Frequently asked questions about unemployment benefits - May 8, 2009
General
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You may stop claiming at any time during your benefit year and resume claiming the balance of your benefits until your benefit year ends if you meet all eligibility requirements.
However, if you stop claiming, even for one week, your claim becomes inactive and you must reopen your claim during the first week you are eligible and want to begin claiming again.
If your WorkSource office requests information about you returning to work, please respond to them.
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- Online; or
- By calling 800-318-6022.
Continue to file your weekly claims as you do now. Although you are living in a different state, Washington will continue to pay you benefits.
You must register for work in your local area. Go online to find your local employment center.
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If you worked in Washington and another state(s) in the past two years, you might have a better claim if you apply for a new claim against Washington and combine your wages from the other state(s). If so, you must call the telecenter to file this type of claim. You may not use the online application to file a combined wage claim. You must have wages in Washington in order to file a combined wage claim against Washington.
If you collect unemployment benefits from Washington, you must register for work in the new state. Go online to find the nearest local employment office or check the government pages of your local telephone directory.
After you move, file a change of address.
If you have specific questions, call the telecenter.
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To file an unemployment claim, you must file your claim with one of the state(s) where you worked in the last two years. Contact each state where you worked to find out your claim options for those states.
Eligibility requirements
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- The work is not in line with your training and experience. (After a period of time, any job you are qualified to do may become suitable work.)
- You must join or resign from a labor union.
- The hours or working conditions are not as favorable as most other jobs in your occupation in your area.
- The work is farther than the usual commuting distance for people in your occupation in your area.
- The wages offered are lower than the wages common for that occupation in your area.
- The work is unreasonably dangerous.
- You cannot physically do the work.
- The work would offend your religious beliefs or moral conscience.
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Earnings
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You must still meet the job-search requirements while working part-time.
If you did not work more than 17 hours in any week in your base period, you may need to look for only part-time work.
Working part-time usually extends the number of weeks you can draw benefits. Additional earnings also may help you qualify for a new claim when your benefit year ends.
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If your vacation pay was accrued and there are no specific dates attached to it, you do not need to report it. However, if your vacation pay was for specific days, it is deductible and you need to report it. Be sure to report it for the week(s) in which the vacation days occurred.
If you are in doubt or have any questions, call the telecenter for help.
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Payments are considered severance pay when:
- The payments are not assigned to any period after your date of separation from your employer.
- You are not on call or in any way required to be available to your employer in order to receive these benefits.
- Your fringe benefits do not continue to accrue (vacation, retirement, sick, etc).
- You accept a new job and it does not affect your severance pay.
Internet Application
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Examples:
| Situation | Choose |
|---|---|
| I told my employer "I quit." | Quit |
| Employer let me go or replaced me. | Fired/Discharged |
| I'm unemployed due to a lockout or strike (not an argument between me and my employer). | Labor Dispute/Strike |
| I'm filing to lock-in or freeze my claim. | Still Employed (does not waive work search) |
| My employer has no work available, my job was eliminated or business closed. | Lack of Work |
| I (or my employer) requested a leave of absence. I'm guaranteed work at the end of my leave of absence. | Leave of Absence |
| I was fired for a felony or gross misdemeanor in the past two years. | Felony/Gross Misdemeanor |
| My hours were reduced to less than my customary full-time hours with my regular employer. I will have wages to report each week. | Partially Unemployed |
IRS
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You may avoid a large tax bill if you choose to have income taxes withheld from your benefits.
We cannot refund any money we withhold for income-tax purposes. If we overpay you and the payment includes an IRS deduction, you will have to repay the benefits you received, along with the amount we withheld and sent to the IRS.
If you did not tell us to deduct 10 percent and you would now like us to, call the telecenter.
You can stop the deduction for taxes from your weekly benefits at any time by calling the telecenter. However, only the IRS can refund your withholdings for income tax and only if you qualify for a refund on your annual federal income-tax return.
If you collected unemployment benefits in 2008, you must include that information when you file your federal tax return for the year.
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In January, we mailed a copy to each person who was paid unemployment benefits during the previous calendar year.
If you had federal income tax withheld from your 2008 unemployment benefits, the IRS requires you to submit a copy of your 1099-G with your tax return.
Access the information online.
Call for automated information over the phone.
Additional information about the 1099-G is also available.
Layoffs, lockouts and labor disputes
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