Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel like I understand the difference now and can stop worrying about whether I'm doing something wrong with my unemployment claim.

I went through the same confusion when I first started my unemployment claim! The acronyms and similar-sounding program names make it so much harder than it needs to be. What helped me was thinking of it this way: Washington ESD unemployment is temporary income replacement while you're actively looking for work, while SSI is long-term support for people who can't work due to permanent disabilities. Completely different situations and agencies. You're doing nothing wrong by collecting your UI benefits - that's exactly what the program is designed for!

Bottom line - working while claiming unemployment is totally legal in Washington as long as you report it. The problems only start when people try to hide work or earnings.

This is such valuable information! I'm in a similar situation working reduced hours at a restaurant while getting partial benefits. It's reassuring to know that being honest and reporting everything is the right approach. One thing I learned from my experience is to keep detailed records of all your reported earnings and hours - I screenshot my weekly claim confirmations just in case I ever need to reference them later. Washington ESD's system can be glitchy sometimes and having your own records gives peace of mind.

One more thing - if you disagree with your benefit calculation you can appeal it, but you need to do it within 30 days of getting your monetary determination. Don't wait if you think there's an error.

Based on your $52k salary, you should expect around $600-700 per week in unemployment benefits. Washington calculates this using 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings from your base period (the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). The current maximum is $999/week, minimum is $295/week. Don't forget you'll need to do 3 job search activities per week and log them in WorkSourceWA. Also consider having the 10% federal taxes withheld automatically to avoid a big tax bill later. File your weekly claims on time every week or you'll lose that week's benefits entirely.

Thanks for asking this question OP. I'm sure there are other people in similar situations who will benefit from reading this discussion and learning about the resources that were shared.

I work with immigrant communities and wanted to add that some cities and counties in Washington have their own emergency assistance programs that don't have the same federal restrictions as unemployment benefits. King County, for example, has emergency rental assistance and other support programs. It's worth checking with your local city hall or county offices to see what's available in your specific area. Also, many community colleges offer free job training programs that could help you transition to other types of work while you're dealing with this situation.

One last tip - when you file your weekly claims, make sure you understand the difference between 'able and available' and actively seeking work. As a former business owner, they might question your availability for traditional employment.

I went through a similar situation when I had to close my marketing agency in 2023. One thing I wish I had known earlier is to keep detailed records of your business closure date and all the steps you took to wind down operations. Washington ESD will want to see evidence like your final client communications, office lease termination, business license cancellation, etc. Also, be prepared for them to ask about any business assets you might have sold or transferred - they want to make sure you're not just restructuring to collect benefits. The process can be lengthy but if you legitimately closed your business and paid unemployment taxes on your wages, you should qualify. Just be patient and have all your paperwork organized from the start.