Employment Security Department - Washington State

Employer Newsletter - June, Issue 63

Washington State Employment Security Department sent this bulletin at 06/27/2025 05:00 PM PDT

June 2025 | Issue 63

Don't overpay unemployment taxes!
Avoid these common mistakes

Q2 unemployment taxes are due by the end of July. Two common mistakes
could cause you to overpay:

Reporting at the incorrect tax rate.
Reporting the wages and hours of employees exempt under the law.

What you can do

Update your tax software

Make sure you correctly enter anyone in your company exempt from
wage reporting. Also be sure to program your correct 2025 tax rate. We
send you a letter annually in December with your tax rate for the
coming year. Reach out to your software’s technical support if you
need help updating it.

Check with your third-party company, if you use one

If you use a third party to report taxes for you, make sure they have
your 2025 tax rate. Also make sure they have a current list people in your company exempt from wage reporting.

Review our quarterly letters

Each quarter, we send you letters if you report wages for an
exempt worker. If employees are no longer exempt, please let us know.
You can fill out an Owner/Officer Change Form 5208C-2 (PDF. 748KB),
then email to UIFiles@esd.wa.gov. If you prefer to mail or fax it to us, the address and fax number are on the form.

What you pay unemployment taxes on

You pay unemployment taxes on your employees’ gross wages up to the
taxable wage base. Learn more on the paying taxes page of the Employment Security website.

SharedWork helps businesses and workers
in tough times

Right now, businesses across Washington are facing an uncertain economic reality. But you still need to keep your organization running and look after your workers.

The SharedWork program helps you do both. SharedWork can prevent layoffs by giving you the flexibility to retain employees at reduced hours during economic downturns. SharedWork lets you tighten your belt and keep your employees. We're proud to say the program turned 42 years old last month.

Learn more about SharedWork on the Employment Security website.

Get answers to your SharedWork questions in our webinar series

On the first Wednesday of every month, Employment Security hosts a live SharedWork webinar. In these online Q&A sessions, you can learn how to apply and get your questions answered. These sessions are intended for employers who either:

Have not applied yet.
Have applied and have more questions.

Sessions run from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. with 50 slots available — so be sure to register early if you can.

Register

You can always find the link to register on the SharedWork webinar page on the Employment Security website.

Find county-level labor market data

Are you interested in the economic health of your county? Do you need county specific information for economic development or business projects? Look in the labor market county profiles on the Employment Security website.

What you can find in the county profiles

County profiles highlight aspects of the economic health of each of Washington’s counties. With the monthly updates, each regional labor economist tells stories of their counties’ labor markets and defining characteristics. You can use the information for grant applications, strategic planning, economic development and research projects.

Get more information

For more information or specific questions about your county or region, contact either:

Washington’s chief labor economist, who covers Washington state.
Your regional economist, who serves your local labor market.

Find labor market team contact information on the Employment Security website.

Your regional economist can help you find and use labor market data, fulfill special data requests and answer questions about your labor market. They serve professionals and organizations in their areas, including businesses, WorkSource offices, workforce development councils, nonprofits, education institutions, economic development organizations, local government and the news media.

Try the new EAMS interface

We redesigned the Employer Account Management System (EAMS) with a new look and feel. This update for the unemployment tax system comes with better usability and easier navigation.

The new interface incorporates feedback from users.

You can optionally preview and use the updated interface when filing for Q2. If you want to switch out of the preview, select the link in the lower left corner of the EAMS homepage. We welcome any feedback you have before the design is finalized in Q3 of 2025.

Let us know if you have any EAMS-related questions or need help navigating the new interface. You can reach us at 855-829-9243.