Just to follow up - I checked the ESD handbook, and the formula they use is: if you earn 1.33 times your weekly benefit amount, you're considered to have excess earnings. So with a WBA of $550, you'd need to earn more than $731.50 in a week to have 'excess hours.' Since you only earned $320, something doesn't add up. Definitely contact them for clarification. And make sure to continue filing your weekly claims while you sort this out!

I had a similar issue last year where ESD incorrectly flagged my claim with "excess hours" when I clearly didn't meet the threshold. Turned out there was a glitch in their system that sometimes miscalculates earnings vs. hours worked. When I finally got through to an agent (took forever), they fixed it within 5 minutes and backdated my benefits to include that waiting week. The key is being persistent with calling - try first thing in the morning right when they open at 8 AM, that's when I had the most luck getting through. Also, keep detailed records of exactly what you reported vs. what shows up in your account so you can clearly explain the discrepancy to the agent.

One more tip - if you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD with specific questions about your situation, Claimyr helped me get through to someone knowledgeable. Their service at claimyr.com saved me hours of busy signals and holds.

Just wanted to add that if you're in a specialized field with limited local opportunities, you can expand your search geographically and include remote work options. I've been documenting remote job applications and they count the same as local ones. Also, don't forget that informational interviews are really valuable - they count as networking activities and sometimes lead to job opportunities that aren't even posted yet. I've had good luck reaching out to people in my field through LinkedIn for brief coffee chats about their company and industry trends.

I work at WorkSource (connected to ESD) and while we don't handle the payment side directly, I can tell you that we've heard mixed experiences with CashApp for unemployment deposits. Most people report it works fine with the 2-3 day timeframe others mentioned, but we've seen more verification holds with cash apps compared to traditional banks. If you do experience any issues, don't wait - contact both CashApp AND ESD. Sometimes ESD can provide verification of the payment that helps resolve CashApp holds faster. Also, you can always switch your payment method in eServices for future payments if needed.

I've been using CashApp for my unemployment deposits for about 6 months now and overall it's been pretty reliable. Usually takes 2-3 business days like others have mentioned. One thing I'd add is to make sure you have notifications turned on in the CashApp so you know as soon as the deposit hits - it helps with the anxiety of waiting! Also, if you're worried about potential account freezes that some people mentioned, you might want to transfer the money to another account or cash out regularly rather than letting large amounts sit in CashApp. I usually transfer mine to my checking account within a day or two of receiving it just to be safe. The transfer is usually instant if you pay the small fee, or free if you can wait 1-3 business days. You should be fine with your first payment tomorrow - just keep an eye on it and don't stress if it takes the full 3 days to show up!

Final tip - when you're filing your weekly claims, there's a specific question about retirement benefits. Make sure you answer it accurately and include your monthly Social Security amount divided by 4.33 to get the weekly amount to report.

I just want to emphasize how important it is to be completely transparent with Washington ESD about your Social Security benefits from day one. I've seen too many people get into trouble thinking they could figure it out later or that "it's not that much money anyway." Even if you're only getting a small Social Security payment, you need to report it. The penalties for not reporting income can be severe - they can make you pay back all the unemployment benefits you received, plus interest and fees. It's just not worth the risk when being honest upfront is so much easier.

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.