I'm in a similar situation at 64 - got laid off from manufacturing after 20 years and trying to figure out the best approach. From what I've read here, it sounds like collecting both is definitely allowed in Washington, but I'm still nervous about making sure I do everything correctly. The reporting requirements seem straightforward enough, but I'm wondering if there are any other gotchas I should watch out for? Also, has anyone had experience with how this affects your job search strategy? I'm worried that potential employers might see me as less motivated if they know I'm collecting Social Security, even though I genuinely want to keep working for several more years.

I want to add something that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you understand how your Social Security benefit might be affected if you're still under full retirement age (which is 67 for people born in 1960 or later). There's an annual earnings limit that applies to Social Security recipients under full retirement age. For 2025, if you earn more than $23,400 per year from work (not unemployment benefits), Social Security will reduce your benefits by $1 for every $2 you earn over that limit. This doesn't apply to unemployment benefits since those aren't considered "earnings" for Social Security purposes, but if you do find part-time or full-time work while collecting both benefits, you'll need to factor this in. Once you reach full retirement age, this earnings test goes away completely. Just another piece of the puzzle to consider when planning your financial strategy during unemployment.

I've been using CashApp for my unemployment deposits for about a year now and wanted to share some reassurance! The timing is pretty reliable - usually 2-3 business days after your weekly claim gets processed, sometimes faster during lighter weeks. A few tips that have made things smoother for me: Download the CashApp debit card if you haven't already - you can sometimes access funds even while they show as "pending." Also, I always screenshot my eServices payment confirmation for my records. Most importantly, don't stress if it takes the full 3 days - that's completely normal and doesn't mean anything went wrong. One heads up though - definitely transfer your unemployment money out of CashApp within a day or two of receiving it. I learned this the hard way when they temporarily held my account after a larger deposit sat there for over a week. The hold got resolved, but it was stressful at the time. Overall CashApp has worked great for me - much better than waiting for paper checks! Your first payment tomorrow should go just fine. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I've been using CashApp for unemployment deposits for about 9 months now and wanted to add some reassurance! The 2-3 day timeline is pretty accurate - I'd say about 80% of my payments arrive within that window, with occasional delays during busy periods like holidays or end of quarters. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're really anxious about tracking your payment, you can actually call the automated ESD phone line (1-800-318-6022) and it will tell you when your payment was issued and the amount. That way you know for sure it's been sent before you start worrying about CashApp delays. Also, I've found that CashApp deposits from ESD almost always come through between 8 AM and 2 PM on weekdays - so if you don't see it by late afternoon, it's probably coming the next business day. This helped me stop checking my phone obsessively at all hours! Your first payment should go smoothly tomorrow. Even when there have been hiccups, the money has always eventually made it through. CashApp isn't perfect but it's definitely reliable enough for unemployment payments. Keep us updated on how it goes!

Final thought - if you do decide to take the freelance work, just factor the benefit reduction into your decision. Sometimes earning $300 but losing $295 in benefits isn't worth the hassle, depending on the work involved.

Just to add another perspective - I've been doing some gig work while on UI and one thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track potential earnings vs benefit reductions before taking on projects. For example, if a freelance job pays $400 but I'd lose $395 in benefits (since I get $450/week), I'm only netting $5 plus whatever experience/networking value the work provides. Sometimes it's worth it for the connections, sometimes not. Also worth noting that if you're doing contract work, you might want to consider the tax implications too since you'll be responsible for self-employment taxes on that income.

I was in a very similar situation recently! My benefits ended in August, I worked part-time for about 4 months, then got my hours drastically reduced in December. Filed a new claim in January and it was actually pretty straightforward. Since you've been working since your last claim ended, you'll definitely need to file a completely new claim - don't try to reopen the old one. The Washington ESD website has gotten much better lately, and the whole application took me about 20 minutes. Make sure you have your recent pay stubs, employer contact info, and any separation paperwork ready before you start. My new claim was approved within about 10 days, which was way faster than I expected. One thing that helped me was using the eligibility tool on the ESD website first to make sure I was on the right track. Don't delay filing - every week you wait is potential money lost if you do qualify. Good luck!

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago! After my claim ended, I worked part-time for about 6 months before getting laid off again. You absolutely can reapply - no waiting period needed since you've been working. The key is to file a NEW claim, not reopen your old one. Since you worked after your benefit year ended, Washington ESD will look at your recent wages to calculate your new benefits. I actually ended up with a higher weekly benefit amount because I was earning more at my recent job than when I first filed years ago. The online application is pretty straightforward - just have all your recent employer info, pay stubs, and separation notice ready. It took me about 25 minutes to complete and my claim was approved in about a week and a half. Don't stress too much about it - layoffs due to reduced hours are usually processed quickly since the reason for separation is clear cut.

Just to add another important point: when you file your new claim, your weekly benefit amount might change based on your earnings in the new base year. The calculation is based on your highest-earning quarters, so depending on what you made at that job from August to November, your weekly amount could go up or down compared to your current claim.

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar recently! I was also confused about the reapplication process and made the mistake of waiting until after my benefit year expired to figure it out. What I learned (the hard way): Your benefit year ending is completely separate from running out of weekly benefit payments. Even if you still had weeks left, you'd still need to reapply when that 12-month period is up. The good news is that since you worked from August to November, you should definitely qualify for a new claim. That work will be included in your base period calculation for the new benefit year. Just make sure you have all your employment documentation ready - W2s, pay stubs, exact dates of employment, etc. One tip: when you do reapply, double-check that all your previous employers are listed correctly in the system. Sometimes there can be delays if employer wage information doesn't match up properly. I had to provide additional documentation for one of my jobs because the employer name in the ESD system was slightly different from what was on my pay stubs. Also, don't panic about the one-week waiting period - it's standard for new claims and just means your first payment will be delayed by a week, but you'll still get paid for all eligible weeks once approved.