Thanks everyone for all the info. I feel way more confident about taking this part-time job now. Going to accept the offer tomorrow!

I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago! Working part-time while on unemployment is definitely allowed and honestly saved me financially. The key things that helped me: 1) Report your earnings the week you work (not when you get paid), 2) Be prepared for your claim to potentially get flagged for review the first week or two - this is normal, 3) Keep detailed records of your hours and pay, and 4) Don't forget you still need to do your job search requirements. At 20 hours and $16/hour, you're looking at around $320 gross per week, so after the $5 deduction you'd still get a decent chunk of your regular unemployment benefit. The math really does work in your favor!

I'm in almost the exact same situation as you! Been freelancing as a content writer for about 2.5 years and my regular clients have all either cut budgets or gone out of business. Like you, I never paid unemployment taxes as self-employed so I thought I was completely out of luck. But reading through all these responses gives me hope - I actually had a part-time administrative job at a nonprofit about 7 months ago that lasted around 4 months. I made decent hourly wages there before leaving to focus on my writing business full-time. Now I'm kicking myself for that decision! Going to use that benefit calculator someone mentioned to see if those wages are enough to qualify. It's so frustrating that we pay all these other taxes but can't access this safety net when we need it most. Thanks for starting this thread - it's been incredibly informative and I feel less alone in this struggle.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago! I had been freelancing as a UX designer for almost 2 years when my main clients all canceled projects due to budget cuts. Like you, I hadn't paid unemployment taxes as self-employed, but I did have a temporary office job that lasted about 10 weeks roughly a year before I filed. Those W-2 wages were just barely enough to qualify me for benefits. The key thing that helped my case was being completely upfront during the eligibility interview about genuinely wanting to transition back to traditional employment because the instability of freelancing was causing too much financial stress. I emphasized that I was actively applying for full-time UX positions, not just looking for more freelance work. It took about 4 weeks to get my first payment, but having those benefits while job hunting made such a difference. Don't give up - even those 3 months of W-2 wages might be enough if you made decent money during that time. The benefit calculator on the ESD website is really helpful for figuring out if you meet the minimums before you apply.

I tried calling Washington ESD about this exact question last month and could never get through. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and actually got to talk to a real person. They were able to look up my wage history and confirm I didn't have enough W-2 wages to qualify. At least now I know for sure instead of wondering.

UPDATE: I dug through my tax records and found I actually had more W-2 wages than I remembered from that temp agency work. Going to apply this week and see what happens. Thanks everyone for the advice!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately dealing with a very similar situation. I was laid off from my marketing manager position 5 weeks ago (previous salary $88k) and just received an offer for $44k - exactly 50% of my previous compensation. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening and reassuring! I had no idea about the specific percentage thresholds for suitable work during different claim periods. The 90% rule during the first 8 weeks gives me confidence that declining this offer is the right decision. Like everyone else has calculated, this salary wouldn't come close to covering my mortgage, student loans, and basic living expenses. I'd actually be in worse financial shape than continuing to collect benefits while searching for appropriate positions that match my experience level. I'm going to follow all the excellent advice shared here: document the offer details and salary comparison, create a breakdown of my monthly expenses, be honest but concise on my weekly claim, and keep everything organized in case ESD requests additional information. One additional question - has anyone had experience with recruiters reporting job refusals? This offer came through a staffing agency rather than directly from the employer. I'm wondering if that changes anything about potential reporting to ESD. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive space to navigate these stressful situations! The detailed legal information and real-world examples have been invaluable.

I'm new to this community but currently facing an almost identical situation. I was laid off from my operations manager position 3 weeks ago (previous salary $97k) and just received an offer for $48k - just under 50% of what I was making before. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and honestly a huge relief! I was terrified about potentially losing my benefits, but learning about the 90% threshold during the first 8 weeks has given me so much confidence. It's clear that a job paying less than half my previous salary falls well outside the "suitable work" requirements. Like so many others here, I've done the math - this salary wouldn't even cover my mortgage, car payment, and student loans, let alone other living expenses. Taking this position would actually put me in a worse financial situation than continuing to receive benefits while searching for appropriate work that matches my experience and salary history. I'm planning to follow all the excellent advice shared in this thread: document everything (the offer details, my previous salary proof, monthly expense breakdown), be honest but concise on my weekly claim ("Declined offer at 49% of previous salary, insufficient to cover basic living expenses"), and keep detailed records ready in case ESD requests more information. Thank you all for creating such a supportive community and sharing your real experiences! The specific legal information and percentage thresholds mentioned here are invaluable. It's reassuring to know that so many people have successfully navigated this exact situation without losing their benefits.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this process recently. With your $95k tech salary, you should definitely qualify for close to the maximum $999/week. One thing that really helped me was setting up direct deposit right away - paper checks take forever to arrive and can get lost in the mail. Also, start documenting your job search activities from day one even before your first payment arrives. Washington ESD is pretty strict about the 3 activities per week requirement, and it's easier to stay on top of it if you start tracking everything immediately. The WorkSourceWA registration is mandatory too, so don't put that off. Good luck with your claim!

Just went through this whole process myself after getting laid off from my software engineering job in November. Can confirm the $999 maximum is correct for 2025. With your $95k salary you should definitely qualify for close to the max - I was making around $85k and got $876/week. One thing nobody mentioned yet is that Washington ESD has been processing claims faster lately compared to the horror stories from 2020-2021. My initial claim took about 10 days to get approved, which was way better than I expected. Also heads up that the job search requirements are no joke - they really do audit people's WorkSourceWA activity logs. I got randomly selected for a review after 8 weeks and had to provide detailed documentation of all my job search activities. Make sure you're logging everything properly from week one. The direct deposit setup is crucial too - I made that mistake initially and waited 3 weeks for my first paper check to arrive. Once I switched to direct deposit, payments came like clockwork every Tuesday.