Employment Security Department: Frequently asked questions -- March 2009
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund
Q. How much money is in Washington’s unemployment-insurance trust fund?
A.
At the end of February 2009, there was about $3.86 billion in the account, enough to cover more than 19.7 months of benefits for eligible workers during a serious recession.
Q. How does this compare nationally?
A.
Currently, Washington has the biggest trust fund in the nation.
Q. What does Employment Security do to make sure the trust fund remains solvent?
A.
Employment Security collects unemployment taxes from Washington employers to keep the trust fund solvent. The agency also aggressively investigates fraud by employers and benefit recipients to make sure taxes are paid properly and benefits are paid only to those who should receive them.
