part of a group layoff, try to get written documentation from HR about the layoffs affecting multiple employees. Company-wide emails, WARN notices, or even news articles about the layoffs can be goldmine evidence. Also, LinkedIn can sometimes help - if your former coworkers are posting about being laid off around the same time, screenshot those posts. The more evidence you have that it wasn't misconduct, the stronger your case will be.

Anyone know if there's a minimum tax amount? Like if you only have one part-time employee making $5k a year?

This thread has been super informative! As someone who's been running payroll for a few years, I just wanted to add that it's worth noting the wage base ($68,500 for 2025) gets adjusted annually too. So even if your rate stays the same, your total tax liability can change if the wage base increases and you have higher-paid employees. Also, make sure you understand the difference between "taxable wages" and total compensation - things like some benefits and reimbursements might not count toward the wage base.