


Ask the community...
One more thing - if you get disqualified for any reason, you can appeal the decision. Don't just give up if they deny your claim initially.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much more prepared to navigate this process now. Appreciate all the tips and advice.
Last tip - if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your claim, I had good luck with Claimyr helping me get through their phone system. Way better than the endless busy signals and dropped calls.
Bottom line: being fired for performance issues is NOT the same as being fired for misconduct. File your claim and let Washington ESD make the determination. You've got nothing to lose and potentially benefits to gain.
Btw if you need to talk to Washington ESD about anything else, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
This was a really informative thread. Learned some things I didn't know about how unemployment insurance is funded. Thanks everyone for the detailed explanations!
The waiting period can be frustrating but use that time wisely to get familiar with the system, set up your job search tracking method, and understand all the requirements. Better to be over-prepared than scrambling later when you're already stressed about being unemployed.
Just want to echo what others have said about accuracy being crucial. Double and triple check all your employer information, wages, and dates before submitting. Any mistakes can cause significant delays in getting your benefits started, and nobody wants to deal with that stress when they're already dealing with job loss.
Amara Nwosu
This thread is so helpful! I had no idea unemployment was fully taxable. I've been getting benefits for 2 months and haven't had any taxes withheld. Going to change that immediately.
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AstroExplorer
•Smart move! Better to have too much withheld and get a refund than owe money you don't have.
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Amara Nwosu
•Exactly, I'd rather be safe than sorry after reading about everyone owing thousands.
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Giovanni Moretti
Final tip: keep track of any job search expenses, they might be deductible. Things like resume printing, travel to interviews, job fair fees, etc. Every little bit helps when you're dealing with tax liability from unemployment benefits.
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Giovanni Moretti
•Yeah, if you itemize deductions there are several job-hunting related expenses that qualify. Worth looking into.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•Though with the higher standard deduction now, not as many people itemize anymore. Still worth calculating both ways.
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