This has been incredibly helpful. I was so worried about messing up my unemployment eligibility because of my severance. Now I feel confident about filing my claim and know what to expect with the timing.

I'm in a very similar situation - just got laid off and have a severance package. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring! I was panicking that I'd have to choose between taking the severance or filing for unemployment, but it sounds like I can do both. The timing delay makes sense since they're essentially treating the severance period as if I'm still employed. Going to gather all my paperwork and file my claim this week. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to hear from people who've actually been through this process with Washington ESD!

Update: Just had my WorkSource appointment this morning and wanted to share for others in my situation. It was much better than expected! The counselor was actually close to retirement herself and totally understood my challenges. We talked about age-friendly employers in my area and she connected me with their 55+ program coordinator. They're helping me apply for a part-time bookkeeping position with a non-profit that specifically values experienced workers. She also explained exactly how to handle my job search requirements when I start receiving Social Security next month. Thanks everyone for the advice and support!

Congratulations on having such a positive experience, Mateo! Your update gives me hope as someone who's been dreading my own upcoming WorkSource appointment. I'm 63 and was laid off from my HR position three weeks ago after 20 years with the same company. Like you, I've been getting the "overqualified" response from employers, which is really just code for "too old" in my experience. It's encouraging to hear they have dedicated programs for our age group and that some counselors really do understand our unique challenges. I'm definitely going to ask about the 55+ program coordinator when I go in next week. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience - it really helps to know what to expect!

my roomate got partial uneployment and she said its a pain cus u gotta do the job search requirements too even tho u already have a job. u still gotta do 3 job search activities every week.

One thing that caught me off guard when I was on partial unemployment was making sure to report earnings for the correct week. At my part-time retail job, I worked Monday-Friday but got paid every other Friday. ESD wants you to report earnings for the week you actually worked, not the week you got paid. So if I worked March 3-7 and got paid March 14, I had to report those earnings on my weekly claim for the week of March 3-7. It's easy to mix up but super important to get right to avoid any issues with your claim.

Just remember, you have rights as a claimant. Washington ESD has to provide you with a clear explanation of why you were disqualified. Don't let them brush you off with vague responses.

I went through something similar last year and it turned out to be a timing issue with when I reported some part-time work. Even though I reported it, I had reported it in the wrong week (when I got paid vs when I actually worked), which triggered an automatic disqualification. The system flagged it as unreported income even though I had been honest about everything. Once I explained the timing mix-up during my appeal, they reversed the disqualification and I got all my back pay. Definitely push for specific details about what triggered yours - there's always a reason in their system, even if the letter doesn't explain it clearly.

This whole thread should be pinned! So much good information about working part-time while on unemployment. Really glad the OP asked this question.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - when you're working part-time and collecting unemployment, make sure to keep a simple spreadsheet or notebook tracking your hours worked each week and your gross earnings. This makes it super easy when you're doing your weekly claim filing, and you won't have to scramble trying to remember exactly how much you made or when you worked. I started doing this after my first week and it's been a lifesaver. Also, if you're unsure about anything on your weekly claim, there's usually a "help" or "?" button next to each question that gives you more specific guidance about what to report.