I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago when I got laid off from my retail job. I was so worried about losing my medicaid coverage because I really needed it for my medications. But like everyone else has said, you can definitely have both! The unemployment payments do count as income for medicaid purposes, but since my UI was only about $350 a week (way less than my job was paying), I had no problem keeping my medicaid coverage. The most important thing is to call your medicaid caseworker as soon as you get that first unemployment payment - don't wait. I made that mistake and waited almost a month to report it, and they weren't happy about that. But once I explained the situation and provided the documentation, everything was fine. Also, keep all your paperwork from both agencies organized because sometimes they'll ask for proof of your unemployment amount. It's actually kind of nice having both programs working together - gives you a safety net while you're job hunting. Hope this helps and good luck with your search!

I'm currently going through this same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I got laid off from my job about three weeks ago and was really stressed about potentially losing my medicaid coverage when I started receiving unemployment benefits. Reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much peace of mind. I've been putting off calling my medicaid caseworker because I was worried they'd immediately cancel my coverage, but now I understand that being upfront about the income change is actually the best approach. My unemployment weekly amount will probably be around $450, which is still way less than what I was making at my job, so hopefully I'll continue to qualify. I'm planning to call my caseworker this week as soon as my first unemployment payment comes through. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it really helps to know that other people have successfully navigated this process!

I'm so relieved I found this thread before making the same mistake! I was planning to start doing Instacart this week and almost called ESD first - thank goodness I searched here instead. The fact that so many people have gotten wrong information from ESD agents about gig work classification is really alarming. It sounds like there's a serious training gap on their end when it comes to understanding the difference between independent contractors and employees. From everything I've read here, the consensus is crystal clear: - Instacart = independent contractor = self-employment for ESD purposes - Report gross earnings including tips and bonuses - Report for the week worked, not when paid - Keep detailed records with app screenshots I'm definitely going to bookmark this thread and refer back to it when I start filing my weekly claims. This community has been way more helpful and consistent than trying to navigate ESD's phone system. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - you've probably saved me from weeks of headaches trying to fix incorrect reporting! Has anyone put together a simple template or checklist for tracking gig work income that they'd be willing to share? I want to make sure I'm capturing all the right details from day one.

I just wanted to jump in and say thank you to everyone who's shared their experiences here! I'm actually in a very similar situation - I've been on unemployment for about two months and was considering starting some gig work to supplement my benefits. I was planning to call ESD first to ask about reporting requirements, but after reading this thread I'm so glad I found this information first. It's honestly shocking how many people have gotten incorrect information from ESD agents about gig work classification. The fact that multiple people were told Instacart drivers are "employees" instead of independent contractors is really concerning - that kind of misinformation could seriously mess up someone's benefits if they follow it. I'm definitely going to treat any gig work as self-employment when I start, and I'm going to implement the tracking strategies everyone has mentioned here. The screenshot method and keeping detailed weekly records seems like the way to go. One thing I'm curious about - for those of you who've been doing this successfully for months, have you noticed any patterns in terms of which ESD agents seem more knowledgeable about gig work? Or is it pretty much a lottery every time you call? I'm hoping to avoid getting bad advice if I ever do need to contact them about this topic. Thanks again for sharing all your real-world experience. This thread should honestly be pinned somewhere as a resource for other people dealing with the same confusion!

I'm seeing this happen to so many people lately! Just wanted to add that you should also check if there are any "alerts" or "to-do" items in your account that might not be showing up in the obvious places. Sometimes ESD creates these tasks that need to be completed before they'll process your weekly claims, but they don't always make them easy to find. Also, when you do get through to someone (and you will!), ask them to walk you through each question on your weekly claim to make sure you understand exactly what they're asking for. I've found that ESD agents are usually pretty helpful once you actually reach them - the hard part is just getting through the phone system. One more tip: if you have a smartphone, you can try calling from different numbers (like a family member's phone) if you keep getting disconnected. Sometimes their system gets overwhelmed from certain area codes or carriers. Don't lose hope - based on all these success stories, it sounds like your situation is totally fixable!

I'm a new member here and stumbled across this thread while dealing with my own unemployment issues. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I wanted to add something that might help - if you're having trouble getting through to ESD by phone, you can also try reaching out to your local WorkSource office. They often have direct lines to ESD representatives and can sometimes help troubleshoot these kinds of weekly claim issues. When I had a similar problem last month, the WorkSource counselor was able to look at my claim and immediately spot that I had entered my job search activities in the wrong format. Also, I noticed several people mentioned checking physical mail - this is SO important! ESD sent me a notice about needing to verify my identity, but it only came by regular mail, not through the online system. I almost missed it completely. @Isabella Tucker - your situation sounds exactly like what happened to me initially. The good news is that "disqualified" for a weekly claim really doesn't mean your entire claim is denied, especially if your overall claim status is still active. Keep filing those weekly claims and don't give up on reaching ESD. Based on all the success stories here, it sounds like you'll get this resolved soon!

Just to add one more thing - the notification your employer gets is pretty basic and factual. It's not like they're getting a detailed essay about why you left or anything dramatic. It's mostly just confirming employment dates and separation reason.

I went through this exact same worry when I filed my claim in Washington about 6 months ago. Yes, your employer will get notified, but honestly it was way less dramatic than I built it up in my head. The notice they receive is just a standard form - very bureaucratic and matter-of-fact. My former manager never even mentioned it to me when we ran into each other later. Most employers deal with these notifications regularly and it's really just part of normal business operations. Don't let anxiety about the notification process delay you from filing if you need the benefits - that's what the system is there for!

This is exactly what happened to me last month! Got my approval letter but was stuck in processing for 5 weeks. Turns out ESD had flagged my claim for additional documentation that I never received notice about. The system glitch that prevents them from sending proper notifications is apparently a known issue but they haven't fixed it yet. I ended up having to physically go to the WorkSource office in my area - they were able to see the hold on my account immediately and help me submit what was needed. If calling doesn't work, that might be another option. The in-person staff can often see issues that don't show up in your online account. Really hope you get this sorted out soon - the stress of waiting for benefits you've already been approved for is awful!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with something similar - got my approval letter 4 weeks ago but payments are still stuck in processing. After reading everyone's experiences here, it's clear that identity verification issues are way more common than ESD communicates. I've been calling for weeks with no luck getting through, but now I have a better strategy: call right at 8am and specifically ask about identity verification holds. I also didn't know about the WorkSource office option - that could be a lifesaver if the phone lines stay jammed. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. It's frustrating that we have to crowdsource this information because ESD's communication is so poor, but at least we can help each other navigate this broken system!