Has anyone had their benefit amount change after the initial determination? I'm worried mine might be wrong because my employer reported some weird wage information.

Don't forget that your unemployment benefits will eventually run out. In Washington you get up to 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits, though the exact number depends on your work history.

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I think I'll just keep doing my job searches to be safe. My start date is only 5 weeks away, so it's not too bad. I might try calling ESD using that Claimyr service to double check though. Better to be safe than sorry with unemployment stuff!

Smart move keeping it simple with the job searches! Just wanted to add that when you do start your new job, make sure to report your GROSS wages (before taxes) on your weekly claim, not your take-home pay. A lot of people mess that up and it can cause issues later. Also, if your employer gives you any signing bonus or relocation assistance, that might need to be reported too depending on the timing. The ESD website has a good section on what counts as reportable wages. Good luck with the new position!

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!

Just want to mention that Claimyr really does work for getting through to Washington ESD. I was skeptical about using a third-party service but when you're desperate to talk to someone about your claim, it's worth it. Check out their demo video to see how it works.

One last thing - the money in the UI trust fund is invested by the state, so it actually earns interest while it's sitting there waiting to be paid out as benefits. It's a pretty well-designed system overall.

That's such a relief that it was just a simple checkbox error! I'm glad the Claimyr service worked for you - I've been hesitant to try third-party services but your experience makes it sound legitimate. It's crazy how one accidental click can cause so much stress and worry. Thanks for coming back to update everyone on what the actual issue was and how you resolved it. This will definitely help other people who face the same problem.

This is exactly why I always screenshot my weekly claim answers before submitting! It's so easy to accidentally click the wrong button, especially when you're filing quickly. I learned this the hard way after getting a rejection for accidentally saying I wasn't available for work when I meant to say I was. Now I take my time and double-check every single answer. The Washington ESD questions can be confusing with their wording - like the "did you attend school" question that tripped you up. Great advice about Claimyr too, I've heard good things about it from others in this community.